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Growing Tomatoes

Tomato out growing cages

13 years ago

This is my first year gardening and subsequently have made several mistakes. The current mistake that is problematic is my choice of using little cages to grow my tomato's in. When I planted I just took the old 33" cages from my grandfather's old shed and was assured they would be fine because tomato's never grow that large. I now recognize that this was in total error. I have two Black Krim plants that are bursting out of the top and sides of the small cages, a black cherry which will soon be doing the same, a sunsugar cherry coming out the top, and soon my brandywines and pineapples will exceed the cages.

What is the best way for me to compensate for putting them in cages that are way to small? I don't think i can remove them from the small cages and put something else in place, at least not for most of the plants. Should I clip the growing vines and try to keep them small? Is there a decent and adaptable frame or large cage that I can put around them that will allow them to grow? I would love to let them grow to 6-8 feet tall if they will get that large... I think it would be pretty cool to see a tomato that large, I never have seen one growing much larger than these small cages.

Featured Answer

beastmaker

13 years ago

Go to the local store and purchase more cages of the same size. Got to the local hardware shop and purchase 3/8" wire clamps. Set the new cages on top of the ones in use (upside down) so it's top is on top of the other top - now clamp them in 3 spots. This will allow for the to go 5-6 foot.

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Comments (7)

digdirt2
13 years ago
And then drive a tall stake nearby and tie that cage off to the stake in several places.

Another alternative is to leave the cages as they are but then drive a tall steel T post between about every 3rd plant and run a Florida weave between the stakes to hold up the rest of the plant.

Dave
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qaguy
13 years ago
You might consider my PVC cage design. I developed the
idea when I had one of those slinky cages just bend over
to the ground. I put PVC around them for additional
support and it worked fine. After that, it was PVC all
the way.

My tomatoes grow all the way to the top of the cage and
then I just let them cascade back to the ground.

Follow the link for more information.

Here is a link that might be useful: PVC Cage link
gardendawgie
13 years ago
I grow all my toms and let them sprawl on the ground. No cost no problems.
alpheus
Original Author
13 years ago
Thanks for the ideas. I've been reading about concrete reinforcing wire cages and building some in a triangle pattern and using zip ties to hold them together. I think i might be able to construct some cages around my preexisting cages without much difficulty. At least I hope it's not more difficult than what I'm reading.
muffienh
13 years ago
GAGUY, that is a masterpiece of PVC engineering. Fit for a landscape garden as well as the veggie garden.
jtmacc99
13 years ago
I made cages from concrete reinforcing wire a few years ago (after running into the exact same issue with discovering that the little cages are inferior.) Mine are the round style, which involved a lot of bending, bolt cutters and sore hands, but MAN are they great. Totally worth the effort.

Anyway, to address the orignal question, I drove poles into the ground next to the little cages and simply tied up the plants to the pole the rest of the season. Actually, come to think of it, I tied the cages to the poles first, and then I sort of tied the vines to either the little cages or to the pole as I needed to do so for the rest of the season.

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