Tammy
Full Member
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2007 10:30 pm
Location: Faulkner MB Canada

Hello, I am new here. I was trying to escape the winter storm we are by gardening on line. -40 C for almost a month and now a blizzard can't wait until spring planting.
I bought some stakes from Lee Valley. They have an online store. The stakes are spiral and the plants grow up with very little help. Lee Valley was the cheapest I saw for these wonders. but the price adds up for 750 plants. I plant about 24-30. Or I did when I used cages. Once I started to use these stakes my yield doubled, way less blossom end rot and healthier plants. I have tried the cages, they just tip over due to the weight...even if you cut the suckers. Now I plant about 12-15 plants, can amazing amounts and still have lots to give away. I have used them for 2 season. Out of 25 the first year 3 bent a few degrees but they were straightened. They are ready for a third season. I've introduced some of my friends to these and they love them
Hope this helps

Durgan
Cool Member
Posts: 82
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 10:50 am
Location: Brantford, Ontario, Canada Zone 5

https://xrl.us/qvdu
Thess are pictures from the 2006 garden in Zone 5. I had 30 plants of 15 varieties and all were excellent. Notice in some of the pictures the size of the cage wires. They are very strong.

Experimenting over the years with various supports, concrete reinforcing, cheap cages, posts, I have now the best mothod so far in my humble opinion.

2006 I found cages that were made from a heavier gage mesh, not like the flimsy ones that have been on the market for years.

To support the cage, and for more tying the plant when it gets higher, an 6 or 8 foot rebar is put in place. I use coverd pipe cleaners which I got from a craft shop about a foot long for tying to the cage and bar. The cage supplies the most support so not much is required.

I paint the rebar with a brush on top of plastic to inhibit rust. The cages are easy to store because they are tapered.

This year I am going to buy a few of the spiral supports to see if they have any merit. (Lee Valley).

When I have four good sized bunches I cut off the top leader, since after 31 Aug in my zone 5 nothing ripens further. I estimate the tomates picked were about 400. I fed the neighborhood.

Durgan.

Newt
Greener Thumb
Posts: 1868
Joined: Tue May 25, 2004 10:44 pm
Location: Maryland zone 7

Durgan, you made my mouth water just looking at your pics! :shock: Your garden is one to be proud of.

Newt

Durgan
Cool Member
Posts: 82
Joined: Fri Mar 02, 2007 10:50 am
Location: Brantford, Ontario, Canada Zone 5

One method for a small garden not mentioned is the string procedure.

This method is great for probably up to 10 plants and a maximium of 30.

Hammer three 8 foot fence post along the row, about a foot into the soil. This give 7 feet for head clearance.
Install a metal bar across the top, the angle iron T cross section post 10 feet each bolted together works just fine. Wire the cross bar to the top of the three posts. This gives a strong overhead support, quite rigid.

Use 3/8 soft clothsline rope for connecting to the bottom of the main stem of the tomato plant. Wrap the rope around the main stem with a few turns. Connect at the bottom using small plastic ties. Clove hitch the other end to the overhead bar for easy removal to make future turns around the plant. Repeat the procedure for any side growth if you have more than the main stem. Sometimes it is necessary to add another rope further up the main stem if the plant gets excessively large. I will see if I can find the pictures from previous years, but I think they are lost.

I have used this method for five years, but now prefer the heavier cages with one of two 8 foot re-bars for support. Never has the overhead structure fallen over.

For about 20 plants I have put 9 eight foot posts above the plants as described above, and laid concrete reinforcing 4 by 8 sheets across the top held in place with plastic ties. and tied the plants to the most appropiate place to keep the plant stem relatively separated. A tie on stem of each bunch gives more than adequate support for the fruit and the plant is not in anyway confined.

This method is excellent for probably a maximium of 20 or 30 plants, but can become rather tedius if more are planted.

Durgan.

garden girl
Cool Member
Posts: 61
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2007 12:10 pm
Location: Humboldt County, CA

I, too, am deciding what to do for support this year. I am going to do several things at once this year and see what happens.
I bought five triangular cages from a yard sale,they seem to go into the ground fairly deep and are dark green, which shouldn't look too hideous.
We have some wooden stakes, but tying the plants up all the time is not really for me, we'll see.
I have several very large planters that now have spring plantings in them, but I think they will be the best because I can fit a few plants in each because of the size and they can hang over the sides. Clean fruit, no tying, I just wish the cost was less for large containers(or filling them!)
Also, I am going to try hanging some in my new greenhouse. A couple in large grow bags and a couple in buckets, I'm still figuring out what kind of foam/material to use to keep the plants from falling out of the buckets. I have checked out the popular hanging things for tomatoes, but for the price, I can come up with something better/cheaper/bigger(they are way too small in my opinion)
Oh, those tomato spirals, they are so small.Kinda cute,though. :lol:

Tammy
Full Member
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2007 10:30 pm
Location: Faulkner MB Canada

hello gareden girl, don't let the size of the spirals fool you. Take a look at Lee Valley on line. My tomatoes grow taller than me and I'm just over 5'. I wish I had taken a picture of the spirals but did not think about it :oops: . Maybe this year

tammy

garden girl
Cool Member
Posts: 61
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2007 12:10 pm
Location: Humboldt County, CA

Along with my containers, cages, hanging contraptions, I am going to attach some to our wooden privacy fence(the side of the yard that gets sun on the fence) I just found a picture online and they looked great! I can't wait to get everything out in the ground, it's pouring as I write this...........as for the spirals-I would like to see some good pictures of them holding up plants with heavy friut, definately take pictures this year! :D

Tammy
Full Member
Posts: 12
Joined: Sun Feb 25, 2007 10:30 pm
Location: Faulkner MB Canada

I will take ome pictures this year.

Tammy



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