Tomato Support

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larry_stewart

Master Chef
Joined
Dec 25, 2006
Messages
6,171
Location
Long Island, New York
Does anyone have a preference on how or what they use to support their tomato plants?

I primarily grow indeterminate varieties which can get significantly taller than 6 feet, and tower over even the largest tomato cage. This causes me to either MacGyver something for additional support, or let them flop over the top ring of the cage causing crowding ( which leads to poor airflow, disease, limited sunlight ..) , unsupported branches ( which leads to branch breaking) and limited ability to harvest.

I have made my own tomato support system out of lumber and wire which works, but there has got to be an easier, better way.

Ive searched the internet high and low on different techniques, but curious if you guys have anything to add.
 
I've been using the spiral stakes - be sure they are solid steel - not aluminum or tubular....
I fasten the tops together with a wire tie into "tripods" which is stable for heavy fruiters. they are spaced about 4 feet apart.
tripod.jpg
 
All of my tomatoes are grown on trellises, made from 5' wide concrete reinforcement wire (CRW). Most get even longer, but I just train the vines horizontally, once they have gone to the top. Years ago I used to also use some 5' tomato cones, about 16" in diameter at the top. However, with 10-12" of the wire going into the ground, as "feet", they were not 5' high, and eventually these feet rusted away, making them shorter. The last few years that I used them, I would turn one upside-down on another, and attach them with cable ties, so I had half as many, but quite tall! Eventually, they all rusted away, and I had to trash them.

I never even see the 5' cones any more. I have to laugh when I see people buying those 2-3' tomato cones, though I will admit, there are dwarf varieties out there. Those things wouldn't even support most of my peppers!
 
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