Tomato Support/Cages for Containers?

[Imperialboy]

So then basically. I take the end of the cage (pointy straight wire) bend it upward. Then bring it up the the holes on the top then bend that wire outwards.

So then I stick the cage in the container to the bottom, bend it all the way back to the top holes from the bottom?

I only use plastic pots.

[tedln]

So then basically. I take the end of the cage (pointy straight wire) bend it upward. Then bring it up the the holes on the top then bend that wire outwards.

So then I stick the cage in the container to the bottom, bend it all the way back to the top holes from the bottom?

I only use plastic pots.

No! The cage legs stick down into the soil with the very bottom tips of each leg bent up against itself. Each leg is also bent slightly towards the sides of the pot to widen the stance at the inside bottom of the pot.

It's the same idea of you standing with your legs spread apart providing more stability than if you stand with your feet and legs close together.

Ted

[DoubleDogFarm]

Ted,

Not trying to be rude, just trying to help.

I like simple. I would just drill 3 or 4 holes in the bottom of the plastic container. 3 or 4 depends on how many legs. Just push the legs through, bend each leg to 90 degree and you are done. The 3 or 4 guy-wire may or may not be needed.

I like the disc idea also

[img]https://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h300/eric_wa/Topbmp-1.jpg[/img]

Eric

[Imperialboy]

Kk. I got the bending idea down.
Thanks.

Eric; Ted had said the holes on the bottom wouldn't work as well as the water would drain through near the bottom.

So with the 4 wires attached to the lowest rung through opposite hole. I just wrap wire around the cage then bring it across to the hole on other side?

I'll photoshop a photo of that later on my other computer

[tedln]

All help appreciated Eric. I don't mind drilling the extra holes in the bottom of the plastic pot. A little extra drainage won't hurt, but I would be concerned with the weight of the pot, soil, and water, sitting on the legs bent at ninety degrees. My concern is the fact that the excess weight could cause the plastic to break above each bent leg. Clay pots with the big washers would work and big washers used on the plastic pots may be enough to distribute the weight protecting the plastic.

Ted

[DoubleDogFarm]

Ted,

I believe 99.5% of the plastic pot would be resting on the ground. The wire is what 1/8" diameter? So not much of a gap. If we are talking the big black nursery puts, they are really tough and flexable.

Eric

[tedln]

Your probably right Eric.

Coincidentally, I was looking at some new large pots at Walmart yesterday for flowers. They have these really large pots that have that Mexican pottery appearance with the rustic stone finish. I picked one up thinking it would weigh about thirty pounds. It actually weighed about 1/2 pound because it was simply a plastic foam pot like the Styrofoam beer coolers with a pretty finish on it. They cost about $25.00 each and don't feel like they could last an entire summer full of soil.

Ted

[Imperialboy]

I just use the typical nursery pots.

[Imperialboy]

So just made this quickly.:

[img]https://i52.tinypic.com/103snd5.jpg[/img]

That's all you do for the bending.
What about for the hole drilling. The arrow shows the last rung to attach the four wires. But I'm lost after that.

[tedln]

I can't think of anything to do after you get the wires attached other than add soil and grow some tomatoes.

You will find it easier to attach the wires to the washers first and then feed each wire through each hole to the bottom or even the second ring on the cage. That allows you to adjust the vertical alignment of the cage as you wrap the wires. Try to attach the wires where a ring and a leg on the cage have a junction. It isn't mandatory, but it does make the connection stronger with less probability of breaking the welds holding the rings together.

Good Luck and happy gardening.

Ted

[Imperialboy]

So then that's all to do? Still don't get the hole drilling and how to attach cage through the holes. Think I'll just give up on it and just use the bending technique.

Still trying to figure out this: [img]https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a360/SamhainP8/Trellis.jpg[/img]

Or should I just stake it like this?
[img]https://i15.photobucket.com/albums/a360/SamhainP8/BucketSupport.jpg[/img]

Instead drill holes on top and bring the wire from the stake, to the side of the container and run it all the way up along the container through the top hole.

Would that stake way be better or the cage?

[tedln]

If you will move the wires to the top of the bucket and attach them to the cage instead of the stake, that is what I am talking about. I don't know any other way to say it, but the wires need to be at the top of the pot instead of the bottom of the pot. Think about a tall radio or television tower with cables (guy wires) attached to it. The cables extend downward from the tower at an angle and are attached to concrete anchors at the bottom. By attaching the wires near the top of the pot and to the cages at an upward angle, you are mimicking the principle of holding a skinny tower up with guy wires.

Eric, with your artistic skills can you make a side view of the pot with the cage in it showing where the wires need to attach through the side of the pot at the top and extend to the cage at an angle serving as guy wires. I don't know any other way to explain it.

Imperialboy, do you understand that no part of the cage should be outside of the pot? The cage, legs included needs to be inside the pot. The wooden stake isn't needed. The only thing extending to the outside of the pot are the wires with the washers attached outside the pot.

I can't think of any other way to say it or explain it. If I had a pot and a cage, I would build one, take some photos, and post them; but I don't.

Ted

[Imperialboy]

Guess it's up to Eric
So then you have wires attached to the the bend at the bottom up through holes at the top?

I'll just wait for Eric..