Tomato Cages

[94BULLITT]

What kind of tomato cages do you use? I want to make something that will last for years. I would also like something that is easy to store.

 

[gwdixon]

I use a roll of concrete reinforcing wire (6" squares). Unroll the amount you want and cut it with bolt cutters. Then spot weld the ends together to make a round cage. Gas welding is best but I use 6011 and just touch it to the wire for the briefest time.

Cut the tall round cage in half to make two cages. Seem to last forever and are quite strong.

 

[94BULLITT]

I use a roll of concrete reinforcing wire (6" squares). Unroll the amount you want and cut it with bolt cutters. Then spot weld the ends together to make a round cage. Gas welding is best but I use 6011 and just touch it to the wire for the briefest time.

Cut the tall round cage in half to make two cages. Seem to last forever and are quite strong.

That is somewhat similar to one I was just looking at.

How to Make Super-Sturdy Tomato Cages: Organic Gardening

 

[Rustyiron]

I do the 6x6 concrete wire also, for years. I'll cut the bottom "ring" off leaving 6" to push into the ground and hold them upright. I also cut the end in a fashion that I can wrap the end back to make the circle (rather than welding) They are very tough and last a long time BUT they do not stack like the "V" shaped store bought type and may not fit your "easy to store" criteria.

 

[charlz]

Rebar, each side is sort of like a ladder. I slipped some tubing over the vertical piece on two sides and welded it to the mating side vertical piece so it acts like a hinge. Not sure if that makes sense. In any case it hinge flat or you can pull the sides out to make a square. The vertical pieces extend beyond the bottom about a foot so you can press it into the ground....

Maybe I should take a picture....

 

[charlz]

Here are some pics. Flat for storage, opened for placing in the ground and what I used for the hinges. I had these little scrap pieces so I went with square tubing but round would as well.







I have two, the other one is taller for indeterminate type tomatoes. I used 3/8" rebar.

 

[Bird]

I do the 6x6 concrete wire also, for years. I'll cut the bottom "ring" off leaving 6" to push into the ground and hold them upright. I also cut the end in a fashion that I can wrap the end back to make the circle (rather than welding) They are very tough and last a long time BUT they do not stack like the "V" shaped store bought type and may not fit your "easy to store" criteria.

Sounds like what I used until I moved back to town. I had plenty of room to store them in the barn for the winter.

 

[NativeSon]

I do the 6x6 concrete wire also, for years. I'll cut the bottom "ring" off leaving 6" to push into the ground and hold them upright. I also cut the end in a fashion that I can wrap the end back to make the circle (rather than welding) They are very tough and last a long time BUT they do not stack like the "V" shaped store bought type and may not fit your "easy to store" criteria.

I've got 30 just like that and I've had most for over 30 years. What else will last like that?

Charlie

 

[grnspot110]

I also use the re-wire & cut the bottom ring off to stick in the ground, but use a lightweight "U" post on the windward side for extra support. I cut half the cages 6" shorter than the rest, that way they will slip inside each other for storage. ~~ Lowell

 

[jlgurr]

I use a roll of concrete reinforcing wire (6" squares). Unroll the amount you want and cut it with bolt cutters. Then spot weld the ends together to make a round cage. Gas welding is best but I use 6011 and just touch it to the wire for the briefest time.

Cut the tall round cage in half to make two cages. Seem to last forever and are quite strong.

What diameter are your cages?

Thank you,
Jeff

 

[NativeSon]

I cut mine 6 ft. long then put the ends together.

Charlie

 

[gwdixon]

What diameter are your cages?

Thank you,
Jeff

Excellent question. I'll guess at about 30" in diameter but I also use a much smaller cage for initial planting. It is made out of galvanized field fencing and is about 12" in diameter. That way the plant gets initial support and then grows into the larger reinforcing wire by mid-season.

However, if you only want a single stage support system, an 18" to 20" diameter would be enough. As others have done, I cut off the bottom ring so there are wires to push into the ground. It still needs some kind of support around here like a rebar or light fence post to keep the cage in place. Tractor Supply sells a very light fence post made out of round stock that works well. (Strange, couldn't find those posts online.)

The bottom line is to use whatever diameter and support system that fits your needs. If your tomatoes get big and overgrown then a larger diameter cage may be best.

There is a lot of wind where I live so a cut-down fence post is used to support the smaller field fencing initial support. You know, those fence posts that get "tractor disease" when discing.

 

[forgeblast]

Last year someone posted about the "Florida Weave" method. I did it and will not mess with cages anymore. I put two t-posts on the end of my row of tomatoes, and you weave string back and forth between them. I went to a you pick for sauce tomatoes and they used the same technique. Its real easy.
Trellising Tomatoes With the Florida Weave | Garden Betty

 

[Western]

Last year someone posted about the "Florida Weave" method. I did it and will not mess with cages anymore. I put two t-posts on the end of my row of tomatoes, and you weave string back and forth between them. I went to a you pick for sauce tomatoes and they used the same technique. Its real easy.
Trellising Tomatoes With the Florida Weave | Garden Betty

That is how Jim (Jinman) did his last year I believe.

I use both the 6"x^' concrete wire and some Galv. field fence, about 20-24" diameter. Then I drive one wood stake latticed between a couple wires to hold them steady. If I had to do more than 20 tomatoes, I'd be looking to use the string method as well.

 

[Bird]

Maybe I'm mistaken, but that Florida weave looks like way too much work to me. I liked my cages better and had 48 of them

 

[turnkey4099]

Maybe I'm mistaken, but that Florida weave looks like way too much work to me. I liked my cages better and had 48 of them

I made several of them back about 1980 - they are still in use. I can't remember the dimension but a 5' long sectionof the concrete mesh makes a good sized cage. I asked for 20' so they sold me a 'roll end' guaranteed to contain 20' - it had over 30' in it.

Hadn't heard of the Florida Weave but my first thought was the mess untangling a whole role of tomato vines tied together with string - no thanks. Bad enough cleaing one tomato plant out of a cage.

Harry K

 

[grnspot110]

I have used two 16' cattle panels about 1-1/2' apart with twine tied across between the plants, worked OK, but I prefer the cages!



I only plant 14 full sized plants, plus several various "patio" varieties in pots. Supplies all I need, the wife doesn't eat many!

~~ Lowell

 

[Larro Darro]

I use string for my plants if I have more than a handful. We have lots of tomato fields around here, and all the folks my age worked the tomatoes when we were young. {Now days that labor is done by Mexicans} I use old hay string, and just pile the plants and string on the burn pile at the end of the season. Just make sure you have your posts close enough together. A few years back we had a big wind storm and it laid a long row of plants over.

Larro

 

[lakngulf]

I have used the concrete wire cylinders for years (and my parents used them for years before that). I will continue to use them, but last year tried a new method for some of my tomatoes. I used cattle panels but laid them flat, on concrete blocks:



The blocks put the wire at just the right height to let the plants grow a bit and then got support from the wire.


It worked pretty good, even though I did not keep the weeds pulled. I think the method allows the leaves and fruit to receive more sunlight.

 

[/pine]

I use what I call "Dur-a-wall" (different brands/regions=different names)...it is made for laying in the horizontal mortar joints of masonry block walls...there are different grades/gauges etc...

..What I have/use is very rigid and hot dipped galvanized...they come in 6' panels they are about 6.5" wide and can be stored flat...two or three per plant is basically the same as a ring of 5"x5" conc. wire mesh...very easy to stabilize and dome/ wire tied at the top...