Out in the Garden

Tomato Cage Alternatives

I am experimenting with tomatoes this year. I chose 20 different varieties to plant watch and critique. Of course I couldn't have just one plant of each. For safety I needed to plant at least two of each kind. That means I have over 40 tomato plants! Never mind how I'm going to use all of those tomatoes, I've spent the past month trying to figure out how I'm going to stake or cage that many plants.

I've never been a big fan of using stakes. It seems you are always tying them up and they fall down anyway, or pull the whole stake down. All of my sub-division friends use the cages that you can buy at Wal-Mart or the hardware stores. Many of those commercial cages are too small. The bigger ones are too costly. I had a few cages from previous gardens, but I set out to find other ways of tomato support.

Above on the left is an example of the store bought cage. Above on the right is one of my new tomato tables. I call it that because it is built like a topless table. The idea is that the plant will grow through it and spill out over the top. It should give it just enough support to keep the tomatoes off the ground (I hope). I'll let you know later this month if they work well or not. They are built out of scrap wood that my father-in-law gave me. The boards were part of crates that flowers are delivered in at the florist he works for. I am now building some double-decker tables to try, just in case my single level tables aren't tall enough.

In another area of the garden I'm trying a different approach for tomato support. These are my cherry and grape tomatoes. They are indeterminate and grow quite tall and skinny. As you can see in the picture on the left, they were already falling over and sprawling on the ground. The picture on the right is my solution.

This is my first tomato trellis, also built from scrap wood. I drove two ten foot boards into the ground and attached a top board by drilling holes big enough to drop long bolts down. I left the top board longer on the ends to hang a planter of flowers later for added beauty. To support the tomato plants I just tied clothesline to the top support and then to the base of the plant.

This is very easy to make. You don't actually tie the clothesline to the tomato plant. You make a loop at the base of the plant so it is not tight as the plant grows. Several years ago I did this but tied the clothesline to a stake in the ground next to the plant. This worked too but some of the plants pulled the stakes out and fell over. I then switched to this method and it worked well. I'll let you know later if it works again this year. Here is another close up picture of the tomatoes supported this way.

I'm sorry that these pictures are a little hard to see. It was getting dark when I took them, and it is supposed to rain for a few days here. I wanted to post about this while it is still on my mind.

Even with my tomato tables and tomato trellis; I still have some tomato plants without any support. Do any of you have any other suggestions for cheap and easy means of tomato support? I'd love to hear any ideas. If not, I guess I'll keep making tomato tables or resort to plain stakes. Don't you just want a BLT sandwich right about now

tomato tables

03:19, Tuesday, June 20, 2006 .. Posted by casondrak

My grandfather used to use your tomato tables all the time. His were not as tall as yours but the same design. His worked out great I loved them.

Good ideas

03:24, Tuesday, June 20, 2006 .. Posted by MrsBurns

I like the photos. Thanks for posting them. I, too, have gone tomato crazy this year. I think we have 13 varieties, but more plants per type than you. My husband is ever the clever contraption thinker and he has a new system this year we are trying out. I hope to post pics this weekend. We've been too busy picking beans to take photos! I'll check back on your success so be sure and share.

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05:10, Tuesday, June 20, 2006 .. Posted by morningsunshine

by the giraffe enclosure at our zoo is a garden (it is the very edge of zoo property) that is the one and only reason I like to go to the zoo (other than it wears out my children, and quickly). they do that string thing with everything: tomatoes, cucumbers, squash, beans... I love it! I examine that garden minuetly every time I go so as to get better ideas of what they are doing. last time I was there, the guy was out there doing something; he said it was a community garden of some kind. anyway, it is a very cool idea.

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12:07, Wednesday, June 21, 2006 .. Posted by homesteadinthemaking

We have just been staking ours and tying them up with yarn. I am very interested in how yours turn out.
Blessings,
Trixi