Supporting Hundreds of Tomato Plants

[Jimche]

This is a slight twist on threads that have been posted already. Lots has been written about how gardeners support 5 of 10, perhaps up to 50 plants. I'm interested in whether there are any economically viable techniques used by growers to support hundreds of tomato plants. Have heard of a "bar" technique where the plants are allowed to drape downward over a horizontal bar set a few feet off the ground, but nothing else. I guess sprawling is the best option, because maintaining the ties on staked plants takes tons of time and buying hundreds of cages, even the concrete reinforcement mesh approach, is quite costly. Looking forward to hearing what ideas people may have on this!!

[kevokie]

Well, I'm not really sure myself, and this is a great question to ask. However, in my research in the past, I've seen where people were using string dangling from above. This seems to be mostly in greenhouses and honestly I have no clue how it works. I guess I just can't grasp the concept. Now I have also seen where many people use the Florida Weave and are quite happy with the results. It would seem to me that the weave would be much more economical in the long run versus staking or caging.

[robin303]

This was asked last year and I might need some help here but it was the way they do it in Florida. Florida weave maybe.

[nctomatoman]

I've thought of this and I am sure that it is done - you drive two sturdy posts at each end of a row. Run very strong cable between the two (anchor it down to the top of the posts well - I suppose you could use a strong chain and nail it in). Every 3 feet or so, or wherever you will be planting the tomatoes in the row, drop down another sturdy cable or chain, reaching down to where the tomato is - secure the growing tomato to the dropped lines.

[Polar_Lace]

Go down to your local recycle place. Find a salvageable swing set or arbor. That ought to do it.

Why do people buy arbors for? To hang heavy vines on of course!

You could also just get the wood from the recycle place and make your own Arbor!

~* Robin

[dave]

We use 2-4 welded wire, 5' high with T-posts, cut the width of our "small garden" for cherry tomatoes. As they grow we tie them to the wire with bread ties, planted thick, with soaker hoses, some mulch. sell all we can grow by the QT. Roll the wire up at the end of the season--we have 80 large tomato cages (CRW) that are a pain to store and move when mowing. dave

[goodwin]

I have about 120 CRW cages which are a pain to store, but they really work. For the rest of the tomatoes I use cattle panel on t-posts - two rows spaced about 30 inches apart, and then weave between the panels with twine. Sounds like what Dave is doing. This system works great for cucumbers, too.

[dave]

I grow all our cucumbers verticle, in large crw cages at the end of the tomato rows, where I circle the soaker hose in the cucmber mound. The cukes never touch soil, easy to pick, uniform and blemish free. I only plant "Slicemaster Select" from Willhite Seed. Dave

[Jimche]

Originally Posted by nctomatoman

I've thought of this and I am sure that it is done - you drive two sturdy posts at each end of a row. Run very strong cable between the two (anchor it down to the top of the posts well - I suppose you could use a strong chain and nail it in). Every 3 feet or so, or wherever you will be planting the tomatoes in the row, drop down another sturdy cable or chain, reaching down to where the tomato is - secure the growing tomato to the dropped lines.

Sounds like it could be less expensive than cages, but I'm not clear on whether it would save time over staking. You still have to keep addint ties to secure the growing plant to the hanging cables/chains, right? Also, I have 100 foot rows, so there would have to be some intermediate support for the overhead cable, I guess. If anyone has a picture of this, it would be great to see. Thanks!

[PaulF]

I don't know exactly how it is done, but grape growers have systems to support their vines. Maybe that would be a way.

[Barbee]

All I've ever seen in large operations was sprawling. My first thought was to use tubular cattle gates and you could weave the tomatoes thru there instead of tying. But that would require a permanent set up and not sure a commercial grower would want that.
So I'm back to sprawling

[Polar_Lace]

Well for Info purposes see this Photo. I had saved it in my pics, but I had to try to find where it was located at for the Link. I don't know how long it will be there after I post this, sometimes people erase things: http://www.hdpf.org/photos/Karlen1.jpg

Jim Kennard, does the Mittleider Method, This is a link to one of his Tomato Arbor Towers! I do hope the link works for you: http://davesgarden.com/community/for...php?pid=720250

~* Robin

[Polar_Lace]

Ok, thanks for letting me know this. I'll try to find another link for that particular photo, he has them all over the web, I'll search under the name I saw there.

~* Robin

[Polar_Lace]

This picture: http://sustainable-gardening.subto.u...vertically.gif

This Page, scroll down and read the page: http://sustainable-gardening.subto.us/tip/tomatoes.html

Better View: http://www.growingtomatoes.info/wp-c...00-7-15-04.jpg

Food for Every One Foundation, Jim Kennard, does the Mittleider Method. Please scroll down and read the page:
http://www.growingtomatoes.info/

~* Robin

[Jimche]

Originally Posted by Polar_Lace

Well for Info purposes see this Photo. I had saved it in my pics, but I had to try to find where it was located at for the Link. I don't know how long it will be there after I post this, sometimes people erase things: http://www.hdpf.org/photos/Karlen1.jpg

Jim Kennard, does the Mittleider Method, This is a link to one of his Tomato Arbor Towers! I do hope the link works for you: http://davesgarden.com/community/for...php?pid=720250

~* Robin

Thanks, Robin. Viewed the first link, very interesting. Still need to tie the tomatoes to the hanging strings as they grow, right? It is a nice setup, would be great for cucumbers or beans, as the tendrils would grab the strings and climb...would tomatoes do the same?

Could not view the second link, because I'm not a paid subscriber on that forum...tempting to join, though. Thanks again for your responses (and everyone else, also!)

Jim