@Carol Dee @baymule
This is how I used to support my tomatoes. This year I used T-posts instead of the wooden stakes and liked that better.
Raw materials
2x4’s ripped into 2x2’s and cut in half. One end sharpened.
16’ long cattle panels. Cut the bottom horizontal off so you have spikes to stick into the ground. I suggest cutting them into 8’ lengths with bolt cutters. This makes them a lot easier for one person to handle.
Wire from bales of wheat straw.
2’ long strips of 1x2’s with holes drilled in the ends. I ripped these from 2x4's also.
½” to ¾” wide strips of cloth torn from worn out old clothing, usually old T-shirts.
I drive the stakes about 10” to 12” on each side of the row of tomatoes. Space them maybe 6’ apart. Place the 8’ long cattle panel next to the stakes and push the spikes into the ground. Use the wire to attach them to the stakes. You probably have something about 4’ tall at this point. Continue on both sides of the row of tomatoes until you have one level along the length. You probably don’t have rows exactly evenly divisible by 8’. No problem. Leave some space between the panels so they are pretty evenly spaced. A one or two foot gap won’t hurt anything.
I grow indeterminates so 4’ is not usually high enough. I take another cattle panel and attach that to the upper half of the already installed panels. It’s probably hard to see, but overlap the two panels maybe 24”. Again use the wheat straw wire to tie them together. You wind up with something maybe 6’ tall.
To help stabilize it and hold the two sides apart, I attach the 2’ long 2x2’s at the top with yet more of that wheat straw baling wire.
I use the strips of cloth to tie the tomato stalks to the wire where necessary. Since I only grow indeterminate I usually prune back to two or three stalks. Some of these I can weave immediately but often I have to tie the stalks to get them started. But after they are started, I just weave them as they grow, at least when I remember. I don't always remember in time and have to tie some of these too.
You don't always have room to slip your hand inside to get the tomatoes, not in the overlap area, so you have to come at them high or low. You can do it, it's just inconvenient in that specific area.
