23 June 2017 Tomato String Support System

Durgan · June 23, 2017

http://durgan.org/2017/June%202017/2...20System/HTML/ 23 June 2017 Tomato String Support System
Tomato plants are supported by strings attached to an overhead support system made with 8 foot rebar and a few 8 foot steel fence posts. Plastic ties are used and the support is removed at the end of the season. There are 23 plants in an area about 8 feet wide and 20 feet long. Suckers are not removed from the plants and they are free growing. Strings are added throughout the season to support any free growing branches as required.

adewilliams · June 25, 2017

You have a very lovely and tidy garden! I wish I could grow in my soil like that, but I just have tons of red clay.

ddsack · June 25, 2017

Very nice, Durgan! I've always preferred support from above or trellising on a panel as opposed to cages. Easier to access the plants, plus I just like the way it looks. Your garden is very inviting!

Ann123 · June 25, 2017

That's how we support tomatoes here in Europe too. We prune to a single stem (because of the risk of phytoptora) and twist them around a string.
I'll put a pic of mine tomorrow.
Beautiful garden BTW.

b54red · June 25, 2017

You might not have to prune in Ontario but if you were down here in the deep south with a season of at least 7 months you would need a machete to walk through your tomatoes after a couple of months. I use Missouri pruning on some of my varieties and even that can get out of control even on single stem plants.

Your method is similar to what I do with bell peppers. I just add more drops to support the limbs as new stems get peppers on them. Sometimes I end up with 7 or 8 strings supporting one pepper plant by the end of the season; but it works really well as long as I keep adding support when needed so the stems don't break during thunderstorms or with too much weight from peppers.

I think what you are doing will work for you in your climate and it looks like you have a great start with a beautiful garden.

Bill

PaddyMc · June 25, 2017

That looks great. Are the wood chips working well for you as a mulch?

Durgan · June 25, 2017

Quote:

Originally Posted by PaddyMc

That looks great. Are the wood chips working well for you as a mulch?

The wood chips are wonderful in retaining moisture. I cant imagine gardening without them. In my climate and area here is no downside to their use.

June 23, 2017	#1
Durgan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2013 Location: Brantford, ON, Canada Posts: 1,341	23 June 2017 Tomato String Support System http://durgan.org/2017/June%202017/2...20System/HTML/ 23 June 2017 Tomato String Support System Tomato plants are supported by strings attached to an overhead support system made with 8 foot rebar and a few 8 foot steel fence posts. Plastic ties are used and the support is removed at the end of the season. There are 23 plants in an area about 8 feet wide and 20 feet long. Suckers are not removed from the plants and they are free growing. Strings are added throughout the season to support any free growing branches as required.

June 25, 2017	#3
ddsack Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Northern Minnesota - zone 3 Posts: 3,231	Very nice, Durgan! I've always preferred support from above or trellising on a panel as opposed to cages. Easier to access the plants, plus I just like the way it looks. Your garden is very inviting! __________________ Dee **************

June 25, 2017	#2
adewilliams Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 87	You have a very lovely and tidy garden! I wish I could grow in my soil like that, but I just have tons of red clay.

June 25, 2017	#4
Ann123 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2016 Location: Belgium Posts: 240	That's how we support tomatoes here in Europe too. We prune to a single stem (because of the risk of phytoptora) and twist them around a string. I'll put a pic of mine tomorrow. Beautiful garden BTW.

June 25, 2017	#5
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	You might not have to prune in Ontario but if you were down here in the deep south with a season of at least 7 months you would need a machete to walk through your tomatoes after a couple of months. I use Missouri pruning on some of my varieties and even that can get out of control even on single stem plants. Your method is similar to what I do with bell peppers. I just add more drops to support the limbs as new stems get peppers on them. Sometimes I end up with 7 or 8 strings supporting one pepper plant by the end of the season; but it works really well as long as I keep adding support when needed so the stems don't break during thunderstorms or with too much weight from peppers. I think what you are doing will work for you in your climate and it looks like you have a great start with a beautiful garden. Bill

June 25, 2017	#6
PaddyMc Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2011 Location: Idaho Posts: 241	That looks great. Are the wood chips working well for you as a mulch?