Planting Tomatoes in the ground, setup help

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Stone_Family3

New Member
So when you plant tomatoes do you just plant them and put the cage around them and let them grow into the cage?

We are doing a very large tomato patch next year. 14'x 14-16' It will be nothing but tomatoes. So I am trying to gather up cages now.

But are cages the best thing to use? I was also thinking of using the triangle methond. Use pvc piping to build a large triangle then run it the length of you bed. Use metal eyelet hooks in order to run jute and then just tie the tomato to the jute the larger it gets.

Which method would you prefer for a large tomato patch?
 
I used the cages but I bought a different cage at Walmart that is a square and I like it much better. I have a tomato plant on it and my cucumber is running up it also. It is more than I wanted to pay for a lot of them but I need to get some made for next year. Your method sounds neat.
 
It's a matter of personal preference, both cages and string methods work well. I would suggest making your own cages as the ones you buy aren't very sturdy. Google "building tomato cages" and you'll get lots of hits and ways to build sturdy one.
 
I use tomato cages and let the plants grow into them. I buy the biggest ones they sell here. But I also drive a steel T-post into the ground next to the cage and tie the cage to the post. I always had trouble with the plants/cages toppling when the plant got big. Those posts stopped that problem.
 
I looked at "building tomato cages" on google and we have everything we need right in our shed! So I was thinking of just building the round ones out of wire and then use something like tent stakes and stake them into the ground or since we have 3+ foot tall rolls just bury some of it and then stake it into the ground.


I was also thinking of planting some herbs in the same beds so I can have some yummy herbs and then it will compost once I till it up in the fall. Hopefully I'll be planting some pumpkins by then.
 
I have used concrete reinforcement wire for cages I cut the wire in the size I want and make a tube then hook it together into a round tube. In the fall I just unhook them and they lay flat until I need them in the spring again.
 
LIke aussie said "personal taste". I however like to keep mine off the groind. It keeps them growing longer and you aren't crawling around looking for fruit. Plus here anything that offers ground cove harbors moccasins! I used a section of Chain link fence. I planted on each side. I then used cotton string as the plants got larger and tied the plants up gently to the fence. As they grw taller than the fence I draped them over the opposite side. I could see the ground ( snakes) and access the fruit without getting on the ground. If you do buy cages buy the big ones. They have small ones but most tomatoes out grow those rather quick. When I use cages I also use oak dowels that are taller than the cage. I thread them through the cage so tere are 3 evenly spaced. Tehn I use cotton cord and wrap so I have extended the size up. Make sure the dowels are in the ground at least 6 inches or it becomes top heavy.
My experience with the fence cages you are tlaking about is it is very hard to get fruit on the inside of the plants.
 
Well I can't tell you what I used this year because it is a secret until hubby gets a patent on it. Here is a picture of this years tomatoes. These are just off 2 plants and I have 6 plants all together. I have to admit these are the nicest and biggest tomatoes I have ever grown. I hate keeping secrets!!:p
 

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