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JackE · February 12, 2011

That conduit, especially with the rebar support. would be strong enough - but I have another problem besides the t-posts as I think about this. True, commercial growers are mostly all using the weave system now - but have you talked to anyone who uses florida weave on unpruned indeterminates?

I'm quite familiar with indeterminates from the old days, but have been using the weave for only two years now. I have learned that you must get the the string right up against the MAIN stem and it has to be absolutely straight and pretty tight between the two posts (DON'T criss cross like the older instructions said - run straight own each side and make a wrap on each post to keep the string TAUT.) ------ Now follow what I say here - It's hard enough to get past all the branches on a compact plant to reach the main stem, without tearing-up the plant or getting the string wrapped around side branches etc, and it seems to me it would be virtually impossible to PROPERLY weave a healthy
indeterminate once it gets over a couple feet tall. You'd never get past all that growth to make a nice tight run on the main stems only. You likely couldn't even FIND the main stem, let alone get your weaving tool in there and make a clean run! No Way! The most you could do, IMO, is to tie-up the bearing branches enough to keep the fruit from falling - and dollars to donuts it would all collapse in a huge mess as the toms mature.

Oh, it's been so long I forgot - those traditional varieties often make MULTIPLE STEMS if not pruned right! EGAD! Forget the FL weave unless you can go with determinates. Play it safe - Stake n' Prune or cage 'em somehow.

How about this -- use the conduit stake for each individual plant, with a rebar support like Rin Tin advises - 1/2" rebar driven-in a couple feet with at least 5' of 3/4 conduit over it - or your regular wood stakes, then prune moderately and tie in the traditional manner. It's a lot of labor, to be sure, but at least you know it will work.

Too bad you can't find a compact plant that tastes good enough to satisfy your customers. Are you sure there aren't any such cultivars nowadays?

BTW, you can stack the cages 6' high along the fence lines - weather doesn't hurt 'em and they help keep the deer out - I bet y'all got major deer problems with all those tree huggers around there. LOL Best of all, you can make cages for a couple bucks each. I really believe you're heading for trouble with your weave/t-post plan.

Jack

I recall seeing a photo on the web once of some vining toms a guy had tried to weave between t-posts - just a short row - and it was a total mess. Maybe it held the fruit above the dirt - hard to tell in that jungle of vines and string.

February 12, 2011	#31
JackE Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Woodville, Texas Posts: 520	That conduit, especially with the rebar support. would be strong enough - but I have another problem besides the t-posts as I think about this. True, commercial growers are mostly all using the weave system now - but have you talked to anyone who uses florida weave on unpruned indeterminates? I'm quite familiar with indeterminates from the old days, but have been using the weave for only two years now. I have learned that you must get the the string right up against the MAIN stem and it has to be absolutely straight and pretty tight between the two posts (DON'T criss cross like the older instructions said - run straight own each side and make a wrap on each post to keep the string TAUT.) ------ Now follow what I say here - It's hard enough to get past all the branches on a compact plant to reach the main stem, without tearing-up the plant or getting the string wrapped around side branches etc, and it seems to me it would be virtually impossible to PROPERLY weave a healthy indeterminate once it gets over a couple feet tall. You'd never get past all that growth to make a nice tight run on the main stems only. You likely couldn't even FIND the main stem, let alone get your weaving tool in there and make a clean run! No Way! The most you could do, IMO, is to tie-up the bearing branches enough to keep the fruit from falling - and dollars to donuts it would all collapse in a huge mess as the toms mature. Oh, it's been so long I forgot - those traditional varieties often make MULTIPLE STEMS if not pruned right! EGAD! Forget the FL weave unless you can go with determinates. Play it safe - Stake n' Prune or cage 'em somehow. How about this -- use the conduit stake for each individual plant, with a rebar support like Rin Tin advises - 1/2" rebar driven-in a couple feet with at least 5' of 3/4 conduit over it - or your regular wood stakes, then prune moderately and tie in the traditional manner. It's a lot of labor, to be sure, but at least you know it will work. Too bad you can't find a compact plant that tastes good enough to satisfy your customers. Are you sure there aren't any such cultivars nowadays? BTW, you can stack the cages 6' high along the fence lines - weather doesn't hurt 'em and they help keep the deer out - I bet y'all got major deer problems with all those tree huggers around there. LOL Best of all, you can make cages for a couple bucks each. I really believe you're heading for trouble with your weave/t-post plan. Jack I recall seeing a photo on the web once of some vining toms a guy had tried to weave between t-posts - just a short row - and it was a total mess. Maybe it held the fruit above the dirt - hard to tell in that jungle of vines and string.