Tomatoville® Gardening Forums


Notices

Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.

Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
Old February 18, 2018   #1
greenthumbomaha
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Omaha Zone 5
Posts: 2,514
Default Ten Tomatoes Worthy of A Texas Tomato Cage

Placing an order for the well reputed cages with extensions, with hopes of them arriving in time for planting.

For fun I would like to grow majority new to me varieties this year, primarily red and pink beefsteaks and slicers for this "tall" project.

What would be your choices to fill this mighty cage?

- Lisa
greenthumbomaha is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 18, 2018   #2
Worth1
Tomatovillian™
 
Worth1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Den of Drunken Fools
Posts: 38,539
Default

Neves Azorian Red.
Had one one year grow out of the top of the cage and down the top of my grape arbor about 5 more feet.
One of the best red beefsteaks you will ever grow.

Worth
Worth1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 18, 2018   #3
edweather
Tomatovillian™
 
edweather's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Southeast GA, USDA 9a, HZ9, Sunset Z28
Posts: 392
Default

Big Beef
__________________
You'll be surprised what you'll never have to do, if you put it off long enough.
edweather is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 18, 2018   #4
Labradors2
Tomatovillian™
 
Labradors2's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: Ontario
Posts: 3,886
Default

Pruden's Purple

Linda
Labradors2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 18, 2018   #5
kath
Tomatovillian™
 
kath's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2010
Location: zone 6b, PA
Posts: 5,664
Default

George Detsikas Italian Red was a gargantuan plant for me and produced loads of huges fruits.
kath is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 18, 2018   #6
Goodloe
Tomatovillian™
 
Goodloe's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jan 2018
Location: Steens, MS 8a
Posts: 410
Default

Hey Lisa,
I plant on 9 cages every year, 3 plants per. I made cages out of leftover concrete reinforcing wire I picked up around some construction sites. Mine are 5' tall with a 24" diameter.
This year, I'll be planting Early Girl, Big Beef, Park's Whopper, Delicious, Chapman, and Chef's Choice Pink.
Good luck with yours!

Jon
Goodloe is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 18, 2018   #7
Nattybo!
Tomatovillian™
 
Nattybo!'s Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2011
Location: Maryland
Posts: 272
Default

Big Rainbow
Nattybo! is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 18, 2018   #8
e.thad
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Mar 2016
Location: SE PA
Posts: 53
Default

Beware - if the cage gets filled and the weight isn't distributed evenly, it will lean. You'd need something to right it ... like a few sturdy stakes. I tied a string to a nearby fence to make the cage stand straight.

Side note: I felt some of my beefsteaks didn't grow as big when caged compared to two or three vines on a stake.
e.thad is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 18, 2018   #9
edweather
Tomatovillian™
 
edweather's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Southeast GA, USDA 9a, HZ9, Sunset Z28
Posts: 392
Default

Yea, some nice re-bar will anchor the cages. A good wind will blow them over.
__________________
You'll be surprised what you'll never have to do, if you put it off long enough.
edweather is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 18, 2018   #10
TC_Manhattan
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Location: Ohio
Posts: 457
Default

Lucky Cross
Brandywine OTV
I second George Detsikas
TC_Manhattan is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 18, 2018   #11
greenthumbomaha
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Omaha Zone 5
Posts: 2,514
Default

Not to 10 just yet so keep 'em coming!

I love the bi-color flavor. Lucky Cross is one of my absolute favorites.
Somehow I missed discussions of Big Rainbow. If per chance it comes in the MMMM envelope, its going to go in one.

Brandywine OTV, PP, George D., NAR, all great choices.

I'm surprised Big Beef is on the list. I don't remember it being exceptionally tall. Ball Seed lists it at 4 feet. Same with Chapman, excellent taste but one that is shorter in stature for me.

I haven't purchased the cages but looking at prices I will be buying 6 and then an additional 3 after inspection. So I only need a few more!

- Lisa

Oh yes the wind, in my tornado and hail/ high wind area tposts are a must. Thanks for the heads up.

Last edited by greenthumbomaha; February 18, 2018 at 05:58 PM.
greenthumbomaha is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 18, 2018   #12
edweather
Tomatovillian™
 
edweather's Avatar
 
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: Southeast GA, USDA 9a, HZ9, Sunset Z28
Posts: 392
Default

Big Beef topped my 5 foot cages last year. Oh now I see, we're looking for an 8 foot plant. Well, they're great tomatoes anyway. Can't go wrong with 'em.
__________________
You'll be surprised what you'll never have to do, if you put it off long enough.

Last edited by edweather; February 18, 2018 at 06:05 PM.
edweather is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 18, 2018   #13
Father'sDaughter
Tomatovillian™
 
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: MA/NH Border
Posts: 4,917
Default

If you enjoy bi-colors, try Virginia Sweets. It's listed as late, but the last time I grew it I picked the first fruit in late July.
Father'sDaughter is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 18, 2018   #14
simmran1
Tomatovillian™
 
simmran1's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Location: Iowa Zone 5
Posts: 305
Default

As mentioned, Big Beef would be a waste of a Texas cage, as mine only get 4½'. Any Brandywine, Hazelfield Farm, Mark Twain, Strawberry Margarita, WV Sweet Meat, Rebel Yell grew nearly six feet tall for me in '17
__________________
Tomatovillain
simmran1 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old February 18, 2018   #15
rhines81
Tomatovillian™
 
rhines81's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2015
Location: Zone 5A, Poconos
Posts: 959
Default

I am watching this thread. This year I am (was) limited to 10 tomato spots until I get my pepper list under control. So far I have 4 spots reserved for Paul Robeson and 1 for Supersweet 100. Looking for the other 5 spots to fill and I have lots of different seed varieties (I was thinking 2 Romas, 1 Omar's Lebanese, 1 Arkansas Traveler and the other one for a random variety. But as I had already explained to Lisa in a PM, I am taking advantage of another offer from a friend which doubles my space - so now I will be able to grow much, much more!
rhines81 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 04:59 PM.


★ Tomatoville® is a registered trademark of Commerce Holdings, LLC ★ All Content ©2022 Commerce Holdings, LLC ★