Tomato cages--what do you use?

[2LaneCruzer]

As others have said, I made my tomato cages of concrete reinforcing wire about 2' diameter. I cut them so the bottom wires stuck into the ground, but I also used two 1" x 2" wooden stakes for each cage because I had more 1" x 2" lumber than I knew what to do with.:laughing: I was planting a dozen each of 4 varieties of tomato. At the end of the season, I used a machete to chop off most of what had grown out through the cages, which made them easy to pull up and store in the barn for the Winter.

I use the same machete to chop up the dead vines before they go into the compost.

 

[xzcVAbc5]

I use the same machete to chop up the dead vines before they go into the compost.

Do you not worry about bringing bugs/disease from the old tomato plants into your compost to use on new tomato plants?

 

[2LaneCruzer]

Hasn't been a problem; particularly if the compost generates sufficient heat. But you are of course correct; I shouldn't be composting diseased plants. I haven't had any disease problems for quite a few years; had Red Spider a few years back, but haven't had anything worse than a few yellowed leaves in recent years, not even aphids.

 

[hslogger]

I like this set up. A nearby OG farm grows their tomatoes this way.

I only grow six plants at home. I take old cattle panels and have lots of scrap sizes. I just ziptie them together to make a square or triangle and the tomatoes way outgrow the set up but they are pretty easy to pick and access. "keep on compostin'"