Tomato Support

What do you use to support your tomato plants? Have you found wire cages that work?

Standard round cages or stake them up.

6 x 6 welded wire mesh sold for concrete. Cut it into pieces about 8' long and this will make a cage that is just under 30" diameter. Much more stable than the cages available in stores, and more places to tie up the plants, if needed.

I roll out enough for one cage, then cut alternating strands. Then the long strands become the 'feet' that get shoved into the ground.
In the drawing, I would cut all the red ones to stay with the part on the left, and be turned into the cage I have drawn. I would cut all the blue ones to stay with the part on the right and be turned into the same sort of cage. Easy to put these feet into the ground, there are not many of them.
Note that cutting it in this orientation means the cage size is dictated by the height of the wwm. You can make larger cages by cutting it the other way, or joining 2 pieces of mesh.

This message was edited Feb 9, 2015 6:22 PM

How to you secure the tube when cut?

I snip several of the wires at one edge and bend them over to hook the other edge.

Thanks! I've been trying to convince the hubby to do this with our tomatoes.

T-Frame Construction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CLWdctgzOA

T-Frame Canopy Construction: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zzuIFTfRnEc

3 Reasons to use Shade Cloth in your Garden: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gjseP1L5NJU

Protecting your Plants from Extreme Summer Heat: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pRrnRwQVthY

Mini-Greenhouse: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7uis53iRmk

In-Garden Greenhouse Tutorial: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aG5ZWXbdxL0&index=17&list=PL2cLVMJiux-kPNMq9fciRWHCfHqUQSaqG


I built my T-Frame last season, and will be completing the canopy & installing the overhead wires in time for the tomato and vining crops season...to date, I've purchase crystal clear greenhouse plastic for winter protection, and 50% shade cloth for heat protection for THIS season's crop of tomatoes and vining veggies.

I've also constructed the PVC mini-greenhouses for my raised beds, as well as accidentally made a portable mini-greenhouse for hardening off my seedlings.

The coverings will extend the growing season on each end.

Hope this helps!

Lynda, do you just hang out on You Tube? LOL You always have the best instructional videos.

Mini-greenhouse:
I do something similar on a larger scale:
4' wide beds, taller arches using 1/2" PVC.
Arches need to be max 4' apart.
Arches are supported by larger pipe pieces that are secured to the beds.

Then these arches support the seasonal fabrics:
Shade cloth in the summer, clear plastic in the cooler seasons.
Remove the arches, and add trellis posts (more PVC pipe) that support a flat panel of the 6" wwm for peas or beans.

Or when you need the taller trellises you can just thread the PVC hoops through, and reattach. This way I don't have to find a place to keep the PVC, plus it can help stabilize tall trellis like cattle panels on end.

I have 8 ft lengths of rebar stuck 18 inches in the ground to which I zip-tie the cattle panels.

I cage everything I grow in my raised beds with concrete reinforcement wire. Hoops made with 7 spans for tomatoes and 8 for squash. In the raised beds, ijust remove the soil down to the natural ground level (about eight inchs0 set the cages in the hole push the soil back in and tamp around where the wire is. Then I just reach through the wire and plant. No tying up necessary, the limbs of the tomatoes will go through the wire and hold the plant firm. I've been doing this for several years and have never had a cage to turn over. Try it, you'll like it.

Diana_K,
Do you have a picture you could post. I tried visualizing, but got lost...

Thanks!

Most of the babies graduated today!

Here is a sketch.
The plan view shows some circles inside the vegetable box. I am currently using some thin wall 1" PVC, but I need to make it a bit stronger. Maybe 1-1/4" schedule 40. I am using some 1/2" PVC hoops. I cut the PVC into short pieces and connected them with 45 deg. fittings. I have also used #3 rebar. I have some clips that hold the clear plastic in place.

Diana_K,

Ok. I see. That's exactly how my hoop works except, my pvc anchors are screwed to the outside of the box.

I pound each 15" anchor pieces into the ground until flush with the top of the box, then screw them into the outside of the box with 3.5" deck screws, at 1 foot intervals. Each is screwed in at a 6" mark from the top, so, when I set the ribs in, they all stop at the same height.

Nice graphic!

Thanks!

Thanks.
Yes, the pipe holders can be inside or out. I have narrow walkways, so they are a hazard to navigation on the outside of the boxes.

I am excited to try the Florida Weave method for tomato support this year. Search for it on YouTube.