Quote:
Originally Posted by HoosierDaddy
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.
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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