Growing tomatoes vertically

BirdsongNC · November 7, 2012

I am putting in a couple of long raised beds (4'x 36') and wish to grow tomatoes vertically down one of the long sides. I would like to get the most tomatoes per space, what type of support system should I use? What has worked for you in the past? How close can they be planted together?

Right now I'm pondering using a 6ft high cattle panel as a support, a string style trellis, or the FL weave, any suggests would be awesome!!!

kurt · November 7, 2012

Keep in mind the determinates grow differently(usually main center stalk and up to 6ft on some averages)and the some cherrys can sprawl up to 20ft and vine like crazy.Cherrys will shade the lower growing plants so sunrise and sunset positioning will be important.Conventional suggestions are 2 1/2 to 3 foot apart for air circulation and solar exposures.The cherrys I grow after 7 ft I train them to horizontal string and bamboo supports.

Redbaron · November 7, 2012

Fl weave is good for indeterminants. Determinants do better in cages. Spacing for Yield depends on what you prefer ...yield per acre or yield per plant or yield of large tomatoes vs smaller. It also depends on the variety and how much you prune. Some varieties have large vigorous foliage and some have wispy foliage.

As a starting point try the Fl weave and 4 foot spacing. Inbetween and around the plants put basil cilantro and dwarf french marigolds with 8 to 10 in spacing in a zig zag pattern.

ddsack · November 7, 2012

I am an enthusiastic vertical grower, have done so for many years now, and will never go back to cages. I tried Florida weave a couple of times, but couldn't keep my strings tight, and plants collapsed every which way and made a mess as they got tall and heavy with tomatoes. I grow on cattle panels as my first preference, because it is so easy to weave or tie suckers to the sturdy wire.

I often grow beans, broccoli, or other low crops on the other side of the tomato bed.

I used to grow suspended from boards wired to heavy steel posts before my horses died off and I could deconstruct their fence to scrounge the cattle panels. I drilled a couple of holes through the end of the boards to run the wire through. Using strings works well too. You just have to spend a little more time tieing up the suckers, I usually end up with about 5 or 6 strings per plant, the rest of the suckers can be woven back into the tied ones. If you live in a humid summer area, you'll probably have to remove more suckers than I do, to have adequate ventilation for your plants. Here in the north, we only have short stretches of ultra humid summer heat. I generally remove very few suckers, only the lower ones that snake out into the aisles, or if a plants seems to be crowding or outgrowing it's neighbors.

The string method is great for fall cleanup if you use degradable twine strings, just cut down the strings and roll up the plants and haul them away. This is a really old picture from one of the first years I did this.

Your spacing will depend on how much pruning you plan to do, in my 12 foot beds I grow 7 plants along one edge, and in the 8 foot beds, I grow 5 plants along the long edge. The other side of the bed always has some kind of short crop.

The advantages of this type of growing is that you have great visibility from all sides, can can easily reach in to get the tomatoes, plus it looks really decorative to have a wall of tomatoes.

easttx_hippie · November 7, 2012

Now this is growing vertically:

http://singularityhub.com/2012/11/05...vertical-farm/

BirdsongNC · November 8, 2012

Thank you so much for the information and pictures!

November 7, 2012	#1
BirdsongNC Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: North Carolina Posts: 8	Growing tomatoes vertically I am putting in a couple of long raised beds (4'x 36') and wish to grow tomatoes vertically down one of the long sides. I would like to get the most tomatoes per space, what type of support system should I use? What has worked for you in the past? How close can they be planted together? Right now I'm pondering using a 6ft high cattle panel as a support, a string style trellis, or the FL weave, any suggests would be awesome!!!

November 7, 2012	#2
kurt Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2011 Location: Homestead,Everglades City Fl. Posts: 2,500	Keep in mind the determinates grow differently(usually main center stalk and up to 6ft on some averages)and the some cherrys can sprawl up to 20ft and vine like crazy.Cherrys will shade the lower growing plants so sunrise and sunset positioning will be important.Conventional suggestions are 2 1/2 to 3 foot apart for air circulation and solar exposures.The cherrys I grow after 7 ft I train them to horizontal string and bamboo supports. __________________ KURT

November 7, 2012	#3
Redbaron Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,488	Fl weave is good for indeterminants. Determinants do better in cages. Spacing for Yield depends on what you prefer ...yield per acre or yield per plant or yield of large tomatoes vs smaller. It also depends on the variety and how much you prune. Some varieties have large vigorous foliage and some have wispy foliage. As a starting point try the Fl weave and 4 foot spacing. Inbetween and around the plants put basil cilantro and dwarf french marigolds with 8 to 10 in spacing in a zig zag pattern. __________________ Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture

November 7, 2012	#4
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,231	I am an enthusiastic vertical grower, have done so for many years now, and will never go back to cages. I tried Florida weave a couple of times, but couldn't keep my strings tight, and plants collapsed every which way and made a mess as they got tall and heavy with tomatoes. I grow on cattle panels as my first preference, because it is so easy to weave or tie suckers to the sturdy wire. I often grow beans, broccoli, or other low crops on the other side of the tomato bed. I used to grow suspended from boards wired to heavy steel posts before my horses died off and I could deconstruct their fence to scrounge the cattle panels. I drilled a couple of holes through the end of the boards to run the wire through. Using strings works well too. You just have to spend a little more time tieing up the suckers, I usually end up with about 5 or 6 strings per plant, the rest of the suckers can be woven back into the tied ones. If you live in a humid summer area, you'll probably have to remove more suckers than I do, to have adequate ventilation for your plants. Here in the north, we only have short stretches of ultra humid summer heat. I generally remove very few suckers, only the lower ones that snake out into the aisles, or if a plants seems to be crowding or outgrowing it's neighbors. The string method is great for fall cleanup if you use degradable twine strings, just cut down the strings and roll up the plants and haul them away. This is a really old picture from one of the first years I did this. Your spacing will depend on how much pruning you plan to do, in my 12 foot beds I grow 7 plants along one edge, and in the 8 foot beds, I grow 5 plants along the long edge. The other side of the bed always has some kind of short crop. The advantages of this type of growing is that you have great visibility from all sides, can can easily reach in to get the tomatoes, plus it looks really decorative to have a wall of tomatoes. __________________ Dee ************** Last edited by ddsack; November 7, 2012 at 07:53 PM.

November 7, 2012	#5
easttx_hippie Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: Piney Wood Hills Posts: 423	Now this is growing vertically: http://singularityhub.com/2012/11/05...vertical-farm/

November 8, 2012	#6
BirdsongNC Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Oct 2012 Location: North Carolina Posts: 8	Thank you so much for the information and pictures!