Tomato Plant Support Methods - Page 3

Gardeneer · April 20, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by frankcar1965

Ok I'm not understanding lean and lower, can someone explain it? In the past with the strings I just trained them along the top string, with the wire it should be easier at least as long as they last.

This is my first year so I am not experienced.
But there is a difference between "simple stringing" and "stringing & lowering".
In the latter method, first you got to prune to a single stem to be workable.
So when the top of stem reaches the horizontal support ( about that height ), you loosen the string and let the stem come down and rest on the ground, depending how much you lower it. Then you tighten up the string back up on the horizontal support.
The horizontal support is usually about 6ft tall so an average person can work on it without aneed for a step ladder. But we know that a indeterminate plant, pruned to a single stem, can/may grow 20ft tall in the season (maybe more, depending on the length of season and the variety ). So as the plant grows vine-like, you pick the ripe fruits from the lower part, trim all the leaves up to and above the remaining unripe fruits.
That is how they do it in commercial greenhouses. But their top supporting line can be high as they use a mobile ladder to to do the job.

Jonnyhat · April 24, 2017

I can try...Tomato Bed 6-20-16.jpg

MuddyToes · April 24, 2017

Last year I mostly used Ultimato snap together supports and a few Home Depot cages for the tomatoes in my raised beds. I tied escaping branches to the crossbars with twine and vegetable clips. This year I bought a few square collapsible cages from Walmart that I will reinforce with steel "Sturdy Stakes" from Home Depot for my home-made earthboxes and plan to supplement last year's supports with some "real purty" tomato ladders from Gardener's Supply for the raised beds. I don't like to prune tomatoes much so I suspect I will be tying a lot of stems to the ladders with twine and such. I got the stackable ladders so the tomatoes can get tall. Only problem is, I am only 5 feet

FarmerShawn · May 17, 2017

I grow too many for cages. I also have a short season, so height is rarely much of a problem. In the greenhouse I use string for trellis, pruned to two stems. Outside I have settled on Hortonova nylon trellis netting, still pruned to two stems, usually. I have three plants between each stake, and use a Max Tapener to hitch the plants to the trellis.

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Durgan · May 17, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by FarmerShawn

I grow too many for cages. I also have a short season, so height is rarely much of a problem. In the greenhouse I use string for trellis, pruned to two stems. Outside I have settled on Hortonova nylon trellis netting, still pruned to two stems, usually. I have three plants between each stake, and use a Max Tapener to hitch the plants to the trellis.
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Max Tapener
Tapener
Patti B./Wiseacres Vineyards from TX on 1/20/2012 12:00:00 AM wrote:
We have 9 acres of vineyards and ordered the tapener for a quicker way to tie up the plants. The tapener jams, the tape doesn't roll out smoothly, sometimes the cutter doesn't cut all the way through the tape, we constantly have to be pulling at the tape, as it gets too tight when it doesn't roll out, and with any type of wind, the staples just pull out of the tape and the plants end up on the ground. I don't use too much profanity, but after a while of using this tapener, I'm glad there weren't any people around to hear me ranting and raving. We have resorted to hand-tying. Big waste of money.
http://www.amleo.com/max-tapener-han...achine/p/HTB2/

FarmerShawn · May 18, 2017

Durban, yeah, I sometimes have those issues with it as well, and though it is pushed for vineyard use, I'm not sure I'd rely on it for that. But my tomatoes, on a net trellis, work just fine for the season. It's a bit fiddly taking them all off at the end of the season, but still easier and faster for me than hundreds of clips, the alternative I have tried.

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SteveP · May 18, 2017

This is only my 4th year and try to improve my method each year. I use 48" tomato stakes and then drive an 8' metal stake interwoven with the cage about a foot into the ground. That gives me a 7' stake to tie on to. I did this same thing last year and all went well until the plants got too tall. This year I am planning on topping the plants once they reach about 8' and call it a day.

May 17, 2017	#34
FarmerShawn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 1,001	I grow too many for cages. I also have a short season, so height is rarely much of a problem. In the greenhouse I use string for trellis, pruned to two stems. Outside I have settled on Hortonova nylon trellis netting, still pruned to two stems, usually. I have three plants between each stake, and use a Max Tapener to hitch the plants to the trellis. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk __________________ "Red meat is NOT bad for you. Now blue-green meat, THAT'S bad for you!" -- Tommy Smothers

May 18, 2017	#36
FarmerShawn Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Vermont Posts: 1,001	Durban, yeah, I sometimes have those issues with it as well, and though it is pushed for vineyard use, I'm not sure I'd rely on it for that. But my tomatoes, on a net trellis, work just fine for the season. It's a bit fiddly taking them all off at the end of the season, but still easier and faster for me than hundreds of clips, the alternative I have tried. Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk __________________ "Red meat is NOT bad for you. Now blue-green meat, THAT'S bad for you!" -- Tommy Smothers

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April 24, 2017	#32
Jonnyhat Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2015 Location: Downingtown, PA Posts: 337	I can try...Tomato Bed 6-20-16.jpg

April 24, 2017	#33
MuddyToes Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2016 Location: Delaware Posts: 234	Last year I mostly used Ultimato snap together supports and a few Home Depot cages for the tomatoes in my raised beds. I tied escaping branches to the crossbars with twine and vegetable clips. This year I bought a few square collapsible cages from Walmart that I will reinforce with steel "Sturdy Stakes" from Home Depot for my home-made earthboxes and plan to supplement last year's supports with some "real purty" tomato ladders from Gardener's Supply for the raised beds. I don't like to prune tomatoes much so I suspect I will be tying a lot of stems to the ladders with twine and such. I got the stackable ladders so the tomatoes can get tall. Only problem is, I am only 5 feet

May 18, 2017	#37
SteveP Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Joplin MO Posts: 1,398	This is only my 4th year and try to improve my method each year. I use 48" tomato stakes and then drive an 8' metal stake interwoven with the cage about a foot into the ground. That gives me a 7' stake to tie on to. I did this same thing last year and all went well until the plants got too tall. This year I am planning on topping the plants once they reach about 8' and call it a day.