[TomatoDon]

I've seen discussion on this method around the internet, but I've yet to see any truly staunch practitioners of it. For those of you who are not familiar with the Japanese tomato ring, it's basically making a rich mound of organic matter inside a 5 foot diameter ring of support wire (usually concrete re-enforcing wire or something similar), and planting 5 (I believe it is) tomatoes on the outside of the ring, and training them up the wire by tying them. Supposedly the roots grow into the organic material in the center and you have a very productive ring of tomatoes. But there are a few things about this that I have doubts about. Making the roots seek out the organic matter is one of them.

I think we may have discussed it here once, making a large ring, maybe 3-4 feet in diameter, and planting 2-3-4 plants inside. Like a regular tomato cage, just larger, with more plants. I thought that might be a good idea, although I've never tried it exactly like that. I'm still trying to think of a way to plant in the field without using the sprawl method which doesn't work well in this climate, but also not having to have individual cages for each plant.

I am hesitant to plant just one of any variety, since the chance exists that it may be the plant that doesn't do well. I thought I could try disking up the field garden spot, smoothing it, rolling out a 4 foot wide piece of ground cloth, making 3-4 foot wire hoops to hold about 3 of a single variety, and run a drip line down the whole thing. I have a system for the raise beds, and I guess I'm still trying to find a field method so I can grow a lot of extra plants, especially experimental ones, but not have a lot of maintenance as the seasons gets on.

Has anyone here tried this or anything similar?

Don
With over 125 seeds already planted!