I wouldn't use pipe cleaners either because they do have wire running down the middle of them. The problem is that the branches and main stem will increase in diameter over the course of the season and anything without some give in it may cut into the plant.

I buy a cheap 3pack of pantyhose and cut circle strips from it and use those to tie any plants in the garden. I love the way they work. Plenty of give to them if you don't tie them too loose or too tight, you're all set. I also like the dark colors that you can barely see once they are on there.

Thanks! I was wondering if there were any downsides to pipe cleaners. I will have to try pantyhose.

I rip some old knitted shirts (prefer green color) and tie with them. That is better than throwing them away.

I use old knit fabrics as well. Right now, all of my tomato ties are a bright red cotton stretch fabric. Some are pieces of red elastic waistbands as well.

I don't mind the color at all. My stakes aren't trying to be invisible.

I've made the mistake once of leaving the bread bag twisty ties on a nursery plant that was staked with a short bamboo when I bought it. A month and a half later, the ties had sliced halfway through the growing stem. Oops.

Pantyhose are the best. been using them for years

Absotively fool proof.

elliot

Thanks, everyone! I have some old clothing scraps that I could use too. I never thought about making them into strips. I will check out hose and see if any are cheap. Maybe the dollar store. They always have stuff.

A roll of garden twine goes a long way.

I use Velcro plant ties because they are the easiest and are reusable. I think you can get them anywhere. I use pipe cleaners to clean parts of my hummingbird feeders, and I also use them to clean the hole in my pressure cooker.

Lars

Thanks! I thought about twine too. Never heard of velcro. That is cool! They have some great reviews on Amazon. What do you all do for cradling the fruit? I have heard of nylon. Any preferred methods? Everyone here is so helpful and creative :).

I use the velcro too, or just the green plastic garden tape made for plant staking. They come in rolls in the garden section of the big box stores. That velcro comes in handy on a lot of things. I use it every year to attach my Christmas lights to a couple sections of my house. I also use it to keep rolls of chicken wire closed, or the bird netting that I reuse every year. Like publickman said, it's reusable, so a roll can last a long time.

What's great about using nylon pantyhose is that however small a piece you cut, it will still have its elasticity preventing any damage to the stems or branches. And a couple of pairs go a long way,

I ordered some of that velcro. Has excellent reviews. I am going to use nylons and shirts for slings for the developing fruit. Thanks again everyone and happy gardening :)!

I like the velcro. The quality is not so great but you end up getting more lenght for your money than regular velcro. TomatoGrowerSupply had a better quality that lasted for years and eventually broke down...but no longer have it. The thinner stuff looses its grip pretty quickly so you will want longer lengths so it overlaps more.
The nice thing, once you find a standard size like 8-10 inches, you can pre-cut an extra dozen or so and attach them to your support system so they are handy right next to your plants. And as your plants grow, you can easily move them to other locations on the plant.

I also use the green stretchy non-sticky tape. I like the extra support when the toms get so big. Panty hose works great...but i would have to get white and dye it green like someone posted...looks too much like an underwear drawer.
I always think that an absorbent fabric like t-shirt strips might stay too wet in my damp climate...

Pipe cleaners are fine, granted you don't twist them together.

Instead, wrap them around the plant twice, which will allow it to expand as the plant grows.

I use natural fibre garden twine for all tying jobs including erecting the bean poles. A large roll is very cheap, lasts years, doesn't look egregious in the garden and rots on the compost heap along with the plant debris. I wouldn't want to have to untie bits of pantyhose or any other non-biodegradable material every autumn when I pull up my summer plants.

I use plastic grocery bags cut into strips for tomatoes. I guess it doesn't look all that great but they work well, don't damage the vines, and are easy to remove at the end of the season. I guess I could use colors other than white and they wouldn't stand out so much. This is a SS 100 on the left and a black cherry on the right.

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Never had thought of pipe cleaners. Have used old panty hose in the past too and it does work well. But the last several years I've used the green rolls of nylon tape for tomato plants as it's easy to use, stretch, and cut/snap into the right lengths. Another plus, once the growing season is over I'll recycle the tapes by cleaning them up in a bucket of water/bleach to prevent any possible pathogens spreading to next year's plants.

I prefer the green stretch tie tape. Under $5 a roll at Home Depot or Amazon for 300'. I just leave the whole roll outside tied to one of my stakes, ready when I need it.

Free isn't free when your spending a bunch of time cutting strips.

I takes me all of 1 minute to cut 2 grocery bags into strips. I guess I'm not familiar with the stretch tie tape. What department is it in at HD...Lawn and Garden?

Good Luck finding "pipe cleaners" !!!!! I asked an employee where they were about a year ago, and got a blank stare! In our PC world, they are now called "fuzzy sticks" !

I just use twine for tying up plants in the garden. Easy to use and composts. I do use pipe cleaners to keep my winter sown jugs closed (instead of duct tape) so I can easily open them on warm days when needed. The pipe cleaners quickly rust and eventually break at the twists. Not something I would use in the garden.

Rodney

I cut up old t-shirts that are too worn out to wear into strips. Green would be ideal but I do not have green t-shirts. Currently my tomato ties are all pink and purple! :)