Tomato plants falling over

Tue Jul 18, 2006 4:19 pm

I went to look at my garden today, and my tomato plants are falling over! One has fallen over completely (the cage actually bent and fell with it), and others have some branches that have fallen and the cages are starting to bend. These plants are HUGE and FULL of green tomatoes, and I hate to lose any! Any suggestions? They are all in cages (just the regular kind bought at Home Depot for a couple dollars each). I tried pulling the one that had fallen over back up, but it was just too heavy. It doesn't look like the stem or branches have broken, but just bent over.

Tue Jul 18, 2006 4:28 pm

my only suggestion is to check if the bottom of the plant is chewed up. otherwise if they're getting taller maybe they need more support idunno?

Tue Jul 18, 2006 4:46 pm

Yeah, they definitely need more support. I just can't figure out how to do it now. I don't think I can take the old cage off and put on a new cage. I'm afraid if I try that I'll break the plant.

Tue Jul 18, 2006 4:50 pm

Can you stand them upright and add a stake or 2 or 3 even?? You may also want to trim the plants a little so they are NOT so heavy.
Good luck,
j bunge

Tue Jul 18, 2006 4:50 pm

Can you stand them upright and add a stake or 2 or 3 even?? You may also want to trim the plants a little so they are NOT so heavy.
Good luck,
j bunge

Wed Jul 26, 2006 6:33 pm

Try adding some wooden stakes to help support the store bought cages.

JA Cambece

Mon Feb 26, 2007 3:43 pm

hi, i had the same problem a few years ago. I scrapped the cages because they didn't last. when they fell over some of the tomatoes would rot becasue of not enough air flow. My solution...Lee Valley's tomatoe spirals (best price i've found). Sturdy, the plants need very little help to climb...yes they need abit but not much. I decreased the number of plants because the yield went up and very little rot. the first year i planted some in cages some with stakes and some came up freely and did not have any support. The best performers were the stakes by far. to remove the stakes at the end of the season pull out the plant stake and all and then slide the stake out. My husband even helped pull out the tomatoes and said wow easy. the first year i bent 3 stakes out of i think 20 or so. Only by a few degrees. they were easily straightened and ready for the next year. this coming season they will be used for the third year. I'm happy and my friends who have tried them are happy.
One problem last year. We were in a drought and really really hot temperatures for a real long period. Even though i waterred alot the plants kept growing from the bottom instead of taller. So it was a bit harder to train the plants. But I was still pleased with the results. I had planted fewer tomatoes than in many previous years and the yield was great. Usually the plants grow taller than me and I'm just over 5 feet.

Tammy