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How do you support your tomato plants?

3rrorist

3rrorist

I will be planting a lot of tomato plants this year. In past years when I've only had a few plants, I've used tomato cages. Those are too expensive to use for the amount I plan on planting this year. I've seen and read online about people "staking" the tomatoes, but I haven't found any good tutorial on exactly how to properly support the tomato plants with a stake. Any tips or links to guides are appreciated.
 
Thanks
 
I'll be anxious to get some opinions on this as well.  I've staked in the past but was entertaining trying the Florida weave this year.
 
I use a roll of concrete reinforcing wire.
 
It makes about 32 cages that are 18" in diameter. They are supposed to last 20+ years.
 
Cost about $110 and some of your time.
 
Staking is just driving a pole down next to the stem and tying the plant to that. There is the "florida weave" also if you want to google that.
 
Some people also just let the plants grow into a clump (I have before) and theres nothing wrong with not supporting them either. They just need more space and airflow that way.
 
1inch by 5 foot pvc pipe, tie main stem / branches to it loosely. It's kinda annoying the mesh stuff probably is better.
 
I use stakes but my plants get so heavy they've been snapping the last few years. I'm going to stick with stakes, but just get taller and thicker ones.  IF you have large rows the best way to do it is seen in this picture.
 
12954799994_fd4c6b6513_b.jpg

 
 
Notch out thick stakes and lay a pipe or similar across the top. This way when they get tall you just run them along the pip. Simply tie the leaders to the pipe and shorten as they grow.
 
Spicymeatball,
Great idea! I was going to say stakes with heavy twine between, but your idea looks better.

Rymerpt
 
+2
i do tomato cages with what they call hog wire.. it has about 6 inch squares  for the plants (tomato and chili) to rest on. i also cut out the bottom horizontal wire to allow me to embed the cage several inches into the ground  ( it was windy in va)
here is the link http://www.homedepot.com/p/YARDGARD-4-ft-x-50-ft-14-Gauge-Welded-Wire-308302B/202024086
 
cost for the 48 inch was 38.00. i used these for at least 4 yrs before i gave them away when we moved.
 
Just my 2 cents
 
Like MX5INPA, we use the concrete reinforcing wire for our tomato cages, only our cages are larger-using 12 squares for each cage-thus making about 24 cages per roll.  They are rusty to begin with, but after time, they no longer have the rust.
 
We've tried the Florida weave, but I guess the cord was not strong enough for the heavy plants, and we had to continually add more cord while breaking branches.  We tried staking a few last year - they were yellow pears that got huge.  Not again.
 
We'll just stick with the CRW cages.  Like HOWARD, we cut the bottom section to make prongs that allow the cages to stay in the ground easier.  Over time, the joints on the prong rot, which forces us to tie a stake to the cage.  We've only had a few do this so far.
 
So the cages are about $4-5 each.  Well worth my time and little effort during the season.
 
The concrete reinforcing wire cages work great, but I prefer the weave for 2 reasons. I can fit more tomato plants in my garden using the weave, and I don't have the space to store a bunch of cages during the winter.
 
I use wood 2x2's as stakes, and connect the tops with horizontal 2x2's to make a sort of grid. If you don't connect the tops of the stakes they will bend inward when you go to tie up your plants, and are just not very stable in general.
 
These pics are a couple years old, but they give an idea.
 

 

 
 
 
 
It looks like the tomato plants posted here a real healthy. So I'm wondering how the weave method holds up large heavy plants. My garden gets full sun and has great soil. The tomato stalks get really beefy and the fruit gets heavy. I had half of my 1" stakes snap last year under the weight. I don't see twine holding them up. The twine that I use to tie off to the stakes actually bends the branch and strangles the fruit. I am trying to find a solution to that, and the weave method doesn't seem like it would solve the problem.
 
My grandfather swears by his method, posted above. But he doesn't grow large fruit, like any beefsteak variety. Half my plants are 1.5lb+ fruit. I don't think that method will help either. Plus I only grow 8 plants, and I don't have the room to grow in rows like that. I'm thinking now just to stick with stakes but get inch and a half or 2 inch stakes to prevent them from snapping.
 
My tomatoes have pulled down so many weaves...even when I used metal stakes.
 
About storing... cant you just leave them in the garden for the winter?
 
Mine are stacked outside between two pine trees.
 
mx5inpa said:
My tomatoes have pulled down so many weaves...even when I used metal stakes.
 
About storing... cant you just leave them in the garden for the winter?
 
Mine are stacked outside between two pine trees.
Click to expand...
 
The weave is worthless if your stakes are able to bend or move at all. Every time you add a row of twine the stakes bend more and more, and every row of twine below the top one loosens. It's a losing battle. If the stakes are braced so they can't move it works great. I use strong twine and pull it very tight. I've had rows of 7' tall plants survive strong winds that took down large limbs from nearby trees. It is definitely more work than cages though. You have to keep up with it or the plants get out of control or slump over, but if you keep up with it the 'walls' of plants are quite sturdy.
 
Like I said, I do like the cages and they work great, but I have a small (and already somewhat cluttered) yard so 20+ large
cages is just too much bulk to look at 12 months a year. I take everything down (stakes and such) every year and start fresh in the spring. It probably takes less than 30 minutes to build the stake/frame thingy every year.
 
There are many ways to skin a cat. The weave is just what works best for me, and the best way I know of to grow a bunch of plants in a small space while keeping things somewhat tidy.
 
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