Trellis choice in Texas

[ChristinaJo]

I need some advice from my fellow Texans.
I usually use cages out of concrete wire for tomato supports.
I've been reading on growing tomatoes up string supports and pruning to one stem. I can grow more tomatoes using square foot method this way.
My concern is if I grow one stem tomatoes, will the sun and heat be too much for them? Hopefully, this is not a stupid question, but I've grow them from seed don't want to blow it! Thanks

Show me pics of your set up, please

[AlittleSalt]

I grew some trimmed to two stems last year, and they did get some sun scald. I can't show a picture of my setup this year because I haven't set it up yet. I wish I could be of more help.

[TC_Manhattan]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

I grew some trimmed to two stems last year, and they did get some sun scald. I can't show a picture of my setup this year because I haven't set it up yet. I wish I could be of more help.

I got sun scald up here in NE Ohio trying this method. I am now a firm believer in cages.

Hey, you're from Texas...why not Texas Tomato cages?
I want to begin gradually upgrading to buying them, little by little.
It's an investment, but oh how worth it for the ones you're growing in-ground.

My thoughts.

[ArcherB]

Originally Posted by TC_Manhattan

I got sun scald up here in NE Ohio trying this method. I am now a firm believer in cages.

Hey, you're from Texas...why not Texas Tomato cages?
I want to begin gradually upgrading to buying them, little by little.
It's an investment, but oh how worth it for the ones you're growing in-ground.

My thoughts.

I have six Texas Tomato Cages. All of them have rusted where the top and bottom halves connect. This has caused them to fuse. I was able to free some, but others are permanently stuck together and some have broken. Requests for warranty information to The Texas Tomato Cage company have gone unanswered.

[JaxRmrJmr]

I love sending them up a string, but I don't prune to one stem - I let three grow. I haven't had any issues with sun scald and I'm in FL.

[Down_South]

I like the one stem method using clips? If I notice scalding I'll throw my 40/60 sun screen over.

[charley]

Im having the same dilemma.the only cages you can buy localy are only 5 foot and when your plant gets 8 foot it just dont work.next year im going to try 8 foot poles.so let me know if you have any problems with sun scald.my only other option is the texas tomato cages and with 60 -80 plants thats alot of money

[JaxRmrJmr]

Originally Posted by charley

Im having the same dilemma.the only cages you can buy localy are only 5 foot and when your plant gets 8 foot it just dont work.next year im going to try 8 foot poles.so let me know if you have any problems with sun scald.my only other option is the texas tomato cages and with 60 -80 plants thats alot of money

I used 3/4" electrical conduit. A 10' stick is about $3. Pounded them 2' into the ground 5' apart, then put another stick across the top.



The top piece of conduit is 8' high, that is a 6' wooden fence. I had already released the string they were hanging on by a few rotations which allow the plant to bend or droop (it's not growing in a straight line straight up the string). Cheap and works for me. Hope it helps or give you some ideas to expand upon.

[ChristinaJo]

Good to know that I'm not the only one that is trying to decide what to do....I guess I could stick to my homemade cages on some and experiment with the others..?

[Worth1]

It took some doing but I got mine apart by oiling and tapping.
From now on I put mineral oil/ISO hydraulic fluid in the holes to keep them from rusting and to take them apart.

Bad design the tube needs to be pointed down so they dont fill with water.
Worth

[Gardeneer]

Use WD-40 to un freeze the rust. . It might help.

On trellis, though I have not done it but I believe that it would require constant tying the vines to it as tomato is not a climber. Trellis can be good for things lik beans, peas, cucumber that naturally are climbers.

[AlittleSalt]

Christina, that's basically what I plan on doing this year too. I'm looking through picture archives of ways I've used in the past.

The first picture is using the homemade cages. The T Post is wired to the cage keeping it from falling over in strong winds.

The second picture is the way I grew most of them last year, and those are the ones that got sunscald.

Edit, I just realized the pictures of the system we used a few years ago is on our other PC that isn't set up right now. Plants and lighting took up its place.

[Jimbotomateo]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Christina, that's basically what I plan on doing this year too. I'm looking through picture archives of ways I've used in the past.

The first picture is using the homemade cages. The T Post is wired to the cage keeping it from falling over in strong winds.

The second picture is the way I grew most of them last year, and those are the ones that got sunscald.

I'll keep looking for other pictures of ways we liked better.

Salt , are you sure that cage in the first pic can handle that monster? . Jimbo

[AlittleSalt]

Lol Jimbo, I wish I could say it grew much bigger than the cage as usual, but it didn't.

[Barb_FL]

For additional height, I attach bamboo poles to the cages using zip-ties. At the end of the season which is June for me, I will cut the zip ties off and store the cages and bamboo poles separately.

For cages, I have a lot of the 48" tall - 14" square ones purchased from Park Seed and Guerneys.

As a cheaper alternative to Texas Tomato Cage, this year I bought 58" tall square ones that are 18" wide. I'm really liking them and attached the bamboo poles via the zip-ties for additional height. These cages are way too big for EarthBoxes but work great with their long spikes in the ground. I have a lot of wind where I live and these have not tipped over.