What are the best sizes on tomato cages?

[Hilde]

I plan to use tomato cages next year, either make my own or buy the Texas tomato cages, depending on how much money I want to spend!

What are the best sizes for tomato cages? What are your experiences?

I assume it depends on the size of the plant and how you want to prune. My plan is to only prune the leaves at the bottom and diseased leaves that might appear, and take the top off towards the end of the season. I will not prune stems or suckers, so presumably the bushes will become quite wide. Texas tomato cages comes with 18 inch and 24 inch diameter. The good thing with making them yourself is that you can choose a different size.

Hilde

[QAGuy]

If you don't plan on pruning stems or suckers, you'll need the
widest possible cages.

Despite my enthusiasm for PVC cages, I'd go with CRW if I were you.
You can make them any size you like. Of course, you can do
that with PVC too, but sounds like cost is a concern. CRW will
certainly be cheaper.

Since I have no experience with them, I'll leave it to others
to come up with a diameter for you.

Maybe the next questions should be

How much room do you have?

What's your layout going to be?

That will come into play when you're determining the size of the cages.

[Worth1]

Even if you cant or don't want to spend the money on Texas tomato cages at this time it would be best to get a 6 pack of the 24" cages with a 6 pack of 24 extension when or if you can. 8' tall with the extension.

I wasnt sold on them for a while, untill I went to Suze's house and saw them for my self.

((((((((IF you don't know me here, I am notoriously known as a tight wad.)))))))

They fold up for winter storage too.

You may only shell out the money for 6 of them but you wont be sorry you did.

I have priced how much if would cost to make the cages I want and it is just about as cheap to buy the things.

This is just my thoughts on the matter and hold no ill will on those that feel differently.

I will only put a small 24 hour hex on them with no permanent damage.
Lets see now, 1 green lizard, 2 owl hoots, 1-1/2 tsp of toad urine a crows feather--------------.

Worth

[dice]

There was quite a bit of discussion of
cages in this thread:

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ight=cage+idea

[Ruth_10]

I made my cages in a few sizes. Most of them are 24" or 30" in diameter. Which size I use depends on the anticipated size of the tomato plant, or maybe on whether or not I'm trying to squeeze another plant in the row. Early in the season the plants seem to be swimming in the 30" cages, but it doesn't take long for them to fill of the cage and overflow.

[Hilde]

I have room for seven 3x16 feet raised beds with a three feet walkway in between, but I want to rotate the crop, so it can't all be tomatoes. I would think that 2 or 3 of the 3x16 beds could have tomatoes. (I don't know yet what else to grow, except for strawberries, but I will probably try beans and melons.) Of course the danger is that Tomatoville will make me forget all about crop rotation just because six 3x16 will seem like the least amount of space one can possibly grow all the tomatoes that I would like to grow.

What would be a reasonable spacing for tomato plants in a 3x16 bed? I would assume it could hold 8 plants, does that sound about right?

Thanks dice, great thread!

I like the idea of the Texas tomato cages because they are big, don't rust and can be folded for winter storage.

Worth, I have never and will never ever disagree with you, as long as you keep that hex brew away from me!

Thanks!

Hilde

[BigdaddyJ]

Hilde

I space my plants at least 3.5 feet apart. I would never plant less than 3 feet apart. I never prune and grow in cages. My thoughts are no more than 5 plants in that 3x 16 bed.

I have 12 large Texas cages without the extenders. I also use the home made concrete wire ones. The wire ones are good. The Texas are GREAT! Two nights ago we had a big storm. Next day the wire cages were blown over almost on their side. The Texas still strong and tall.

My plants are now in the 7 to 8 feet tall range and very bushy cause I never prune. I usually stake my wire cages against the prevailing winds but hadn't done so this year. Gotta do that job today. I never yet had to also stake a Texas cage. Best money I ever spent regarding this tomato hobby of mine was buying the Texas cages.

[feldon30]

Most varieties, I'd do 24" cages.

Oxhearts can be quite spindly and might be better in 18" cages.

I'm daring. I squeezed 16 plants into a 4' x 16' bed. Next year I will reduce to 14 plants.

[dice]

3' x 16', I would try 6 plants. 4 indeterminates
in the middle, and a determinate or
semideterminate on the ends.

I planted on 2' to 2-1/2' centers this year
and for most plants did not prune, other
than around the base of the plant. Some
plants get less sun that I would like, simply
because they have a compact growth habit
and are growing in between plants that are
much bigger. It is difficult to tell exactly which
plant some branches with fruit are from,
because they are so intertwined. Sometimes
you can tell by color, fruit shape, taste,
and so on, and if you have alternating PL and
RL plants, that helps, but if you have plants
of several cultivars that you have not grown
before closely spaced, one RL leaf or PL leaf can
look very much like another. (I won't be spacing
them that close again.)

Every beginner starts out optimistic: "I can
fit a couple more in here." By this time of the
year, they have usually realized their error
and resolved to either make more beds or plant
less plants next year.

[Hilde]

6 in each, that is 18 plants at most! I have a long list of tomatoes that I would like to try:

Cherokee Purple
Cherokee Green
Stump of the world
Arkansas Traveller
Sungold
Omar's Lebanese
Bulgarian #7
Kellogg's Breakfast
Sioux
Brandywine Sudduth
Earl's Faux
Sweet 100
Coyote
Black from Tula
Mortgage Lifter bicolor
Mexico Midget
Green Giant
Caspian Pink
Neve's Azorian Red
Carbon
Lucky Cross
Lillian's Yellow
Hugh's
Heidi

In addition I love the Black Cherry, so I would have to grow that too, and that is 25 types!

Haha, maybe I should build all seven beds, grow only tomatoes the first year to find out which ones are my favorites, and then downsize and rotate crop? :-)

Thanks guys!

Hilde

[dcarch]

Don't forget to check out the various methods of anchoring the cages to ground to prevent them from tipping over when it's windy.

dcarch

[QAGuy]

Everyone (well, mostly everyone) has a long list they want to
try. I know I do too.

And of course, mix in those 'I have to have X every year' plants and
that cuts down on the number you can try too. I think you'll find
lots of folks with a few old favorites along with a few new plants
most years.

Take your time on the different varieties. We're not in a race.
Plant a few new ones each year. it helps keep my interest
going. It's part of the fun as far as I'm concerned.

[feldon30]

Hilde,

Most of the varieties you have mentioned are large indeterminates. Here, they can reach 7-10 feet tall. In New York, they might be a more manageable 5-6'. If you had a mix of plant sizes then you could do some 18" cages (some oxhearts, determinates, dwarves, etc.) and the rest 24" cages.

I am nervous about posting diagrams. Remember this is only my second year gardening. I've just tried to absorb and learn as fast as I can (which has made people resentful).

Here is a couple of ideas on how I would plant 3' x 16' beds and then for comparison how I intend to plant my 4' x 16' bed next year. Suze has 3' x 12' beds and some of the gigantic indeterminates have forced her to only put 5 plants in some beds. Other beds have as many as 20 plants especially dwarf project.

[Hilde]

Thanks guys!

Morgan, I did not know that this is only your 2nd year of gardening! You seemed like a seasoned gardener to me! Why would people be resentful? I am looking to learn things fast also! Thank you for those diagrams. The 3x16 with the 24" seems like how I would try to do it the first time. I overcrowded this year. But the plants are looking OK despite of my error.

Yes, I know, I should take the time to grow the different varieties. It is just that I like instant gratification, only it doesn't come fast enough!

I haven't researched anchors for cages yet. I assumed it was just to force it down in the ground, and perhaps support it with a pole if growing a large indeterminate like Brandywine.

Hilde

[BigdaddyJ]

Hilde

If you are talking about supporting the homemade wire cages I have found a nice long rebar stake does the job. Support the entire cage with a single rebar stake placed to support against the prevailing winds. That usually does the job.

If you use the Texas cage, throw away the stakes. You don't need them.

And a voice from experience here, if you prune your plants your 3x16, 24" might be ok. But if you are like me and never prune and grow 8 foot tall monster bushes I'd go with only the 5 plants. Plants getting good air circulation, lots of available sunlight and aren't competing for water and nourishment are happy plants.