Tomato cage
#1
01-01-20, 07:56 PM
Tomato cage
I'm looking for an easy way to cage my tomatoes next year. We used the cheap cages and it didn't work at all. My mom never caged hers or anything but I want to try it. I was thinking of just running a cattle panel on each side of the row. The vines would hole to the fence, the holes are big enough to pick through.
#2
01-01-20, 09:03 PM
Group Moderator
How about using better cages instead of cheaper ones.
Mine are many years old and still going strong.
Mine are many years old and still going strong.
#3
01-01-20, 09:35 PM
Member
Been using 6" mesh concrete re-wire for many years.
Cut the bottom wire off and have the vertical wires for spikes to stick in ground. If you are in a windy place. drive a T-post beside the cage and tie them together.
I usually use the 5' tall material.
RR
Cut the bottom wire off and have the vertical wires for spikes to stick in ground. If you are in a windy place. drive a T-post beside the cage and tie them together.
I usually use the 5' tall material.
RR
XSleeper
voted this post useful.
#4
01-02-20, 04:23 AM
Group Moderator
Grandpa taught me to do the same thing as RR, but he made them into cages... He cut pieces about 5 ft long then bent them into a cylinder and tied the wire so it would be round... About 24" in diameter. They lasted over 50 years because they are older than I am... His tomatoes were always about 6 feet tall.
#8
01-02-20, 04:51 AM
Group Moderator
If you tie an 8ft long piece into a cylinder, they will be about 30" in diameter... A little large. But 4x7 would make a nice hoop... 4' is kind of short though... They will grow out the top.
#9
01-02-20, 06:57 PM
I'm active in local politics. I get to recycle all those road-side-campaign-signs (steel U frame and black plastic).
The black plastic makes great garden-weed-block-fabric, and metal frames bend easily into frame hoops or tomato cages.
if you use 6" concrete mesh, bend it in half, like a pup-tent.
Then trim the tomato plants so they don't grow too far above the support.
That ALSO re-directs their energy into the fruit, rather than the stems.
The black plastic makes great garden-weed-block-fabric, and metal frames bend easily into frame hoops or tomato cages.
if you use 6" concrete mesh, bend it in half, like a pup-tent.
Then trim the tomato plants so they don't grow too far above the support.
That ALSO re-directs their energy into the fruit, rather than the stems.
