Getting cagey with tomato cages.

[Jaysan]

Here's a few photos of my cage project. Fairly easy to make but depends on your strength level. To me they rival Texas Tomato cages in every way.

Made from cattle panel and 1/2 inch pvc conduit.

The pros:

Galvanized.
Extremely simple design, so simple though it is likely not able to be patented.
Fold for storage.
16 inch bottom tines for stability, you choose how many you want.
Triangle shaped with an open front but still has horizontal supports on the front every 16 inches.
Access holes on the sides are 6x8, plenty large.
You can access the soil at the bottom through the open front for adding fert, tending to watering etc.
Very stable.
6 feet 8 inches from the ground to the top.
Each costs around $14.00 to make.

Cons: to me anyway.
Cutting the panel is a bit tough. I used bolt cutters and it works out the arms which is a good thing. The rods ends can scratch after being cut so be careful with that.
Bending the rod ends to make the hooks may not be not an easy task for some, more exercise!
Drilling the holes in the conduit by hand is dicey. A drill press would be the way to go and a lot faster.
A bit heavy but hey, is IS heavy duty!

Pictures!

If designs like this have been done before, apologies. I realize it is easy to miss some very interesting designs out there. If nothing else it's fun to mess with.

Here are some pictures of the triangle cage. It's hard to see but you cut one side to get the pvc spacer/support on and the other side you cut out a whole section of about an inch to get that end on and off easily to fold in and fold the whole cage flat. Half of the cut rod ends on the hinging side are bent to make eyelets. You then put the other side in them and finish the bend by hammering them closed.
This was the third one I made with these changes and so far I like it the best.

[Jaysan]

I have added pictures of my triangle cage for anyone interested.

[meadowyck]

very nicely done.

[Jaysan]

Thanks. I have made 6 for my raised bed and came up with a different idea for containers which works really well for containers sitting on ground.
Will try to post better pictures of the triangle cage against a background to show it better.

[coronabarb]

Jaysan, those are definitely heavy duty! Should stand up to the most rampant plant. Do you stake them?

[Jaysan]

So far no. They spikes that go into the ground are about 16 inches long and if you don't trim any of them off there are 10 of them.

I just made them this week so as the season progresses I will see if they need anything else in the way of support.

I have seen where Texas Tomato cage users don't add additional support so these should not need it. They feel very sturdy in the ground.

I have one extra and I'll try to get a picture of it out of the ground.