Sometime last summer, likely around the time my tomato plants were loaded with fruit and breaking branches right and left (again), I wrote a blog post lamenting about my fantasy of one day—some day, finding the ultimate way to support tomatoes. I think that day has finally come.
The tomato plants grow nicely into their new homes.
Considering all my years of gardening personally and professionally I was completely frustrated that I had yet to find a support that met all my criteria for being considered the “ultimate tomato support”.
You would think by now, some person or company would have produced something that was anything other than those cheap, flimsy, ubiquitous and totally useless undersized cones you find in every garden center, box store, and ultimately—garbage container in America.
But this was the year I finally took matters into my own hands. I was determined to once and for all, change my tomato-growing world forever, and hopefully yours too.
I think I’ve finally found the answer.
While I am quite sure there are many versions of my ultimate tomato cage design already in existence, I am surprised I have never seen one in person. So while my version is purely what I came up with on my own, I certainly don’t lay claim to inventing it.
As for the version I created, the idea quickly evolved as I found myself staring at one of the many livestock panels I have around the garden farm. Ironically, we don’t use any for livestock, but I use them all the time in and around the garden, from trellising cucumbers and peas, to using them as planting templates, protecting plants from hungry deer, and recently, even on my new deck for the protective railing.
Yet on the ever-evolving list of 101 uses for livestock panels, my ultimate tomato cage is the latest, and so far, greatest use.
In case you’re not familiar with such panels, you find them at farm and tractor supply stores. Each panel is 16 feet long and just over 4 feet wide. Made of sturdy galvanized wire, they come in several styles, such as a smaller 4 x 4 inch square grid pattern, to what I use most often in the garden at 6 x 6 inch squares at a cost of about 20 bucks each.
Getting them home is easy if you have access to a pickup truck. With the help of one other person, simply walk the panel from both ends, into the bed of the truck, with the center of the panel up against the cab and the ends facing towards the tailgate (like a big inverted “U” shape). It’s flexible enough to load many in one trip. I use a single ratchet strap to secure all the panels in the bed for the ride home.
Over the years, I’ve searched far and wide in hopes of finding some tomato support or cage to crown as the “ultimate”. In order to be considered as such, it has to meet all of the following requirements.
My seven non-negotiables to be the ultimate tomato support:
1. It has to be sturdy. When tomato plants get tall and laden with fruit, the only thing that will work is something beefy enough to stand up to the demands. This first criteria alone is the deal breaker for many contenders. Most retail cages and supports are just not able to carry the weight.
The Ultimate Tomato Support can take anything you give it. Considering the panels are made to contain livestock, it can certainly stand up to even the heaviest clusters of tomatoes.
2. It must be tall enough. Even if the cage is strong enough (and that’s a big if), they’re rarely tall enough for the classic type of tomatoes I like to grow. While there are varieties that reach a certain height and stop growing, “indeterminate” varieties keep growing and producing all season long.
The beauty of using long livestock panels is that you can choose how tall you want to make them and cut panels accordingly. While the width of the original panels doesn’t allow for making a tall enough cage for my needs, the magic is in the more than ample length.
3. It must be wide enough. Similarly, supports that are too narrow don’t do plants any favors by restricting their growth, or limiting airflow and sunlight—two critical issues for healthy, thriving plants.
Here, the original width of the livestock panels works perfectly for providing plenty of space.
4. It has to be rust resistant. The closest thing I’ve seen to a reasonable support is the round wire cages made from wire used for concrete reinforcement. It’s pretty sturdy but it rusts like there’s no tomorrow. That’s a deal killer for me. Plus they don’t store easily.
Conversely, the galvanized panels are made to resist rust stand up to the elements with ease.
5. It has to be attractive. Not only can it not look rusty, it needs to look attractive. Even if I wasn’t using them in a garden filmed for a TV series, I’m a stickler for neatness and order. I suppose you can tell that just by looking at my garden layout. Yes, I’m a little OCD.
The uniform grid pattern of the panels allows for great consistency for every dimension and adds a nice orderly look to any garden.
6. It needs to be efficiently storable. For everything there is a season, and since tomato season doesn’t last all year, these cages need to go away, stacked and stored in a space-efficient way until next season. Unlike round cages or even wire cones, they just don’t stack well.
The beauty of this design is that the two panels making up the cage when disassembled can be stacked neatly on top of each other. In a small amount of space (about 12 square feet), you can stack and store many panels.
7. It has to be long lasting. I probably shouldn’t admit this but I don’t currently own a single tomato cage or support that I’ve used in any previous season. That’s how much I dislike them. They’re just not worth keeping around.
These panels however, are made to stand up to the elements, and the tomato plants they support, year after year. The best part is, once they’re purchased and made, all the work is done other than retrieving them and placing them in your garden in subsequent seasons.
I now have 24 of my ultimate tomato cage in the garden. Even with that large number, they don’t look obtrusive. In fact, they add a nice element of organized structural with an architectural flair. Moreover, as the plants have grown up and out, the cages have pretty much disappeared into the plants as they’ve grown around them. I love the look and my plants are thriving. Could this finally be the year I get through the season with all my plants and tomatoes intact? I believe it is.
Here’s a link for the VIDEO and step-by-step guide to building the ultimate tomato cage yourself. Just one word of caution; these are addictive. You won’t want to stop at just one. So plan accordingly. Like me, you’ll likely wonder how you lived this long without these in your garden too. Enjoy!
About Joe Lamp'l
Joe Lamp'l is the Host and Executive Producer of the award winning PBS television series Growing A Greener World. Off camera, Joe dedicates his time to promoting sustainability through his popular books, blog, podcast series, and nationally syndicated newspaper columns. Follow Joe on Twitter
I have used livestock panels (also called hog panels ) for deer-exclusion fencing. I hand dug holes for 8′ treated 4x4s approximatley 8′ apart and, after they had time to stabilize (no concrete), I fastened the 16′ long panels, two high, with just 10p nails driven into the posts just below the horizontal wires of the panels, and then bent over to form sort of a hook. I never, in about 10 years, have had a deer jump over the fences, although there are many in the adjacent woods. The biggest challenge was getting those 16 foot long very rigid panels home.
For tomato supports I use concrete reinforcing wire mesh, and, although they do rust they are a lot easier to make and less expensive (approx. 9 for $50.).
Hi Joe, Do squirrels and chipmunks dislike the galvanized wire when using it for lettuce and other crops beans etc. What about voles and moles. Thank You.
Silent watcher of your show. Enjoy all of them. Cattle panels work great for a lot of things. We grow and sell tomato plants here in Oregon, 12 years now, as a “hobby”. Our regular customers enjoy up to 40 varieties, mostly heirlooms. Caging tomatoes is timesaving however not the best way to produce a great crop. Staking and pruning indeterminates is worth the effort. Caging produces a lot of leaves which I don’t eat. Often ending up with green tomatoes at the end of the season. This year we have nearly 100 plants including a couple dozen trials – deciding what to offer next year. I sold a little over 1,000 plants – roadside – word of mouth only – no adds or twitter. Fun stuff. I could send picks later if interested. COMPOST and keep it up.
Tom,
Thanks for watching and for your feedback. Yes, please send us your picks for heirloom tomatoes, always great to know about what others are growing with success.
Love the show, but, I agree – the cattle cages are expensive, time consuming to build (if you are able!) and restrict yield potential too.
Here’s how I do my beds:
1) At 30″ wide and 12-16′ long, I staple landscape fabric the length of the bed and cut holes for plant locations. This cuts way down on watering and directs water to the plant bases while practically eliminating weeds.
2) For support later, I have built open rack frames out of vertically mounted 2X4’s and run 3/4X1″”X8′ rough wood slats lengthwise overhead and simply use heavy jute twine to ‘tie up’ the maturing plants with a slip knot I can untie/retire anytime – this is adjusted through the growing season as needed, giving each plant the attention it deserves.
3) To keep the rabbits out – and support plants as they widen and thicken, – I staple plastic webbing about three feet up all around each bed. Using a water ‘wand’, it is easy to water ‘through’ the webs when leaves multiply.
This approach allows for closer plant spacing plenty of support when the ‘jungle’ forms! Also very cheap to replace individual support pieces after 2-3 years if they need it.
I’d send a photo bout don’t see an upload area…
Just made the cages this year, anxious to try them. D0 you stake the tomatoe plants inside the cages?
Barb,
You can use a small bamboo type stake while the plants are getting established but then the cage provides enough support when plants get larger and begin to fruit. Have a great season in the garden.
Hi, I found your program and LOVE IT!! Actually the entire station has GREAT ideas from Urban Gardening to yard work. I have MS and miss so much having my own vegetable garden…. it seems too much trouble for ppl to help just to tilt my area for me, that’s all I would need. However, your program has inspired me to try a boxed garden at least this year, Thank You for that n to all that sent their comments, they have helped me w ideas to make it easier & not so costly so I can once again grow my own organic veggies!! My yard is AWESOME for growing!! Please pray that Our Lord will be generous w strength & financial needs so I can enjoy what I loved to do once again. God Bless you & all your viewers . Very Gratefull Watcher, Jaci
Jaci,
Thank you for your kind words. It sounds like you are on your way to growing a great vegetable garden. Raised beds allow you to garden without tilling and you can also have them built to a height that works best for you. Keep us posted on your progress. Happy gardening!
I actually did this same thing back about 4 years ago, except I cut my panels into pieces and zip-tied 4 of them together to make each cage. This makes them store easily as they will then fold flat as well You do lose some material, but if storage is a concern this type of version will work even better.
That was a super informative post with great ideas – thanks.
Hi Joe,
Last winter I saw your video on how to make these and I made 6. I grew my Brandywines on them in the spring and I just love these cages. Today, I planted mammoth snow peas on them on 3 sides of each cage (to allow for picking.) When the weather is right, I’ll plant my tomatoes in the middle. The idea is the peas will wind down as the tomatoes are cranking up. We’ll see how it goes. Thank you, Joe for sharing the info on the cages!
Janet,
Thanks for sharing your success story. I love the idea of using your space to grow the peas and the tomatoes. Keep us posted! Have a great growing season.
Hey Joe,love your show. I have been using concrete reinforcement wire for tomato cages for over20 years, and i’m still using the originals. They are more economical and a lot easier to cut to the size that you want. When cutting them, cut down the middle of the end square. that way you bend a hook on that end to attach to the other side. That makes it easy to unhook them to store them in less space. The wire is six feet wide so it gives you a taller cage than cattle panel. You then need to use a stake made from rebar to hold the cage up so the weight from the plant or the wind doesn’t knock it over. I do use cattle panels curved in an arc to grow beans, zucchini, cukes and pea and flowering vines.
Thanks Ken for the suggestion. This is indeed a popular option. Thanks for chiming in here and for your kind words.
Like Ken here, I have been using concrete reinforcement wire for years, maybe 35 years now. I had part of a role left over after adding a slab of concrete for my patio, so I put it to use for tomato cages. MUCH better than store purchased cages, and very cheap to buy. The 6 by 6 openings make it very easy to reach in to pick ripe tomatoes, and they are super strong and last for ever it seems. I have NOT had one rust and fall apart in all that time.
Based on the video of the herbicide damage that you showed, I think that your tomato plants were affected by a pigment inhibitor herbicide like a group 13 or group 27. The white leaves emanating from the new growth of the plant are classic symptoms of injury from those types of herbicides. Glyphosate usually affects all growth equally and does not usually result in the whitening of leaves. Both group 13 and 27 herbicides have residual soil activity that could be the result of contaminated soil. Your neighboring farmers may have been falsely accused due to an inaccurate diagnosis.
Interesting information here Erik. The symptoms of this damage did match exactly to photo comparisons from a university diagnosis of glyphosate damage. Your response leads me to this question: why after 5 years of no similar signs of this problem in an organic garden, does “contaminated soil” result in symptoms consistent with group 13 or 27 herbicide damage now? I would think residual efficacy would subside over time. If this were the case of contaminated soil, why would this not present itself in prior years vs. the 5th year of growing tomatoes in same soil? Why wouldn’t contamination show up well before now?
Joe, Regarding herbicide evidence and soil. I and others around our town are experiencing erratic celery plants with herbicide damage. Two possible contaminates: Public grass/leaves and a local nursery’s dairy farm composted cow manure. I didn’t use the public’s (chem-lawn) grass and leaves. The first time I heavily used what I thought was organic composted cow manure is when celery deformation/curling/wilt showed up. Spring time I will germination test pea/bean/celery seeds. I believe “You affect the seed, You affect the plant!” https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF01016477
Don,
Thanks for sharing your experience and the article about seeds and germination. Best of luck in the spring with your germination test. It can be challenging to use compost that comes from other places where controls may be lacking. Your vigilance is the smart way to go. Happy Holidays again!
I only have one raised bed for tomatoes at this time, small, with 3 plants in remesh cages for 15 years or more. The garden guy on hgtv that long ago showed how to do it. Well, anyway, until I expand to 1 or 2 more raised beds, I have been planting tomatoes every other year because of not beeing able to rotate. I see your tomato plants are about 4 feet tall or more. Mine have never been more than 3 feet tall. How do you get them to grow taller?
If you are growing “indeterminate” tomato varieties Carl, there’s no way to stop them from continuing to grow taller. I suspect you are growing “determinite” varieties. They grow to a certain height (never as tall), and stop. Check the varieties you are growing to make sure they are indeterminate if you want the taller classic varieties.
Your hydroponic gardening looks great until looking at prices on line. I did notice you had some low cost means but then plant food adds up.
What do your gardeners do to keep critters out of anything outside? We are rural with a large deer population plus racoon, possum to offer verities of pests. I put in perennials to avoid replanting. I think the deer are my problem. Whatever is dining in our lawn area of ten acres , eat hosta, iris, day-lily, young red bud trees, etc. One of our dogs would decide she was hungry so go out and pick the biggest, ripest tomato for a snack with the expected results a few hours later. Vegetables were in a fenced area that would get pushed over or gone under. Any suggestions?
Hi Patrick. This answer is going to sound overly simplistic but the fact is, anything short of a total exclusion barrier will only be a temporary fix. I realize that is not practical. Which is why I still battle deer on my property all the time. I don’t have a deer fence. Repellents can work temporarily but the practicality of keeping up can negate the benefit. If you want to keep the critters at bay, you have to prevent their ability of getting to the plants you want to protect. That’s the bottom line.
Patrick, One year I got so mad at the deer for eating my tomatoes, I sprayed the plants with sun-baked dog manure tea! That fixed-um! but then I didn’t eat the tomatoes either. :-() Plan B – What is a deer’s most prized valuable asset? – Their feet! They MUST feel comfortable on their feet. The feet provide deer with the ever essential escape route mechanism. Using raised beds I lay old chicken wire on the ground/grass on the deer’s approach way to the plants. I fence plants with 2×4 wire fencing corralled close-enough together so that if the deer figures on jumping the fence he will feel like he is trapped in a barrel. This has all worked quite well for me, but if all-else fails, encourage your neighbor to grow a bigger and juicer garden than yours. (no guarantee’s in times of drought either 😉
Don,
What great creative ideas and they work! Thanks for sharing your solution to what has become a far too common problem for many gardeners. Happy Holidays!
One potential problem with permanent style systems. You are growing plants in the same spot every year and will be opening your plants up to disease. A system like the cattle panels allows you go move your plants. Best wishes.
Ooooppps! You forgot the anchors to keep these upright in strong winds.
I made my own 3 years ago out of the concrete REMESH. Mine are 18″ square and the “hinges” are the cut-offs from making the sides flush. Those “hinges” look like a staple when it is formed – mine formed around a couple of off-set 1/4″ metal pins in my workbench.
The “anchors” I use are the plastic tent pegs, which I center at the bottom of each side panel and just step on it to force it into the ground. You might also want to consider using the longer tent pegs also as I still had a couple of cages fall over in strong winds.
“Hinges” on all four corners allow me to fold these into one flat 18″ wide by approximately a 2 to 2.5 height, stacked up on each other in a corner of the greenhouse over the winter resting on a couple of 2″ X 4″ pieces.
Hey Jesse. Thanks for your comments here. Regarding the anchors, they’re not needed. By cutting out the first two rows of horizontal metal, that creates about 12″ of stakes that firmly anchor the cages into the ground all the way around (about 20 in think in total).
I also don’t find the need for hinges to save space for storage. In fact, by design, one of the best parts of this design, in my opinion, is how they stack up for storage. As 90-degree panels, they stack on top of each other beautifully and make it so easy to simply carry them back into the garden and plunge them back into the soil. No moving parts are good with me.
I love this idea. It works when you have limited square footage and every little bit of storage is prime realistate. Thanks for this idea it will be worth the extra work!!!
Joe, I have been using these supports for several years and I love them. They are one of many support items offered in the Gardener’s Supply Company catalog. I also bought a few packages of Gardener’s reusable clips to attach the vines to the cages and move them higher as the plants grow taller. The cages are also stackable for very tall tomato plants. Naturally, making the cages is definitely a fun project and possibly cheaper, but not everybody has the time or talent, etc.
Joe I really thought about what you did with the cattle panels for my tomato plants, but living in a residential area restricted me to expand my huge ideas and projects. Last year was a great harvest considering my limited situation. I’m retired and ever since I began gardening I discovered that I need to broaden my horizon. My wife is still currently working, however it is my dreams to relocate in a state that we can purchase enough land to pursue my gardening dreams. Joe your tomato tree are enormous. Thank for the tips.
Greetings Joe,
Just came across your website and it’s perfect…been an avid veg gardener for over 40 years! Unfortunately I cannot find a TV channel in my area that carries your show but will view it online. Ditto on all the negative stuff you say about the garden center tomato cages. I’ve used cement re-wire for over 30 yrs, but have been looking into cattle panel as a permanent replacement. One question…in an above comment you state you’re considering making any future cages one square wider (on each panel) for add’l width space. You state currently you can fit 4 cages in a 12′ long bed. May I ask how wide your beds are? So do you space the cages approx 2′ apart basically? Also, after your experience, would you consider increasing the height of the cages? Some of my indeterminate plants grow 7–8′ tall.
Hi Jim. So my beds are mostly 4′ wide and some are 3′ wide. Either is fine for the cages. In fact, the 3’beds are perfectly adequate. I do space them so there are about 6 inches or so between the cages once they’re in the beds, and yes, 4 per bed. I just eyeball it so the plants are evenly spaced in all directions. Then the cages fit in fine with room to spare. As for making them one square bigger, if I did that, I would have the room between cages so it would be pretty snug in each bed. Plus now that all my cages are made, I’m happy as is. The key will be to cut out the suckers that make the plants thinker within the cages. That will help a lot. And as for height, I would not make them higher. They are tall enough. Instead, I would top the indeterminate plants to keep their height tamed instead. Craig talks about this in our most recent episode #803.
Thanks so much for the reply Joe…very much appreciated. I just purchased the cattle panels and am so looking forward to strong (one and done) tomato cages!!
Hi Joe,
Like you, I was in search of the perfect tomato cage that didn’t cost me an arm and a leg. However, because I use tomato cages for everything–cucumbers, melons, eggplant, peppers, vining squashes, even as flower supports, I didn’t want to have to make them myself. I found folding square tomato cages sold at Orchard Supply, and I stack two together to make them tall enough. Then, to make sure that they do not topple over in a high wind, I plant my tomatoes close enough that I can tie the cages to each other. The tomatoes eventually grow tall enough (often 8 feet or more) and start growing in their neighbors’ cages that they support each other and can withstand high winds. I also have three tomatoes growing on the patio that are supported in these cages and then are tied to the house! Anyway, just another method that works for people who don’t want a diy solution.
Cynthia, I just stick the cages into the ground level with the first cross wire and fasten them on 4 sides with garden staples. I keep the cages in a row. That way, they also keep my rolled-down biodegradable weed barrier in place and keep it from moving in heavy wind. That paper weed barrier is great. It lasts for one season and can be tilled into the soil. At 79, I take advantage of every easy way that saves me from sweating.
Reading through. these articles have encouraged me to start a vegetable. garden. Thanks
Hi Joe. I use to plant at least 20 tomato plants every year for probably 25 years, kids are gone now and I don’t need so many. All those cages are gone as well. I planted cucumbers this past summer. I tried a wimpy trellis I had, which soon fell over due to the weight of the cucs. I want to try your idea, since I can store the cages over winter. Who knows tomatoes may still be in my future, just not so many.
Thanks
Good to hear Debbie. I do think you’ll love the cages that I made since they are stackable and you can store out of sight off-season.
Whìle surfing TV I found your show and website what A blessing thank you.
I’m going to fill in my swimspa to make an organic heirloom garden. it is fiberglass obout 4or5 ft deep. I would appreciate any input and expertise. I’m 77and live in a 55 or older community in central Florida.
I am looking forword to hearing from you.
Thanks,
Marie Ciaramello
Make sure you create LOTS of drainage holes. The water must have a way to exit this spa so it does not collect and become boggy. Drainage is number one!!!
Next, add high quality top soil and organic matter. Good soil is equally important. To know how much to add, use an online calculator to determine the quantity you need to buy. You spa size is likely too big for adding a lot of bags, although you could. And that might be easier. But either way, if you buy by the bag or in bulk from a landscape supplier, here’s a link to an online calculator to know how much you need to buy. Just know how deep your area and the general length and width. Then plug in the numbers here: http://clearwaterlandscapes.com/how-to-articles/mulch-calculator/
Hi, We have used cattle panels for about 10 years. They are round and hook together on the side so when we take them down, we can open them up and stack them together. It’s a little difficult to get them apart in the spring, but take less space to store. They are the only way to grow cucumbers.
I took the proverbial plunge this weekend, and purchased seven cattle panels from Tractor Supply here in southern NJ. They are very sturdy, very inexpensive, and very easy to set out as tomato cages.
I spent about 45 minutes at Tractor Supply in their parking lot cutting up the panels into the 6×9 square configuration that you called for, so that the smaller panels will fit into my Honda Pilot. This was a lot of cutting for each panel, as I had to reduce both the length and width of the full-sized panel. A lot of sweat and a bit of blood (those cut ends are sharp) later, and I was headed home to set them out. This proved to be the easiest part of all, and I was able to set out all seven cages in about 15 minutes.
As a bonus, the cut-offs that remain give me plenty of cages for smaller plants, and I have already used some of the long but narrow cut-offs from the full-sized panels for my cucumber trellises. Waste not, want not.
Thank you again for the suggestion. One morning spent acquiring, cutting, and bending will give me cages that last for decades. My organic, heirloom, non-GMO garden thanks you.
Way to go Joe! I’m impressed you did your cutting in the store parking lot! It’s def. the hardest part of the job. And I’m glad you were able to use the excess for other panels. It’s something I’ve yet to specifically mention but the excess is perfect for smaller plants. I’m using my excess for my dwarf tomato plants and peppers. It could not be more perfect. Kudos Joe and thanks for sharing this story!
So simple! Why didn’t someone think of this before? Like you, Joe, I have tried many ways to support my tomatoes over the years, and none have been totally sufficient or desirable. Each year I try to find or figure out a better way. Looks like I will be heading to Tractor Supply this weekend to pick up a cow panel or 2. Thanks for this great tip, Joe.
Great Jim! I think you will be very pleased with them! They’re everything I said and they look nice in the garden too. I’m setting mine back out this week not that I have 35 new plants installed. They stacked beautifully as well during the off season out of the way and out of sight. So simple to lift off a section and bring it into the garden when it’s time to use again.
One point to consider. I’m very happy with everything as I described. My only consideration is I might try making the next few one square bigger (wider) on each panel. No particular reason except to say I know the plants will grow to fill the interior space with a little more room. As is now, I can fit 4 cages in a 12 ft. bed. If I made them slightly bigger, I would only be able to comfortable but in 3 cages per bed.
I just found your website. This will be my favorite! I was wondering, can you use old seeds to grow plants. I have so many partially used seed packets several years old and have tried putting them in the refrigerator for a couple weeks but don’t seem to get good results.
Hi Michele. Welcome! The viability of seeds depends on what they are and how they were stored. They like a cool, dry environment for maximum life in storage. You could try germinating about 10 seeds per pack by wrapping them in damp paper towels and monitoring them until they send out roots and shoots. By using 10, you’ll know the average percentage of viable seeds in your pack. Or, you could just plant want you have and hope for the best. Seeds are pretty resilient so you may be pleasantly surprised. However, if you don’t want to waste any time, considering the good value and low cost of a pack of seeds, then start fresh to be safe. BTW, there’s a date on each seed back that you buy to indicate it’s freshness. Good luck!
Every year we raise 100 to 300 tomato plants for customers. Several years ago I began using stock panels as tomato supports. My design takes the tall stock panels and cuts them down the center length wise. By cutting every other upright wire close to the top of the center squares and the other uprights close to the bottom of the center squares the center of the panel becomes the bottom of two panels and you end up with a panel with its own ground stakes.
I find that I can use two of the lightweight pressed steel fence posts from the garden center equally space down the length of each panel to support the panels. I place the panels about 14 inches apart on either side of a row of tomatoes this supports the sides of the tomato plants and the plants support each other down the center of the row. While my panels are half as tall as your panels I find that trimming the tomato plants off just above the top of the panels makes for higher quality fruit in the early sets. In our area the sets that come on above the panels will rarely make for ripened fruit before the end of the season.
Hello i planted tomatoes last year and got nothing she had her garden in. Beach like sand grew like a weed we live in kingman az hot had dirt never get good veg this year had a truck load bring in sand how should i dress up the sand. What should i use. In the garden to fertilze so i can get good garden
You’ve got to get nutrients into the sand Ann. As is, you don’t have anything with just sand. Go back to my website and enter “improving your soil” into the search bar. Do all you can to add organic matter such as compost and decomposed leaf matter and aged manure. Anything now but sand will help. Dig it into the top 6″ around where you will be planting. Then continue to add more organic matter as often as you can. Just do what I write about in my articles on the website. You will keep busy with that. Good luck.
I came across these cages, and have about 18 of them now. Love them – very sturdy and you can build them up as the tomatoes start to grow. http://www.tomatocage.com I had one bend due to a VERY heady plant and a massive storm that rolled through here years ago, they replaced it for me.
Joe,
I have been using cattle panels for years to raise green beans. Just stake one of the narrow ends to the ground (or bury it inside your raised bed) and loop the other end up and over about 8′ away. Plant your pole beans where the ends of the panels touch the ground. As the beans mature, they tend to hang from the inverted “U” that you have created. Simply walk under the panel and harvest your beans. It’s a fun activity for my grandchildren and I to do together. They harvest what they can reach and I pick the rest.
Love it Terry! I’ve seen a few people use this technique and I keep thinking I need to try this too. Thanks for sharing your wisdom and experience here. Such a great reminder of something new I need to try in my own garden (and hopefully inspire my teens too).
I ran across the show on pbs which directed me to your web site. I find the tomato age idea very helpful, thank you.
My question is not food growing related but about starting seeds inside. I live in Minnesota and we’ll to be honest enjoy being cheap. I love to reuse and repurpose stuff, I hate unnecessary waist.
That being said, the house next door has some nice large hosta’s, they allowed me to harvest some seeds last fall. I already started them, thinking if they keep, I’ll have great starters plants and if I fail, I have time to start again.
Currently they are about 1 1/2 ” tall, and in a sunny south facing window.
I almost always get this far, but then get damp off. Help, please. Any suggestions to avoid damp off would be helpful.
I started with new trays, new starting medium and started the seeds in a zip lock plastic bag and paper towel, which worked great. I got about a 95% germination rate.
I also started false indigo, and they seemed to have stalled at 2″ tall.
Maybe not enough light?
I have to keep the house about 70, so I don’t believe temp is the issue.
Maybe it’s just a slow grower?
Hi Pat. Best way to generally prevent damping off is to watch excess moisture and keep the air moving. A small fan kept on near the seedlings should do the trick when using sterile seed-starting mix.
Light can be an issue with growth. I rely on florescent shop lights (standard 40 watt bulbs) hanging just an inch above the plants. I move the light up as the plants grow to keep them as close as I can without touching. But 1-2″ is good. Trying to rely on just a sunny window, especially in winter is rarely sufficient for seedlings to thrive indoors.
I love the livestock wire. We used it on top of our pergola as a super strong addition to the structure for growing wisteria. If you’ve ever had wisteria destroy a structure, you’ll appreciate the idea!
I have seen another approach about this tomato problem, It’s a bit easier and not quite good but still: – at my grandmother’s country house she uses wooden sticks and tiе them together!
At 84 yrs old, I have resorted to container gardening, exclusively flowers. Have 4ft space at 4ft wall level (across backyard patio)for a few veggies. For 35yrs have used homemade, round, 18″ x 5′ cages of construction wire for tomatoes, etc., made similarly & used like your square cattle panels. Make a neat showing, also.
I am so happy that I have found you on PBS while aimlessly surfing following the Charlie Rose broadcast. Look forward to regularly tuning in to your excellent show. gks
” x 5″
At 84 yrs old, I have resorted to container gardening, exclusively flowers. Have 4ft space at 4ft wall level (across backyard patio for a few veggies. For 35yrs have used round 18″ x 5′ cages of construction wire for tomatoes, etc., made similarly like your square cattle panels.
” x 5″
I love growing veggies and fruit tree I am in a wheelchair but life is good love your website.my tomato not so good. Can I grow fruit tree in pot.
Yes. It’s best to pick a dwarf variety. Most fruit trees today have varieties bred for small spaces and even containers.
Can not see a link for making tomato cages from cattle panels.
Hi Susan. Yes, sorry about that. It’s fixed now. But here’s the direct link: https://www.growingagreenerworld.com/how-to-make-a-tomato-cage/