Tomatoes: How to hold them up.?

Question

I was looking at getting the wire cages, but they are expensive and I have a lot of tomato plants. This is my first year growing anything, so bear with me.

I was wondering if there was a way to do the cages yourself. If so, what materials I should get? Where would I get them? And how to I set them up?

With stakes, I have no idea how this is done. I mean, I've read on the internet, but I don't see how the stake would prevent a tomato from dragging the branch it's on to the ground. Can you tell me exactly how I should put the stakes, and what I'd need to do to keep tomatoes from the ground if I do use this method?

Finally, I've been reading that you sorta pluck the lower branches when you stake/cage. How high should I pluck? Just leave the top leaves? I don't want to kill the plants by plucking them too much. Wouldn't that limit the amount of tomatoes? Do the tomatoes just grow from the top branches, or if I leave more would they grow from bottom branches too?

To the 2 first responders: so no lower branches plucking?

Answer 1

With staking... whichever way the baby tomatoe plant is leaning- put the stake in the ground opposite that direction... or put in two stakes, kind of at an angle from the direction the plant is leaning. Then use thin strips of cloth, baling twine or large string (not thread!) to tie the plant upright.

As far as plucking- I just pluck the "suckers". There's the main "trunk," and a "branch" that comes off the "trunk." Then there is a 2nd branch that grows up between the trunk and the branch-- this little sucker does exactly that- sucks strength fromthe plant- it will not produce fruit, so I just snap it off.

Don't let the tomatoes rest on the ground- they will get a nasty rot on the bottom. Find a way to lift it- tie the stem up... whatever.

Answer 2

I had never heard about pruning tomato plants, but the website below explains how and why to prune. There's also a link on that page to "staking and spacing options."

I've used tomato cages but I never liked them. One year I planted three tomato plants next to an 8 foot fence, then tied them to the fence. This year I'm trying special stakes - they kind of spiral, and the tomato gets woven up through the spiral.

Whatever you do, make sure you keep the plants up off the ground. It prevents disease and it keeps the plant from growing "out" instead of producing fruit. (And don't even get me started on the fruit vs. vegetable thing!)

Answer 3

You would use steaks, any sturdy piece of wood, even a tree branch would work, and place the stake at the base of the stem, use twine or string to tie the stem to the steak. The cages only work if you are not in a wet climate, as the plants tend to lean and fall. You do not want to let the plants touch the ground, because they are highly prone to rot from getting wet. Your best bet would be to use sticks for stakes and string of somesort, it can even be ribbon, just something to tie the plants with. As far as trimming the bottom leaves, it would be beneficial to trim the plants up high enough so that none of the leaves touch the ground. If any part of the plant gets wet, it rots, so you need to make sure that the leaves do not touch the ground and when you water them that you are extremely careful not to get the plant wet. Make sure you water the base of the plant only. Ultimately your best bet would be to keep your tomato plants in pots if at all possible in order to achieve maximum production and use stakes. Good luck with your plants.

Answer 4

alrighty. i used to stake my tomato plants. one stake at each end of the row than more stakes inbetween every two plants. then i would tie string around the end stakes and twine it around the middle stakes. every 8 inches up the stakes. i never used to pluck any leaves off the plants either. if your plants aren't in rows, put 3 stakes around each plant and then just run string/twine around the outside of the stakes. it's basically making cages.
you can also just let them lie on the ground too. they'll still produce tomatoes.

Answer 5

Shove a stick into the ground and tie the tomato with a piece of string around it......It'll be fine.....and I love spaghetti and homemade sauce.....LOL

Answer 6

all them cages are is bailin wire, so get you a wooden or metal stake and then put bailin wire down to the ground, kind of makin a christmas tree lookin thing,,look at the below site, it has a great picture of another idea you can use, using bailin wire, good luck

Answer 7

I f you have aq lot of scap wood, you can use them to form an "H". Then you stake them in the ground with the bar on the "H" over the plant. You then tie them to the "H". If one does not work you can put another one on it. Good Luck With Your Tomato Garden!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Answer 8

Bamboo Sticks, or anything sturty that can hold a vine.

Answer 9

get the wire cages. that's why they make them,you'll luv the results.