Tomato Cage Height Question?

[EBCIII]

I have read a lot of the post on the building tomato cages. That is what I plan on doing. For this year do do lack of money I am using wood. How Tall is a good height for cages. I also need to now if this is correct. I saw on a few videos that some of the folks like their cages to be 4' ft around? Would a 3" Box work? Thanks in advance, Beale.

[AlittleSalt]

It depends on what you are growing. I'll use Super Sweet Cherry 100 (SSC 100) as an example. If you let it grow without pruning - it gets to 7 foot tall and 4 feet around. IND plants are generally larger than DET plants.

I have some cheaper ideas that I have used that worked.

Idea 1: I use a system that is very cheap for me. I use T Posts every 8' on both sides of the rows and run plastic-coated wire 18" apart. Nylon string would work as well. It just happens that I have a lot of T Posts and spools of plastic-coated wire sitting around waiting to be used. With this set-up, if you need to add plant support between the two - you can tie strings to each side to give support between the plants.

Idea 2: I used square wood cages when I grew a few tomato plants. I built them out of 1x2s. Spacing was 18" apart and 2.5' wide x 5' tall. The two problems with this example is that I drove the wooden stakes into the ground and termites ate them. Also, high winds can knock them over.

Idea 3: Using field fencing, you can make individual round cages. Cut the bottom of the fence to turn the lateral pieces into spikes to push into the ground. It works pretty well.

Hope that helps

[Worth1]

I dont think any tomato cage needs to be 4 feet in diameter two is good enough.
They should be about 7 to 8 feet tall.
4 feet is absolutely huge and wont even serve the reasons behind a cage.

Worth

[heirloomtomaguy]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I dont think any tomato cage needs to be 4 feet in diameter two is good enough.
They should be about 7 to 8 feet tall.
4 feet is absolutely huge and wont even serve the reasons behind a cage.

Worth

Worth you are right on the money unless of course they are dwarf plants. Then you could go to the 4 to 5 foot tall range.

[zeuspaul]

AlittleSalt, do you have a picture? How far apart are the two rows of T posts? What is the 18" dimension? Are you running a wire along the length of the row 18" off the ground and then another wire along the row 36" off the ground?

[EBCIII]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I dont think any tomato cage needs to be 4 feet in diameter two is good enough.
They should be about 7 to 8 feet tall.
4 feet is absolutely huge and wont even serve the reasons behind a cage.

Worth

Thanks Worth! I can do this easy. How about spacing between plants? Thanks, Beale.

[Worth1]

3 feet between plants is pretty standard.
If you are going to go in rows you can walk down go around 4 or 5 feet between rows.
It may look like a lot of space at first but soon it will be a jungle and you will be glad you gave them the space.

Worth

[EBCIII]

I think I have been Turned into a Tomato Person/ THANK YOU, Beale.

[AlittleSalt]

I don't have any pictures. I run the wires at 18" - 36" - 48"- 60" and 72" if needed. The T Posts are measured 15" from the tomato plant on each side. This makes them 2.5' apart. As I mentioned above, I tie strings or wires from the two fences so to add support to the sides of the plants. I do that wherever it's needed.

Originally Posted by zeuspaul

AlittleSalt, do you have a picture? How far apart are the two rows of T posts? What is the 18" dimension? Are you running a wire along the length of the row 18" off the ground and then another wire along the row 36" off the ground?

[PaulF]

I use concrete reinforcement cage wiring, make the cages 2' in diameter and the cage height is 6'. I force the plants to grow up inside the cage and fountain over the top. I space the plants 4' apart so I can walk between the plants. sometimes there isn't much room for an aisleway, but that's OK. I anchor the cages with electric fence posts on two sides of the cages or with one T-post. The posts get sunk in at least 18".

Man this post makes me want to get out and at it, but we have 2 months to go. My first seedling have popped up and I need to get the lights on.

[EBCIII]

I know what you mean!! I still have my dedicated Tomato raised bed to build. Beale

[zeuspaul]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

I run the wires at 18" - 36" - 48"- 60" and 72" if needed. The T Posts are measured 15" from the tomato plant on each side. This makes them 2.5' apart. As I mentioned above, I tie strings or wires from the two fences so to add support to the sides of the plants.

Have you tried different spacing? I do something similar but I am not sure about the spacing yet. Two rows of T posts with the tomatoes sandwiched in between. I have rows 12", 18", 24", 36" and 48" apart. 48" is too much and 12" not enough.

Instead of wire I use 1/2 inch metal electrical conduit along the length of the runs. Instead of string between the T post rows I use 1 x 2 wood or 1/2 inch pvc electrical conduit. First I use the wood because it doesn't roll. As the plants get a little bigger I slip in the pvc as needed.

I use 12" vertical spacing but I'll try 18". It is surprising how little labor is involved. The tomatoes just grow inside and climb up with a few additions of lateral support slipped in between the T post rows.

[Tracydr]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

It depends on what you are growing. I'll use Super Sweet Cherry 100 (SSC 100) as an example. If you let it grow without pruning - it gets to 7 foot tall and 4 feet around. IND plants are generally larger than DET plants.

I have some cheaper ideas that I have used that worked.

Idea 1: I use a system that is very cheap for me. I use T Posts every 8' on both sides of the rows and run plastic-coated wire 18" apart. Nylon string would work as well. It just happens that I have a lot of T Posts and spools of plastic-coated wire sitting around waiting to be used. With this set-up, if you need to add plant support between the two - you can tie strings to each side to give support between the plants.

Idea 2: I used square wood cages when I grew a few tomato plants. I built them out of 1x2s. Spacing was 18" apart and 2.5' wide x 5' tall. The two problems with this example is that I drove the wooden stakes into the ground and termites ate them. Also, high winds can knock them over.

Idea 3: Using field fencing, you can make individual round cages. Cut the bottom of the fence to turn the lateral pieces into spikes to push into the ground. It works pretty well.

Hope that helps

Great ideas. You can also use field fencing or cattle panels in a straight line and tie each tomato onto it in a few spots. Easier than staking and having to prune.
I'm making cages out of bamboo this year,since I have an abundance and it needs thinning.

[AlittleSalt]

Zuespaul,

12 inches apart may actually be better for some tomato varieties, especially plants that grow only 4-5 high. The only varieties I've used the 18 inch spacing for are all huge plants. (Celebrity, Cherokee Purple, SSC 100, and Porter.) I'm thinking of splitting the difference and running the wires at 15" instead. I'm growing 60+ varieties this year, and 55 of them are completely new-to-me.

In my Idea 3, don't use the 2x4" spaced field fence unless you have really small hands and are not growing large fruited tomatoes. I couldn't get my hand in the 2x4 spacing and had to cut spaces to get to the tomatoes.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by AlittleSalt

Zuespaul,

12 inches apart may actually be better for some tomato varieties, especially plants that grow only 4-5 high. The only varieties I've used the 18 inch spacing for are all huge plants. (Celebrity, Cherokee Purple, SSC 100, and Porter.) I'm thinking of splitting the difference and running the wires at 15" instead. I'm growing 60+ varieties this year, and 55 of them are completely new-to-me.

In my Idea 3, don't use the 2x4" spaced field fence unless you have really small hands and are not growing large fruited tomatoes. I couldn't get my hand in the 2x4 spacing and had to cut spaces to get to the tomatoes.

The 4 inch spacing is to catch tomato thieves.
They are too greedy to let go of the tomato so they get trapped.

Worth