How to Cage Tomato Plants

Caging tomato plants is a smart way to keep your developing tomatoes off the
ground. This reduces rotting and makes care and harvesting easier for you.

In addition, using wire cages for your growing tomato plants help them grow healthier and heavier foliage
and this foliage protects the fruit from
sunscald.

Tomatoes in cages are less likely to develop diseases.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Tomato Plants of your choice
• Tomato Cages available at Home and Garden Stores

1. When planting tomato plants, space your plants
   about three feet apart so that the plants can have adequate
   air circulation. With denser, bushier foliage, the humidity within the foliage area will be higher, so providing space for air to get in is important so that blighting diseases do not spread.

2. Buy or use fencing with at least 6 inch spacing between wires
   in order to get your hand inside to harvest your
   tomatoes.

3. Place cages over young plants when they are small so that leaves, and later fruit, are off the ground. Doing this when the plants are small minimizes the amount of handling needed to arrange the plant so that the cage supports the plant in an upright position.

4. Check the progress of your plants and their growth in the cages. While you are at it, check for heavier branches bearing fruit that may have drooped toward the ground. Gently lift these and carefully use adjacent wire to re-support this growth. This is important to avoid rotting and attacking pests.

Tips & Warnings

• If you are purchasing your tomato cages, it might seem like an initial outlay of money, but these cages will pay off over time. They can be stored out of reach and sight between growing seasons.
• Although the three feets space allowance between plants calls for more garden space, this, too, pays off, in a greater harvest of healthy, delicious tomatoes.