Trellis choice in Texas - Page 2

TC_Manhattan · March 17, 2017

Barb, where did you find the 58" square cages you have?

kchd.. · March 18, 2017

Here's what I did last year in Mississippi. I pruned to 3 to 5 stems per plant and trellised up some poly baling twine. No sun scald problems here.

Barb_FL · March 19, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by TC_Manhattan

Barb, where did you find the 58" square cages you have?

Sorry I didn't see this - I got them from HarrisSeeds; I got green ones - they are really nice as cages go.

kchd - your set up looks really good.

Dewayne mater · March 21, 2017

I've done the string/bailing twine method in a bed for 2 years. I use 2 or 3 stems vs. 1 because I'm hedging my bets and feel that works in my space. What I've found is that it has been possible to control pests and disease, whereas in cage growing, I could not do that. When the plants are caged, the growth gets out of hand, air flow stops, and adequate foliar coverage of protectants, treatments, etc. is impossible. The result with limiting the stems and training them up twine is plants that are healthier and produce longer.

I need to find the clips that allow you to lower the twine as the plants grow because they will absolutely top whatever heights you have. Bill in Alabama lowers his vines, removes the leaves on the lowered stems that are on the ground, and the new growth stays at a manageable height. Sun scald has not been an issue for me. However, I do put up shade cloth come June but not because of scald. This is to keep the temps down on the plants which I believe also helps with disease and insects because it decrease stress. Lower temps also extend production a week or two at least. Good luck.

Dewayne mater.

tarheelchick · March 24, 2017

kchd, in that picture you posted above, are those beans growing up that trellis in the back? The reason I asked....I had a similar trellis last year, but my beans kept growing right over the top and became a tangled mess with the row next to it. Do you ever have that problem? If so, should I trim the vine at the top to prevent them from growing too long?

kchd.. · March 25, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by tarheelchick

kchd, in that picture you posted above, are those beans growing up that trellis in the back? The reason I asked....I had a similar trellis last year, but my beans kept growing right over the top and became a tangled mess with the row next to it. Do you ever have that problem? If so, should I trim the vine at the top to prevent them from growing too long?

Yes, those are Christmas Lima beans growing on the trellis in the back. The vines grew the 8 ft up the strings, then joined together at the top. I had bean pods growing up the vines and then in the tangled mess at the top, but all the vines stayed contained within that single structure. I think the vines ended up being 12-16 ft by the end of season. I did not trim them at all. I just kept picking them.
Worms eye view, looking up from the center of the trellis:

Hudson_WY · March 25, 2017

ChristinaJo - I grow in a GH but I do prune to 1-4 stems as the plant grows and then let it expand to 6-8 stems as it gets taller in height. I have had great success with a cattle panel. The cattle panels can hold the weight of all those tomatoes! They are 50"X16' but you can cut them to any height that you like. You do have to tie the stems to the panel but I don't mind. I tend about 30-40 tomato plants a year and tying the stems also helps vibrate the blossoms and makes it easier to keep an eye on insects or disease because I am always looking close at each individual plant!

NewWestGardener · March 25, 2017

Wow, those plants are loaded, I've never had anything even close to that. What are the varieties shown here, Hudson?

Hudson_WY · March 25, 2017

NewWestGardener - One photo is Brandywine Sudduth (the ripe tomatoes) and the rest are Brandy Boy. Brandy Boy is our all time favorite for taste and production!! If you haven't planted it - you should at least give it a trial! If you like what you see in the photos!

ChristinaJo · March 25, 2017

Thanks for the help! I knew I could rely on y'all

decherdt · March 25, 2017

I am still using CRW cages, 20 inch diameter x 6 ft 6 inch tall (cut long and rolled the wrong way) . Then space them 4 ft apart in double rows that are 3-4 ft apart. Then let multiple stems grow. but prune the interior leaves for a "no 2 leafs can touch" practise. (through a live multi species mulch.....connected with EMT....supported by t post......wire ties on steel....... jute on veg......)

I set up a single and a double row yesterday evening after work, and another double this morning
http://www.tomatoville.com/album.php?u=6756

NewWestGardener · March 25, 2017

Good to know. I will hunt for Brandy Boys next year. What are you feeding them?

Hudson_WY · March 26, 2017

We don't feed them anything special. Regular garden fertilizer. IMO - when we prune them - one to two stems - the plants will produce more blossoms on those stems. That has been our experience. Everyone has their own opinion but for us in a GH environment we maximize production by pruning the plants heavy and placing the plants two feet apart.

March 17, 2017	#16
TC_Manhattan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2015 Location: Ohio Posts: 457	Barb, where did you find the 58" square cages you have?

March 18, 2017	#17
kchd.. Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2016 Location: MS Posts: 211	Here's what I did last year in Mississippi. I pruned to 3 to 5 stems per plant and trellised up some poly baling twine. No sun scald problems here.

March 21, 2017	#19
Dewayne mater Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2008 Location: DFW, Texas Posts: 1,212	I've done the string/bailing twine method in a bed for 2 years. I use 2 or 3 stems vs. 1 because I'm hedging my bets and feel that works in my space. What I've found is that it has been possible to control pests and disease, whereas in cage growing, I could not do that. When the plants are caged, the growth gets out of hand, air flow stops, and adequate foliar coverage of protectants, treatments, etc. is impossible. The result with limiting the stems and training them up twine is plants that are healthier and produce longer. I need to find the clips that allow you to lower the twine as the plants grow because they will absolutely top whatever heights you have. Bill in Alabama lowers his vines, removes the leaves on the lowered stems that are on the ground, and the new growth stays at a manageable height. Sun scald has not been an issue for me. However, I do put up shade cloth come June but not because of scald. This is to keep the temps down on the plants which I believe also helps with disease and insects because it decrease stress. Lower temps also extend production a week or two at least. Good luck. Dewayne mater.

March 24, 2017	#20
tarheelchick Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2015 Location: NC Posts: 97	kchd, in that picture you posted above, are those beans growing up that trellis in the back? The reason I asked....I had a similar trellis last year, but my beans kept growing right over the top and became a tangled mess with the row next to it. Do you ever have that problem? If so, should I trim the vine at the top to prevent them from growing too long?

March 25, 2017	#23
NewWestGardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada Posts: 564	Wow, those plants are loaded, I've never had anything even close to that. What are the varieties shown here, Hudson?

March 25, 2017	#24
Hudson_WY Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Smoot, Wyoming Posts: 523	NewWestGardener - One photo is Brandywine Sudduth (the ripe tomatoes) and the rest are Brandy Boy. Brandy Boy is our all time favorite for taste and production!! If you haven't planted it - you should at least give it a trial! If you like what you see in the photos!

March 25, 2017	#25
ChristinaJo Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: NE Texas Posts: 425	Thanks for the help! I knew I could rely on y'all

March 26, 2017	#28
Hudson_WY Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2015 Location: Smoot, Wyoming Posts: 523	We don't feed them anything special. Regular garden fertilizer. IMO - when we prune them - one to two stems - the plants will produce more blossoms on those stems. That has been our experience. Everyone has their own opinion but for us in a GH environment we maximize production by pruning the plants heavy and placing the plants two feet apart.