Tomato Trellising Options
There are as many ways to garden as there are people, and likewise, there are many solutions for growing tomatoes. While it is not mandatory that tomatoes are trellised in the garden, it has become a preferred way of growing them for many people. They are easier to see for picking, stay cleaner, and miss out on various kinds of rot that can afflict them when they are left to grow and ripen on the ground. Since the tomato plant is a vine, if it is not trellised, it will end up on the ground. Today I will discuss cages, fencing, and garden twine as trellising options.
The first trellising option is probably the most common and uses what many refer to as a tomato "cage." Cages can be purchased at garden supply stores, or they can be made. These were made out of 6" x 6" square wire panels that are usually used in laying concrete radiant heat flooring. The key is the 6" x 6" size of the squares. It is easy to get a hand in the cage to work on the plants and pick the fruit.
You can see in the below picture an assortment of cage sizes. This tomato garden was a lawn last year; it is now it is filled with 4 tomatillo plants and 32 tomato plants. The cherry tomatoes are on the left in the very tall cages. The rest are paste tomatoes, except for the 4 tomatillo plants.
The first trellising option is probably the most common and uses what many refer to as a tomato "cage." Cages can be purchased at garden supply stores, or they can be made. These were made out of 6" x 6" square wire panels that are usually used in laying concrete radiant heat flooring. The key is the 6" x 6" size of the squares. It is easy to get a hand in the cage to work on the plants and pick the fruit.
You can see in the below picture an assortment of cage sizes. This tomato garden was a lawn last year; it is now it is filled with 4 tomatillo plants and 32 tomato plants. The cherry tomatoes are on the left in the very tall cages. The rest are paste tomatoes, except for the 4 tomatillo plants.
This next trellising option is one I am using for the first time with tomatoes. It involves a piece of fencing panel --again using that 6" X 6" sizing- and weaving the tomato plants up and into it as they grow. With this system, the tomatoes will be pruned to a single vine, with all side shoots cut or pinched off. The plants are spaced at 12" spacing with this system- I will reevaluate that spacing at the end of the season and make any needed adjustments next year. I have a feeling I should have gone with 18" or even 24", but I was feeling ambitious when I planted them.
In this picture, you can see that I have gently placed the plant through the opening in the fencing. As it grows, I will weave it up the fence.
The last trellising option is what I will call "greenhouse style." I used a variation of this method last year by tying string to my fence and running the vine up it, again, pruning off the side shoots. The lovely presentation shown below of this method is from my friend's garden/greenhouse. It is a lovely way to grow tomatoes. All one needs to make this happen is a sturdy structure from which to suspend a piece of garden twine.The plants are then wrapped around it as they grow.
With each of these methods of trellising tomatoes, it is helpful to remove the bottom leaves of the plants as they grow, keeping the foliage off the ground. It is also helpful to remove any yellowed or 'funny' looking leaves that may possibly have any type of blight as part of the maintenance and prevention protocol. We also remove the side shoots that grow out between the main stem and the leaves to keep the energy of the plant in the main stem which also helps the fruit to ripen earlier.