trellis for tomatoes

[seedcorn]

I've used the cages, not very proud of them. So does anyone have pictures of using posts and twine? How many runs of twine do you use, how far apart? I have plenty of posts and twine.

In past, I mulch the garden w/straw and let the tomatoes go whereever. I will still straw the garden but am thinking of trying the post/twine.

Pictures would be good as I'm a visual person.

 

[Texan]

 

[Ridgerunner]

http://www.theeasygarden.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=25824

 

[digitS']

I don't have photo's of how I used to do it but 3 posts with baling twine works as well as the funnel-shaped cages. (. . . far better than the "little" cages .)

I could drive 5' posts in about a foot and then tie the twine about every 10" going up. Keep in mind that I've never had especially large plants - don't live in that kind of country. A neighbor put in tomato plants a few years ago and said that they were supposed to get to 5'. He said he didn't know because he'd never seen a tomato plant that tall . . .


That neighbor had never seen my tomato garden but, really, none of mine will get any taller than that. . . or "longer" I guess I could say. Since, I'm just letting them sprawl in recent seasons.

Taller plants, of course, will put more stress on supports - especially in the wind. My tomato patch must be in the windiest location hereabouts, sorry to say :/. One reason to select compact varieties . . .

Steve

 

[seedcorn]

thanks for the help. Now I understand how I'll do mine. Will try some staked to see how I like it versus the sprawl all over the straw method. Have plenty of poles and plastic baling twine.

 

[Catalina]

I trellis mine. They grow taller than the eight foot high trellises. I love it, because they create a living privacy wall and I can stand and pick tomatoes.
Also the tomatoes stay very clean.

 

[obsessed]

I am using the small cages for the cherry tomatoes and that is working a bit fine. They are getting taller than the cage now and are flopping over. For the big boy tomatoes, I have then tied to bamboo poles with the ties from the market veggies.

 

[Beekissed]

I used twine for my trellises last year and it just wasn't strong enough for the tomatoes. If your tomatoes get any size at all and bear heavy fruit, the twine breaks and your main stalk will break along with it. I found that out the hard way.

This year am trellising with chain link fencing I got for free. Will be tying up with loosely placed zip ties....these won't rain rot and the birds won't untie them to use for their nests!

 

[seedcorn]

I used twine for my trellises last year and it just wasn't strong enough for the tomatoes. If your tomatoes get any size at all and bear heavy fruit, the twine breaks and your main stalk will break along with it. I found that out the hard way.

This year am trellising with chain link fencing I got for free. Will be tying up with loosely placed zip ties....these won't rain rot and the birds won't untie them to use for their nests!

What type of twine was it? Was it baling twine? I'll be using the plastic baling twine that is very strong and durable.

 

[mener6896]

I put my stakes (steel, T shaped fence posts) about every 3-4 plants. I stretch nylon tomato twine down one side of the plants (wrapping around posts as I go) then back the other side of the plants. As the plants grow, I add another row of twine (usually about 8-10")

I can't imagine using small tomato cages for cherry tomatoes. My cherry plants are double the size of my other tomatoes. They are huge!! I know their fruit are small, but the plants are big!