![]() Drive the stake into the ground right after transplanting so as not to disturb the roots.Try to put the stake on the downwind side so the plant will lean into it when the wind blows.I have used a six-foot piece of rebar fairly successfully, as it is quite sturdy, goes into the soil easily and has a rough texture that the plant ties adhere to. Purchase a tall (6-8 foot), spiral tomato stake or use existing materials around home.Staked plants may require more water, as they are exposed more to the sun and drying winds, which leads to evaporation.Less leaf surface affects the total yield Total yield is often lower, since staking requires pruning which lowers the total leaf surface of the plant.The lack of heavy leaf cover makes the tomatoes more susceptible to sunscald problems.You have to be diligent and timely with training and pruning or the stems will break. It can be a hassle to prune and train the plant up the stake with ties.**Tip: Using the coated wire ties shown in the above photo works like a charm to tie up the vining stems as they grow. Young tomato plant in pot with coated ties for staking it is easy to see the tomatoes and easy to harvest.each individual tomato will be larger due to the pruning effect mentioned above.Staking requires you to prune the plant more frequently, which results in more of the plant’s energy directed toward ripening fruit (note: you get earlier fruit but not as many if you prune) The vines & tomatoes are up off the ground, resulting in cleaner fruit and less rotting.Staking takes up less space than caging. ![]() Staking Heirloom Tomato Plants PROS OF STAKING TOMATOES Set the cages over the plants shortly after planting the seedling so you don’t break the plant trying to fit the cage over the plant later on (under the right conditions, tomato plants grow fast).Make sure the cage has a large enough grid that you can get your hands through it to harvest the tomatoes.It needs to be strong, made with something like concrete reinforcing wire. The cage should be at least five feet tall and 24 to 30 inches in diameter.Here is what to look for in a cage, whether you make your own or find one to purchase: Most tomato cages from garden centers are simply too small and skimpy to support a healthy tomato plant all summer, especially the larger heirloom tomatoes. By late summer, the cages are so full of foliage that the fruit is shaded and doesn’t ripen as quickly or as consitently. They also take up space in storage, if that is a concern. Larger cages in particular can take up quite a bit of space in a small garden. The weight and size of the plant can topple light weight cages to the ground with strong winds. This is especially true with some of the larger heirloom plants, where it is not uncommon to get one and two-pound fruits. Tomato plants can get quite large (both in height and width), and they can become too heavy for the cages. This will give the plants some extra heat, protect them from winds, and may help protect them from cutworms. Wrap a circle of one-foot-high plastic around the bottom of the cage at ground level and secure the overlapping ends. You can easily adapt the cages to do double duty and give the tomatoes a head start in the spring.Keeping the moisture level more consistent will help prevent cracking and blossom end rot Due to plenty of leaf cover, the soil will stay shaded and retain more moisture.There will be plenty of foliage to provide shade for the fruit and prevent sunscald.You don’t need to worry about pruning, pinching off the suckers, or training the plant.Large tomato cage for trellising tomatoes PROS OF TOMATO CAGES: Note that some of these may be effective for the small garden and not work for a larger garden. I’ll show you what it looks like below, but first here is a list of pros and cons from my experience with other methods. using large circular homemade cages of concrete reinforcing wire.Īfter years of trials (and tribulations), my husband rigged up a system for growing our heirloom tomato plants that has proven easy, efficient, and successful.letting the tomatoes sprawl on a bed of straw,.the “basket weave” method of trellising,.I also tried these methods of support for a range of tomato varieties: I started with cages purchased from the local home improvement store, and tried them out in a variety of ways…none were overly successful. This post may contain affiliate links, and you can read our disclosure information here– Pros and Cons of Trellis Systems for Supporting Heirloom Tomatoes Heirloom tomato plant growing up next to hog wire fencing.
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