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Spokane,WA

I was looking for some advice on the better layout of my patch for next year. I have expanded my patch so that it is 40' wide and 17' deep. Would it be better to grow 2 plants in the flag pattern, about 5' apart? Or could I get away with growing 1 in the flag pattern and 1 Christmas tree? I know ideally I would grow 1 plant in that space, but what fun is that? Any advice or smart aleck comments would be appreciated, but I would appreciate the advice a little more. thanks, Darren

11/22/2005 4:19:54 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

I'd personally grow two plants. You could have 8-9' secondaries on each side of the main(in the 17' width). You could let the mains get to 17'(I'd plant at least 3' from the garden edge). You could let the secondaries and mains get longer, by letting them run into the lawn some. If your soil is good, you have good seed, and you take care of the plants well, you could grow some real big ones.
There are other planting schemes you could use, such as planting them in the middle of the patch, and letting them run in opposite directions.

11/22/2005 4:29:46 PM

Taber, Alberta

My second patch is 40x20 and I grow 2 plants back to back. I space them 5-6 feet apart and they run away from each other. It's easier in the spring as I only have to build one hoophouse. Depending on how you train the main vine, you could get it longer than 20 feet.
Alan

11/22/2005 8:29:23 PM

Spokane,WA

Thanks for the advice. I was mainly wondering how succesful anyone has been with the flag pattern. Mostly because if I grew them that way I could let my mains grow into my lawn. If I did grow them back to back as you suggested Alan I could only let the mains grow about 15-18'. I appreciate both of your advice. I guess I still have a couple more months to decide.

11/23/2005 2:03:49 PM

[email protected]

I say plant them back to back in the middle, letting them grow towards the ends of the patch. I think it would be much easier to care for them this way and they'd reach the same size as any other pattern.

11/25/2005 10:05:09 AM