Caging strategies for indeterminates after initial 54" cage

[garyc1234]

I'm growing a bunch of indeterminate tomatoes in containers mostly using regular 54" cages that you purchase at Home Depot. (I have around 80 tomatoes at last count.) I realized from the beginning that the cage size would be too short for the indeterminates, but I'm short on both time, and have a limited amount of money. With three young children, I can only spend one hour max each day, and 20 minutes of that one hour is spent watering the plants. I also can't afford to spend the $40+/cage to purchase Texas Tomato Cages, which look really nice, BTW. So, instead I purchased the 54" cages which were only ~$4 each at Home Depot.

Has anyone else who uses 54" cages determined a strategy on how to handle the extra growth for the tomatoes after they clear the top of the cage? I remember in one of Raybo's early Earthtainer designs, he would invert another cage and place it on top of the original one and fasten the two together to obtain additional height. Just wondering if anyone else had other strategies that they've used. Thanks!

[garyc1234]

Just to add a couple of pictures from my "Tomato Village" as my kids call it (because they see my reading this site so often). I got a late start, I'm really counting on the long gardening season here in the SF Bay area to bail me out. These pictures are taken in the early evening, so the plants are getting plenty of direct sunlight even if it looks like they are in the shade in the pictures.

[kath]

I've attached other cages, upside down, with tiny zip ties, but that's going to cost $$$. If you use some tall stakes, rebar, etc. you can tie the vines to them with strips of cloth or do a Florida weave just on the upper parts of the plants. You could also just let them grow up, flop over and grow towards the ground but it looks like it would turn your place into a jungle. The other option is to just let them keep growing until they're ready to flop and then just top the vines. It will help the existing fruits to ripen a bit quicker, too.

[peppero]

I have also used upside down cages the same way and then put bamboo across the top and tied them to all the cages for lateral stability. Then you can use rebar or anything similar for vertical stability.

Jon

[Shrinkrap]

I also stack the pea cages on earthboxes, and fasten with zip ties after seeing it here. The one in the first picture kn the right is supported by a Texas Tomato Cage. These are "dwarves" and peppers, so they are not much more than five feet tall.

[jmsieglaff]

I use heavy duty 54" cages and supplement with 3 7' stakes which after putting into the ground they are 6' above ground. I tie two or stems to each pole and when they get to the top of the stake the stem gets topped. I've slowly built up my stakes, I use those metal ones with green coating. They are a bit costly hence the couple year build up, but cheaper wood ones could be had, but they wouldn't last as long.

[Gardeneer]

Originally Posted by jmsieglaff

I use heavy duty 54" cages and supplement with 3 7' stakes which after putting into the ground they are 6' above ground. I tie two or stems to each pole and when they get to the top of the stake the stem gets topped. I've slowly built up my stakes, I use those metal ones with green coating. They are a bit costly hence the couple year build up, but cheaper wood ones could be had, but they wouldn't last as long.

That is a good method to extend a cage.
Another option is to just let the branches drape after reaching the top of cage, provided there is enough space around the cage. This can work with the varieties that grow no more than 7ft tall. You can also top some of the branches to control the height.

Gardeneer

[Gerardo]

Chop 'em or let them drop and curl them in. Or zip tie some bamboo sticks to the cage to extend its height.

[bower]

Standing against a fence or a wall, use that to tie them up with rope.

[christian1971]

I use that stretchable green garden tape and tall t posts.

[garyc1234]

Thanks for the advice! Will try some of these ideas.

[JRinPA]

I have never added to the top of the cages - I use crw cages which are 5' tall. After a month in the ground tomatoes are at the top. I tie up individual branches that escape the cage, and sometimes tie up a bunch of branches across a few cages, kinda like a florida weave. Another week and they are over that and need more.

A couple years ago I tried foam pipe insulation to widen the radius of the bend where a branch would hang over. I just happened to have it, so I tried it, but it didn't really work. Not thick enough. I kind of forgot about. Now I am thinking of trying some dollar store pool noodle material. It would maybe block a little light, but if it turns a 1/16" radius successfully into a 1.5" or 2" radius, it might work to keep those vines intact instead of creased.

It has been probably a week now since I thought of it, but I still haven't remembered to go buy some.