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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2019 14:17:07 GMT -5
The fellow who sold me this place left a couple of "tomato cages" if you will. They are about 16 inches across, made of concrete rewire. but only about two feet high, far too short for tomatoes.
About three weeks ago, on a whim, I put one of them around a bell pepper plant. The plant was at the end of a row, somewhat scrawnier than the others, certainly no larger. This morning that plant is four inches taller, fuller, and healthier-looking than its fellows in the row. Moreover, it has two big peppers on it, and several small ones. Then others in that row have no peppers as large, and fewer of any size.
I've read that metal cages around plants have an effect on their growth. Any opinions?
On another note; older daughter is here; weeded my onions, leeks, asparagus---bless her heart. Saved the old man a lot of work.
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Post by paquebot on Jul 5, 2019 16:12:36 GMT -5
Tomatoes and peppers both do the same thing. If their branches sense support, their response is to grow taller. When a plant is first beginning to get growing, and their first branches are below the bottom ring, I'll lift it over the ring.
This reminds me that I have the pepper cages all ready and need to get them in place soon.
Nartin
The truth is more important than the facts.
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Post by brownrexx on Jul 5, 2019 16:14:53 GMT -5
I had a couple of shorter tomato cages from left over wire so I put one on top of the other and wired them together to give me a tall additional cage.
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Post by mgulfcoastguy on Jul 5, 2019 18:17:36 GMT -5
We use concrete wire cages for both tomatoes and cucumbers. I made them myself two feet wide and five feet tall.
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Post by september on Jul 5, 2019 20:04:22 GMT -5
I use the short cheap tomato cages for all my peppers. There isn't enough growing season here for the peppers to outgrow them.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 5, 2019 21:13:17 GMT -5
By Golly!!!! Glad I asked. i Never felt it necessary to cage peppers, but I will give that another thought. It so happens that I have one "store boughten" cage out there that I refuse to use for tomatoes, and I have two extra wire cages that I made yesterday. So, I will have five caged peppeers and will get a pretty good test of their performance.
Daughter left with about 40 pounds of squash, peppers and cucumbers. Plus a big bowl of blackberries. If I had three such daughters I would plant a bigger garden.
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Post by Gianna on Jul 6, 2019 8:27:07 GMT -5
I use the short cheap tomato cages for all my peppers. There isn't enough growing season here for the peppers to outgrow them. I like those for my peppers as well. Unfortunately I don;t have enough for all the peppers I grow. And unfortunately I dont put them up early enough so when I think of it, it's too late. Oh well... I also use those cheap cages for my tomatoes though they are far from the best. My tom. plants do flop over, but it doesnt seem to hurt them much. I just want them mostly off the ground. They are easier to store than larger supports.
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Post by Gianna on Jul 6, 2019 8:31:42 GMT -5
Tomatoes and peppers both do the same thing. If their branches sense support, their response is to grow taller. That's interesting... In one of my pepper beds this year, Ive placed 5 gallon containers in the spaces between my in-ground pepper plants. In part for better space utilization, and in part to let the water that comes from the bottom of the pots to water the ground. I have noticed that the in=ground plants with pots 'supporting' them have had a growth spurt. Could in part be the extra water, but probably also the physical support they now are getting.
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Post by pepperhead212 on Jul 6, 2019 10:35:22 GMT -5
I had a couple of shorter tomato cages from left over wire so I put one on top of the other and wired them together to give me a tall additional cage. This was my first thought, as this seems even too short for larger peppers.
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Post by coppice on Jul 7, 2019 8:48:48 GMT -5
Metal in broad and copper specifically has been used as part of what keeps bonsai small. The old guys believed that copper poisoned trees slightly.
All that said, as others have noted trellis or cages certainly spur growth of tomato and pepper. It does.
I am noting the different outcome as part of what makes (for me at least) the wonder of gardening.
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Post by Deleted on Jul 7, 2019 16:54:37 GMT -5
Coppice; No doubt about it; copper, specifically copper sulfate, is poisonous to plants.
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