 |
 | Home | Contact Us | FAQ | Search & Site Map | Link to Us |
 | Sign In | Join | Other 45 Sites in Network |
| HomeDiscussion GroupsGeneralRural LivingHome AutomationSecurity AlarmsConstructionRepairPlumbingCleaningPest ControlLawn and Garden |
Homeowner Forum / Lawn and Garden / May 2008Tomato supports
Whenever we plant tomatoes, they grow very big, about 7-8 feet tall and yield a lot of tomatoes. I am not complaining. (we use chicken manure and sometimes fertilizer). But, my question is what do people use that is cheap and sturdy and can support such a big tomato plant.  SignatureDue to extreme spam originating from Google Groups, and their inattention to spammers, I and many others block all articles originating from Google Groups. If you want your postings to be seen by more readers you will need to find a different means of posting on Usenet. http://improve-usenet.org/ >Whenever we plant tomatoes, they grow very big, about 7-8 feet tall >and yield a lot of tomatoes. I am not complaining. (we use chicken >manure and sometimes fertilizer). > >But, my question is what do people use that is cheap and sturdy and >can support such a big tomato plant. Galvanized cattle panels, cut in half to 8 foot lengths, and supported by 2 steel fence posts. They will last forever. Charlie > Whenever we plant tomatoes, they grow very big, about 7-8 feet tall > and yield a lot of tomatoes. I am not complaining. (we use chicken > manure and sometimes fertilizer). > > But, my question is what do people use that is cheap and sturdy and > can support such a big tomato plant. Pieces of leftover farm fencing built into cages. ;-) SignaturePeace! Om "Human nature seems to be to control other people until they put their foot down." -- Stephan Rothstein >> Whenever we plant tomatoes, they grow very big, about 7-8 feet tall >> and yield a lot of tomatoes. I am not complaining. (we use chicken [quoted text clipped - 4 lines] > > Pieces of leftover farm fencing built into cages. ;-) Tonight, I welded some leftover Schedule 40 water pipes together, need to add a few more pieces and I will be done for good. i SignatureDue to extreme spam originating from Google Groups, and their inattention to spammers, I and many others block all articles originating from Google Groups. If you want your postings to be seen by more readers you will need to find a different means of posting on Usenet. http://improve-usenet.org/ > Whenever we plant tomatoes, they grow very big, about 7-8 feet tall > and yield a lot of tomatoes. I am not complaining. (we use chicken > manure and sometimes fertilizer). > > But, my question is what do people use that is cheap and sturdy and > can support such a big tomato plant. A couple of years ago someone gave me a bunch of those tomato cages so I tried them. I will never use them again except possibly for cherry tomatoes. A heavy period of rain softened the ground so much they fell over. Also I had a bunch of fruits that got severely bruised when they grew up against the wire of the cages. I am back to using cheap 1x2 lumber usually called furring (sp?) strips. The 8 foot lengths usually last at least 2 or 3 years; by then they might be getting a little short for tomatoes but they come in handy for a lot of different things around the garden. I guess if I was doing a LOT of tomatoes I might try to devise something more permanent. Chas > > Whenever we plant tomatoes, they grow very big, about 7-8 feet tall > > and yield a lot of tomatoes. I am not complaining. (we use chicken [quoted text clipped - 19 lines] > doing a LOT of tomatoes I might try to devise something more permanent. > Chas Hmmmm... I use the cages for cherry tomatoes and steel ladders for the beefsteaks. You can make your own steel ladders (cheap, but a pain) or buy them (not cheap and easy) but the they last a very long time. http://www.gardeners.com/Ladders%20or%20Cages/8193,default,pg.html I have 10 ladders and 4 cages for tomatoes. I use ladders for cucumbers, squash vines and eggplants also. Even with ladders I still use plant ties to help tie plants to the ladders. In the past the thin wire cages tend to slice the vines during strong winds. Enjoy Life ... Dan SignatureEmail "dan lehr at comcast dot net". Text only or goes to trash automatically. I ended up doing this: 1) on two ends of the row, I sledgehammered two pipes into the ground so that 1 foot sticks out 2) Put larger pipes on top of those. So they are removable. 3) To the top of the pipes, I welded other pipes so that they look like letters "T" 4) I put a 2x4 by 14 feet boards on both sides. 5) I used little 1x2 boards to lean from the ground to these 2x4 The total cost was $16 for the 2x4s, I had the rest. I can post pictures if anyone is interested. > I ended up doing this: > [quoted text clipped - 13 lines] > > I can post pictures if anyone is interested. Back in Aug., 2006, "gonzo" said, "An easy home-grown alternative if you don't mind the rustic look: a single concrete reinforcing mesh panel (I forget what the dimensions are, but it stands 4 feet tall). Available at any home DIY store, I think I shelled out 4.50 each for the 3 I have a couple years ago. Roll into a cylinder, and wire up or bend the panel ends over to keep the cylinder shape. I've seen some books recommend just snipping off the end and sticking the cylinder into the ground, but I'm sure my plants would topple that. I use a metal stake pounded into the ground and wire/string the cylinder to it. Openings in the mesh are 4-6 inches, just right for harvesting tomatoes when the plants reach up and over the top. My plants can look me right in the eye, and I'm just 6 foot. No special plastic mulches, etc. The plants seem to love it. Added bonus: wrap the cylinder in early spring with plastic for a mini-greenhouse. Now I have a handful of those silly little commercial tomato cages that I see everywhere in the spring I use for marking special plants, holding up peppers, etc. Tomatoes get the support they need with the heavy duty cages :)" SignatureBilly Bush Behind Bars http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KVTfcAyYGg&ref=patrick.net http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l0aEo59c7zU&feature=related You can use 1x1" wood sticks/poles. Put four of them around the tomato and then use strong string wrapped around the four poles at various places. Regards, June Nothing beats concrete reinforcing wire. It's stiff enough to become a free standing cylinder and lasts for many seasons. Steve > You can use 1x1" wood sticks/poles. Put four of them around the tomato > and then use strong string wrapped around the four poles at various > places. > > Regards, > June > Nothing beats concrete reinforcing wire. It's stiff enough to become a free > standing cylinder and lasts for many seasons. > Steve Thats what I saw being used at a community garden I visited, and the material can be purchased by the foot from a mason yard. To find the length of reinforcing wire needed multiply the diameter you want by 3.1416 > Nothing beats concrete reinforcing wire. It's stiff enough to become a > free standing cylinder and lasts for many seasons. > Steve Thats what I use. It seems to work the best. aluckyguess said: >> Nothing beats concrete reinforcing wire. It's stiff enough to become a >> free standing cylinder and lasts for many seasons. >> Steve >Thats what I use. It seems to work the best. I finally ditched the wire and bought Texas Tomato Cages last year. I only regret that they do not sell them in pairs, as I'd like to get two more: http://www.tomatocages.com/ At the end of the season, they fold up nice and easy. Plus, you can add on to the top to make them taller. My wire cages had rusted up and were always a pain to deal with in the fall. SignaturePat in Plymouth MI ('someplace.net' is comcast) After enlightenment, the laundry. :Whenever we plant tomatoes, they grow very big, about 7-8 feet tall :and yield a lot of tomatoes. I am not complaining. (we use chicken :manure and sometimes fertilizer). : :But, my question is what do people use that is cheap and sturdy and :can support such a big tomato plant. There's lots of different ways. One good way is just stakes. I have a very good book that has you plant your tomatoes in a box in the soil, made out of masonite, with no bottom and stakes in the four corners angling slightly away from each other, probably around 8 feet above the ground. The plants have side suckers removed and are tied to the stakes at intervals. I used to do this but now use bamboo for stakes and a modified method without the box scenario. I have bamboo stakes set in the ground and tie more bamboo between them as needed and tie the plants where appropriate. My neighbor has a tall stand of bamboo and I always get as much as I need free. Dan > Whenever we plant tomatoes, they grow very big, about 7-8 feet tall > and yield a lot of tomatoes. I am not complaining. (we use chicken > manure and sometimes fertilizer). > > But, my question is what do people use that is cheap and sturdy and > can support such a big tomato plant. Not cheap the 1st year, but mine are now over 20 years old and still good as new. I bought a roll of 6 foot wide by 6 inch square mesh concrete reinforcing wire. I cut it into 30 inch lengths, then connected 4 pieces together with the cut wire ends acting as hinges. They fold when not in use to 6' X 5' X less than an inch thick. I use them to also cage cukes up off the ground. I also made some 2 foot square by 3 foot tall for peppers and my old timer tomatoes that don't get as lanky!! The rust coat hardened by the 2nd year and no deteration has taken place since. Tom J Tom J |
Reply to this Message |
 Sign In
 Join
 My Latest Posts My Monitored Threads My Blog My Photo Gallery My Profile My Homepage Start New Thread Enable EMail Alerts Rate this Thread
|
©2009 Advenet LLC Privacy Policy - Terms of Use
This website includes both content owned or controlled by Advenet as well as content owned or controlled by third parties.