What do you use for a tomato trellis?

641Dave · Mar 12, 2013

Just wondering?

The last time I had a garden I split a cattle panel in half and tied it to make sort of a Tee-Pee and planted my tomatoes on either side of the base. It got a little tight to pick from the inside.

I'd figured I'd ask since this place is plume full of know how and good ideas.

Thanks!

Briar Hill Brittanys · Mar 12, 2013

Got a 150' roll of 5' remesh, cut and formed into cages. Used a tee post to hold up. Worked great, very sturdy, and should last for several years. Cost was about 4 bucks each. I'll be making more this year to contain more tomatoes. Mark

rd 2N in mo · Mar 12, 2013

I have had the best results with 6x6 WWF that you use for concrete slabs. I cut off the bottom wire to stake into the ground and cut the 5 foot dim at 8 to 10 squares.Then roll the ends together and wire tie them into a round tube. Have been using the same ones for 10 years.Easy to bring the plant thru the middle and can pinch the suckers as needed. Great for picking the tomatoes also.

El Toro · Mar 12, 2013

I made cages from heavy reinforcement wire that are about 18 inches in diameter and 5 feet tall about 35 years ago. I'm still using them. I cut the bottom horizontal wire so the cages have legs and won't blow over during a thunderstorm that has high wind. Here's a picture of one cage taken a few years ago. You can mulch around the plant to keep down weeds. I use to use grass clippings from around the area until everyone has their grass mowed. Hal
PS: Makes picking them easy.

bjb in TX from Ne · Mar 12, 2013

My Dad plants in rows (~18" apart) with about 4' between the rows. Then he uses full cattle panels to make a fence down each row. Finally the plants get woven through the grid. This allows you to pick from both sides. Since I only have a few plants I plant them about 2' apart and tie them with twine to 6' stakes

Eric in IL · Mar 12, 2013

Our cages are very similar to Hals'. To make them round we overlapped one square of the wire and used small hog(nose) rings to hold them together. I think the rings were called shoat rings, similar in size to the ones Dennis Rodman wears.

We cut the bottom wire also to form legs, but found they still blew over in the wind. Now I add two electric fence posts to each cage that are driven in about a foot deep. I use fence insulators to secure the posts to the cage.

They work pretty well but some ripe fruit can be hard to see, and they consume quite a lot of storage room.

pete black · Mar 12, 2013

like others i purchased a 100 ft. roll of re-
enforcement wire to make my cages. pricey up
front but years of use makes them fairly cheap. i
take care up mine, remove them from garden and
stored. i drive in a t-post on each end of the
row, plant tomatoes, place cages and then use
zippy ties attached to the tops to make one
continuous and sturdy run. wind has not blown
them over yet. i believe the 100 ft. roll made 33
cages but can be purchased in 50 ft. also. as
others stated, mulching is the key for tomatoes,
either staked or caged.

El Toro · Mar 12, 2013

I use to use heavy plastic ties, but I found that twine will last forever. Hal

glennster · Mar 12, 2013

i use full cattle panels and t-posts. then plant right along the fence and tie them up as they grow. also use cattle panels for cucumbers, squash and gourds. i use grass clipping and mulch between the rows to hold moisture and cut down on the weeding.

Adirondack case guy · Mar 12, 2013

We have planted in raised bed boxes for 25 years. We have vertical posts screwed to the boxes and horizontal rails fasten to them on the sides. We can then just slide precut slats from side to side on the two levels of rails as the plants grow. Once above the first rail we trim out all the leaves and suckers below. This allows the air to move under the plant mass, and facilitates watering without getting the blooms and foliage wet. The fruit is also at waist heigth for harvesting. Also in the pic is the A frame we use for peas. they get up to 7' tall. I just went out and took the last pic. Yesterday there was 2' of snow in the garden, Temp has dropped from 49 this morning to 38 now. Raining at .32 in/hr at the moment.
Loren, the Acg.

Zachary Hoyt · Mar 12, 2013

We use 5x10 panels of concrete reinforcing mesh and bend them
along the long axis into the shape of a quonset hut, with the two
sides tied with twine about 3' apart. They don't blow over and they
work pretty well.
Zach

old · Mar 12, 2013

I use the commercial type tomato cages but my dad had probably 200 plus of them that I am still finding all over the place. I use them for almost every thing in my garden. That way I know where a plant should be if the weeds get to bad plus you know not to pull a plant if it is growing inside that cage till you know for sure it is a weed or not

El Toro · Mar 12, 2013

My wife grows tomatoes and other plants in Earth boxes. They have a constant supply of water.
Here's a picture from last summer. Hal

larry@stinescorner · Mar 12, 2013

I use concrete reinforcing wire ,and make a cage,put 1 stake to hold it, Can reuse them many years

What do you use for a tomato trellis?

641Dave

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Briar Hill Brittanys

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rd 2N in mo

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El Toro

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bjb in TX from Ne

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Eric in IL

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pete black

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El Toro

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glennster

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Adirondack case guy

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Zachary Hoyt

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old

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El Toro

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larry@stinescorner

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