Thanks, all, but I am quite determined to limit myself to 24 plants. No volunteers this year, no extra seedlings, nothing. This should prove more than ample for 1.25 tomato eaters (me and SomeOne who likes 'a slice' on 'a sandwich' - incomprehensible) and I am much more interested in getting a handle on my festering cesspool of disease so that they are healthier. But no one seems to think I should sacrifice my variety for science - thanks for the enabling there! I'm going to be dizzy with 24 different varieties to taste and keep track of. Dave and smithmal, thanks for the suggestions on varieties to cut. You're right, Long Keeper is at the top of the list to go (was more prone to ordering novelties in my gardening youth 4 years ago). Anna I'm surprised to hear since I thought she was generally well regarded, but she hasn't ever done much for me compared to Cour Di Bue, so she can go. Delicious might have to stay in just because it was a freebie 4-5 years ago and I haven't ever grown it because it's always been high on the cut list. I don't store my seeds for longevity so I might be running out of time on that one. Lucky Cross I have grown before but I don't think it did well - I don't seem to have a recollection of it -so it might need to stay in to get properly evaluated. So between new varieties I want to try, freebies I really should try, and returning players who fill a specific position, I might be down to Sungold or possibly Jersey Giant for my last cut. I've grown and liked both, but haven't come even close to consuming the Sungolds other than for some snacks in the garden, so they just make a mess. Jersey Giant has a sweetness that I enjoy, but has been rather low production and I have all my other 'Jerseys'.

Very cute. I LOVE the picture with the vizsla in it :) Linda

You can look up tomato spirals. I got mine from Lee Valley Garden Tools (online and catalog). When I lived in San Francisco, I did a similar thing to the "Florida Weave" by using those slender green plastic-covered metal stakes and heavy string, building sort of modified "cages" with string to contain the plants and then clipped heavy stems to the stakes using some clips I got at Daiso (Japanese dollar store). We don't have Daiso on the east coast and I'm hoarding my supply but it looks like where you are you can find a Daiso. These clips are really great because the clip end is small and rounded, to clip strongly to the stake, and has a bigger space for the plant stem. It's like vertebrae, with space for the sciatic nerve. Actually there are good small stake options at Daiso too (more houseplant sized), but I got my tall ones from Sloat. Here (DC area), my tomatoes are already bigger and taller but this method is still working for my container-grown tomatoes (we have deer and I'm working on fence options). I'm just using 6-foot stakes and mason line instead of 4-foot stakes and string. :) This is my first year back in DC after a decade in CA so I'm still working it out. It's raining right now but I'll run out and take a pic in a bit.

I used welded wire fencing on “stake-a-cages” with great success last year. Cut the fence in about 24 inch widths (fold back cut wires to remove sharp ends). Zip tie or wire to attach the fence to a t-post. Attach at about 1 or 2 feet above the ground level - some of the fence will be extended up above the post - that’s fine and it gives you more vetical support. Let the fences natural curl go.. if you have good spacing you should be able to reach all around the plants. I would say it’s ideal for intensive gardens, not the best if you have plenty of space or just usually let the plants sprawl out. You will need to prune a little aggressively and tie the plants up to keep them tidy and upright. At the end of the year, I just clipped all the zip ties and stacked the fencing together and the t posts together - takes up very little room in the shed.