My plants are growing beautifully but are starting to get out of control. My tomotoes are caged and staked. I did not prune them and they are up to 4 ft tall now with 6 foot stakes. How can I keep them in control. My cukes are starting to take over the garden. I do have somes set up for them to grow around but what can you suggeset to keep them in control. Thanks!
2007-06-21 05:33:55 · 4 answers · asked by ? 2 in Home & Garden ➔ Garden & Landscape
Sounds like you are growing indeterminant tomatoes which will grow 7'+ tall and need to be supported wih fence stakes, not cages (which are made for determinant maters which get 2' to 4' all). You can put in 7' fence stakes and tie the maters to the stakes.
Cukes are big vines and are generally okay if they sprawl. I grow hundreds every season and rarely trellis them.You can always get cattle panels or fencing and put them up and let the cukes climb up on them which will give you more room in your garden.
Next year make sure you know how big your plants will get and make sure you have trellises in place before they get big.
2007-06-21 10:38:47 · answer #1 · answered by Ohiorganic 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
My tomatoes usually grow up a little past the tops of their cages. It's okay. Just keep trying them to the cage as they go up. You may want to consider "suckering" them (pinching off the extra branches that grow out of the crotches of the main branch and "trunk") . They cause a LOT of extra foilage, but don't really increase your tomato yield.
I usually make long teepees for the cukes, with horizontal strings across. They naturally grab onto them with their tendrils and pull themselves up. Occaisionall I'll "guide" one that's reaching in the wrong direction.
2007-06-21 12:50:58 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
Not sure what part of the country you're from , but if its the southeast USA, that's just the way tomato and cucumber plants are. Use twine and wooden stakes and let your cucumber vines go up the twine--that will keep them under control to some degree--they like to go up the twine/string--you have to get them started on it, but from then on they do just fine on their own--word of advice, always plant about half the number of tomato and cucumber plants you think you need, especially cucumbers (also zucchini)--they are very productive plants LOL
2007-06-21 12:48:09 · answer #3 · answered by llewen 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I wish I had that problem. I live in Washington state, west of the mountains. We have trouble just getting ripe tomatoes. You could plant bush type plants. They will stay more compact.
2007-06-21 13:05:28 · answer #4 · answered by renpen 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋