Need Suggestions for Supporting Tomato Plants

[wsmoak]

My tomatoes are in 5'6" tall cages made of concrete reinforcing wire -- the type that comes in a big roll. It's a pain to work with, but once the cages are built they last forever. I make them in concentric circles so they can stack one inside the other in the off season.

I tried staking some tomato plants this year and it was a complete failure.

For only half a dozen plants, I'd invest in the collapsible triangular or square cages made of heavy coated wire. They will break down and lie flat during the off season. Or, build those yourself out of cattle panel, which can be had for about $20 a 16' section as mentioned. (There are more expensive panels -- the ones with 4" squares for sheep and goats use more metal and cost more. Hog panel is cheaper but is too short. Look for either the cattle panels or the combo/multi-purpose panel. It will have small holes at the bottom and larger ones at the top -- turn it over for use with tomatoes.)

(Those cone shaped cages might be okay for pepper plants, but they're useless for tomatoes!)

-Wendy

 

[lesa]

Actually if you are planting indeterminate tomatoes- 4 plants for one cattle panel would be perfect. I put about 6 on each panel, and they are super crowded. Schmije, that system looks great! Nice garden and I love your garden helper!

 

[mabsonjackson]

Tomato crates come in a variety of forms and materials. Many individuals buy premade crates from a nursery. Tomato assistance may be a more true name than crate because these components assistance rather than contain garlic. Some individuals prefer to create crates by reducing and developing 4- to 6-foot-high, heavy-gauge cable capable into groups that encompass the vegetation. Using cable with 6-inch spaces makes it much simpler to collect the tomato vegetables. Include the tomato flower with the capable established into an 18- to 24-inch size group, and secure the stops together with plastic material connections or cable. Cages are easy to create and will last for many growing conditions.

 

[ninnymary]

I made panels out of the concrete reinforcement panels from Home Depot. They are $7.98 a piece and are 5'x7'. My husband outlined them with pipe. We left them 7' tall and thought that maybe next year I would cut them to 6' but the plants reach the top! I like the fact that I can weave the branches through the grid. They are braced about 18" from the fence. I just love them!

Mary

 

[Smiles Jr.]

. . . They are braced about 18" from the fence . . . Mary

What do you mean by "braced" 18" from the fence?

 

[April Manier]

I like the weave method.

Pound steaks in between, every two plants. Use old lumber laying around, or buy t posts (you'll use em again. Then use twine, weaving between the posts and plants. Make sure to tie each level off at each end. By this I mean the first level of string is runs at 8 inches, the next at 16, etc. I tie each level off so that if the string rots and breaks I don't have a house of cards falling!

Also, I have implemented this after the plants were big and been successful. We all have good intentions, but they don't all come to pass in a timely fashion.

I just let my romas go on the ground. I have some blossom end rot and loos a few, but I have so many it doesn't matter. If you want a perfect tomato you should steak them.

 

[ninnymary]

Smiles, my husband took an 18" long pipe and tied on end to the panel and the other to the fence. Hope this makes sense to you. The only problem is that he put the braces too low. I am 5' and small and fit between the panel and the fence while the tomatoes are still short. I go back there to weave them from the back. Occasionally, I have bonked my head! Once the plants grow too big, I no longer like to squeese in there because I come out smelling like tomatoes!

Mary

 

[Smiles Jr.]

Smiles, my husband took an 18" long pipe and tied on end to the panel and the other to the fence. Hope this makes sense to you. The only problem is that he put the braces too low. I am 5' and small and fit between the panel and the fence while the tomatoes are still short. I go back there to weave them from the back. Occasionally, I have bonked my head! Once the plants grow too big, I no longer like to squeese in there because I come out smelling like tomatoes! Mary

Do you reach through the panel and fence to pick the 'maters? It sounds like a cool idea.

 

[ninnymary]

Smiles, yes, I reach through the grids to pick the tomatoes. The fence is a tall redwood fence that separates us from the neighbors.

Mary

 

[Jared77]

Question for all of you using T posts. Do you pull them up every year and have to redrive them back into the garden when you rotate things in the garden?