3,088. An Enclosed Vine

Hilchos Kilayim 7:24

If one vine was planted in a pit or in the middle of a ditch, one must distance six handbreadths (about 18”) from it, after which he may plant in the rest of the ditch as one would on level ground. If the ditch is ten handbreadths deep (about 30”) and there’s a border around it with a lip four handbreadths wide (about 12”), then one may not plant in it even if he distances six handbreadths.

Hilchos Kilayim 7:25

Similarly, let’s say that a single vine is surrounded by a fence ten handbreadths tall by four handbreadths wide (about 30”x12”). In such a case, one may not plant in the enclosed area even if he distances six handbreadths from the vine. If he distanced six handbreadths and planted (even though he shouldn’t have), what grows is not consecrated. The optimum distance one must separate between vines and vegetables is four cubits (about six feet) in every direction. After doing so, one may plant in the rest of the ditch (in the case in 7:24) or in the rest of the enclosed area.