They're Bbustin' Loose

Kenyadenola · July 16, 2006

Since I decided to some plants away from the main garden I had to be inventive in terms of supporting them. I didn't just want to stake because I didn't want to have be diligent about pruning, so I decided to support them by making a box cage for six of them out of the long green garden poles you can get in the nursery section at HD. so far it has worked great, but I had two that were at awkward angles and couldn't be included in the box. One was a determinate so I decided to put the old square folding cage around it. I figured it wouldn't get to big and I just didn't want to let it sprawl. Well now all 3 feet of it has gone crazy and is bustin' loose, but it is loaded with tomatoes.

That one is not as crazy as it's neighbor, the Black Pear. I decided to put one of the tall cylindrical cages(the hated kind) around it. I knew it was an indeterminate, but I figured I'd give it a shot. Sometimes you get a indeterminate that doesn't get very tall, what's the worse that could happen right?

Well, it is now about 2 feet over it's 5 foot cage and getting ready to start it's journey back to the ground and it's loaded with tomatoes!!

Any one have any ideas on how I can support this plant. It has not been pruned at all, an is a monster. Now that the story has been told, here is my idea for support, please tell me what you think. I want to pound a stake in the ground and attach CRM about 3 feet or so off the ground and wrapp it around the plant. In theory that doesn't sound bad, but then I started thinking about the roots and what damage might occur by pounding the stake in the ground. I also thought that once I wrap the plant I could cut the original cage off an let the plant enjoy it's new tall roomy home.

What do you guy's think, will I do more harm than good by pounding in the stake? If I won't, would it be okay to cut it's original cage away once the new one is around it?

If I shouldn't pound the stake into the ground, what should I do to help this plant. I'm in California so my growing season is long from over and this plant has about 15 toms so far that have not ripened and a bunch of little growing ones, with more flowers loading up.

Any advise is very welcome except for the comments about how I shouldn't have put the cage around it in the first place. Now I know whay I had those cages stashed in a corner where I never have to look at them.

I'm a little worried about the determinate, but if I figure out how to solve the big plants problem, I'll be able to solve the little ones problem.

Thanks for taking the time to read my very winded post!!

Kenya

July 16, 2006	#1
Kenyadenola Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: San Jose, CA Posts: 35	They're Bbustin' Loose Since I decided to some plants away from the main garden I had to be inventive in terms of supporting them. I didn't just want to stake because I didn't want to have be diligent about pruning, so I decided to support them by making a box cage for six of them out of the long green garden poles you can get in the nursery section at HD. so far it has worked great, but I had two that were at awkward angles and couldn't be included in the box. One was a determinate so I decided to put the old square folding cage around it. I figured it wouldn't get to big and I just didn't want to let it sprawl. Well now all 3 feet of it has gone crazy and is bustin' loose, but it is loaded with tomatoes. That one is not as crazy as it's neighbor, the Black Pear. I decided to put one of the tall cylindrical cages(the hated kind) around it. I knew it was an indeterminate, but I figured I'd give it a shot. Sometimes you get a indeterminate that doesn't get very tall, what's the worse that could happen right? Well, it is now about 2 feet over it's 5 foot cage and getting ready to start it's journey back to the ground and it's loaded with tomatoes!! Any one have any ideas on how I can support this plant. It has not been pruned at all, an is a monster. Now that the story has been told, here is my idea for support, please tell me what you think. I want to pound a stake in the ground and attach CRM about 3 feet or so off the ground and wrapp it around the plant. In theory that doesn't sound bad, but then I started thinking about the roots and what damage might occur by pounding the stake in the ground. I also thought that once I wrap the plant I could cut the original cage off an let the plant enjoy it's new tall roomy home. What do you guy's think, will I do more harm than good by pounding in the stake? If I won't, would it be okay to cut it's original cage away once the new one is around it? If I shouldn't pound the stake into the ground, what should I do to help this plant. I'm in California so my growing season is long from over and this plant has about 15 toms so far that have not ripened and a bunch of little growing ones, with more flowers loading up. Any advise is very welcome except for the comments about how I shouldn't have put the cage around it in the first place. Now I know whay I had those cages stashed in a corner where I never have to look at them. I'm a little worried about the determinate, but if I figure out how to solve the big plants problem, I'll be able to solve the little ones problem. Thanks for taking the time to read my very winded post!! Kenya