Florida weave skeptic
 

I am thinking about trying the Florida weave this year, but must admit I am somewhat skeptical of it. I have read several threads on Tville regarding the Florida weave, and from those threads it appears many members think it is great.

Several years ago, I tried staking my tomato plants. I used 1" x 2" stakes that were 8 feet long. I put 1 1/2 ft. of the stake in the ground. As the tomato plants approached 5 - 5 1/2 feet, the weight of the top of the plant snapped a good number of the stakes in half, and I ended up with tomato plants on the ground.

My concern with the Florida weave is similar. When the tomato plants approach 5 - 6 feet, and become top heavy from fruit set, what keeps the Florida weave from falling over on the ground. I have this vision of a row of my tomato plants laying on the ground because they became too heavy for the t-posts and string.

Can anyone help me get over this concern? The Florida weave looks really nice as a picture on my PC screen, but will it look that nice in my garden?

My last heavy fruit was on branches so i tied string to branches, to the string of Florida string. the first fruit was on the stem.
[IMG]http://i581.photobucket.com/albums/ss256/filmnet1/3plants.jpg[/IMG]

If you are worried about the strength if the wooden stakes, use 2x2's or steel fence posts. I use a combination of both. Last year I had some big bushy plants in excess of 6ft and never had anything snap or topple over from fruit weight or high winds.

Thanks Filmnet and RayR!

RayR, what type of twine are you using?

I ran out of cages, and am going to have to do something, I was thinking of the Florida weave. Does anyone have detailed instructions.
Thanks!

[QUOTE=Mark0820;212870]Thanks Filmnet and RayR!

RayR, what type of twine are you using?[/QUOTE]

I'm using nylon tomato twine. I bought a 6300ft roll, enough to last me for years I think.

As you can see I got a ton of heavy fruit very low the ground very early, because only 1 stem was left. As the plant grow up this were green for 30 days so i had to help the plants, that is way I loved Florida.

Detailed Florida weave instructions fordesertlzbn:
[URL]http://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.asp?pid=FS1102[/URL]

I use what I call a modified Florida weave. I drive, steel; T stakes in the ground and stretch 1/4" braided nylon rope between the stakes. As the plants grow, I weave the plants into the rope as opposed to weaving the rope through the plants. The only problem I've experienced is with plants that want to grow in a bush type habit rather than with straight stems. They are a little hard to weave into the rope. It works well for me and allows me to grow up with much less space than allowing them to sprawl.

[IMG]http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll308/tedln/2011%20Garden/IMG_2759.jpg[/IMG]

Here is how the same view looks today with the tomatoes growing through the ropes. By the end of July, the rope trellis will be covered with tomato vines.

[IMG]http://i291.photobucket.com/albums/ll308/tedln/2011%20Garden/001.jpg[/IMG]

Ted

[quote=barkeater;212966]Detailed Florida weave instructions fordesertlzbn:
[URL]http://njaes.rutgers.edu/pubs/publication.asp?pid=FS1102[/URL][/quote]

That is a very good article. The double t-posts at the end of a row certainly addresses the anxiety I had about the Florida weave.

Ted,

That is an interesting idea. It would be easier to weave the plants through the ropes. How much space do you leave between the ropes? Do you still put two plants between each post?

[quote=Mark0820;213053]Ted,

That is an interesting idea. It would be easier to weave the plants through the ropes. How much space do you leave between the ropes? Do you still put two plants between each post?[/quote]

Each bed is 8' long, but that includes the 4" width of the timbers on each end making each planting area 7', 4" long and that is the distance between the end posts. The center post is in the middle of the end posts. I then divide those planting areas into two sections by hanging a plastic stake in each section in the very middle. That creates four planting areas. I plant two plants of each variety about twelve inches apart in each section for a total of eight plants in each trellis. It works very well for most plants. Some plants like the Brandywines and this year, the Black Krim become a little crowded but do okay. I don't prune my plants so the trellis becomes solid with tomato plants. If you plan on saving seed, you would need to bag the blossoms before they open. The vertical distance between the ropes is about sixteen inches. You need to start the rope about sixteen inches above the ground. I started a ten foot trellis this year with the first rope about 24" above the ground. That was a mistake because the plants became heavy with tomatoes before they reached the first rope causing them to bend to the ground.

I like to grow vertically because it makes maintenance so much easier and it frees up ground space for other plants like squash and onions. I do trim the bottom branches off my tomato plants to prevent ground contact and allow for better aeration.

Just so you will know, I also grow a lot of plants in CRW cages. I think the cage method is superior to the trellis method because it requires less work to maintain and gives good results. It does however use up more ground space than the trellis method.

I like to try different things to see what works best for me. Next year, the tomato trellis may be replaced by tomato cages. I never know how I will do some things until winter arrives and I have a lot of time to plan.

Ted

Ted

I tried tying up a third of my tomato plants last year and that was a pain in the rear. I will be using the Florida Weave on all 14 of my plants this year.

I will be using the metal fence post from one of the big box stores or from Tractor Supply store as for the stakes (those should last years and years and years). Haven't decided if I am using gardening twine or a light weight cord for the weave. Regardless the weave material will not be a synthetic and will be some kind of natural material so it can biodegrade in whatever landfill or lyard waste compost program it ends up in.

[quote=HoosierDaddy;213141]I tried tying up a third of my tomato plants last year and that was a pain in the rear. I will be using the Florida Weave on all 14 of my plants this year.

I will be using the metal fence post from one of the big box stores or from Tractor Supply store as for the stakes (those should last years and years and years). Haven't decided if I am using gardening twine or a light weight cord for the weave. Regardless the weave material will not be a synthetic and will be some kind of natural material so it can biodegrade in whatever landfill or lyard waste compost program it ends up in.[/quote]

I use 1/4" braided nylon rope for a few reasons. First, it is strong enough to support the huge plants. The 1/4" diameter doesn't saw into the stems as bad as smaller diameters do. (The plants will move in the wind more than they do with the traditional Florida weave creating a slight sawing action) It isn't biodegradable, so it can be reused for many years.

The downside of the rope is the fact that it is expensive at the big box stores and braided rope requires burning or melting the ends after it is cut to prevent fraying.

I take my rope down each fall and store it while I am moving the T posts from bed to bed to change the location of my tomato plants each year.

Ted

round here the commercial growers use 1x1" oak stakes and grow determinate varieties. I have used hickory and oak on indeterminates and it worked fine. lot stronger wood than pine.
My last guess of what I got started is 800 plants, have about 400 in now and my tractor PTO gears just broke. Trying to till up underground boulders in new ground. Gotta git it fixed quick so I can git the rest put in.