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Post by ladymarmalade on May 10, 2018 17:30:33 GMT -5
What do you use for your growing tomatoes? Cages? Cattle Panel? Stakes? Weaving?
Do share! Pictures or links to pictures are welcome!
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Post by ladymarmalade on May 10, 2018 17:44:17 GMT -5
The current system I favor is a hybrid system. I really like the Florida Weave in concept, but in practice, it doesn't offer quite enough support for burgeoning tomato plants. So what I do is use folding tomato cages to run alongside a row of tomato plants, only I stick them in the ground unfolded. I stake them in with U-Posts and Wooden surveyor's stakes, and then I can tie the plants to the cages as they grow.
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Post by brownrexx on May 10, 2018 18:23:57 GMT -5
I use cages and I do not prune my plants. Some of my cages are made out of concrete reinforcing wire but my newer ones are made of something called hog panels which are very heavy and made of galvanized wire. Here is a close up. After many years of squatting down to see the labels poked into the ground I finally figured out to attach the labels to the TOP of the cages. I got a bunch of these tags from the local greenhouse. They are the ones that they attach to hanging pots with prices. 20180509_135345 by Brownrexx, on Flickr
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Post by farmerjack41 on May 10, 2018 19:00:08 GMT -5
Do the same as brownrexx, except add a stake or two so everything will not tip over as it get top heavy.
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Post by bestofour on May 10, 2018 19:47:03 GMT -5
Thanks guys.
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Post by Laura_in_FL on May 11, 2018 7:48:48 GMT -5
I just posted about my system here: notjusttomatoes.proboards.com/thread/3919/question-2-6-2018-staking?page=3One thing that I didn't say in that thread is that I plan to eventually replace the netting with galvanized wire panels of some kind. It's just a matter of finding a not-too-expensive way to do it with large enough mesh (5" minimum openings, 6" or 7" would be better).
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Post by paulf on May 11, 2018 8:56:11 GMT -5
Concrete reinforcing wire cages anchored by two electric fence posts. These cages are now 15 years old and counting. Rusty but get disinfected yearly.
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Post by ladymarmalade on May 11, 2018 9:16:22 GMT -5
I am really thinking that when we move to our own property, I'm going to switch to cattle/hog panels. The biggest reason I go with the folding tomato cages is that they fold and I can tuck them away in my tiny shed so I am not the tenant who leaves unsightly things all over the yard. With our own place, that won't be an issue. I know my brother has used them for years and they're just SO easy and do a great job.
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Post by paquebot on May 11, 2018 12:03:54 GMT -5
With often up to 200 plants, investing in concrete wire and transporting and storing it is out of the question. Also planting mostly in pairs mean that row systems are out. Instead, have been investing in the heaviest cages available and most have been the pyramid type which is bigger at the bottom. Problem with those is that they are expensive. So, I buy the heaviest standard type and cut the top ring off. Used upside down, they are the same as the pyramid type at half the cost.
Martin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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