How to Place Tomato Cages
To grow big, healthy tomatoes you'll need to be able support the plants so they can hold the weight of plump fruit ripening on the vine. To do this, you'll want to place tomato cages around your seedlings and help train them to grow up and give them extra strength. You'll need an equal number of cages for the number of tomato plants you plan to grow. With a strong cage in place, your tomatoes can climb all season and keep the tomatoes off the ground. Does this Spark an idea?
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Instructions
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Pull off the leaves from the bottom half of the seedling's stem before planting the root ball as well as the bottom half of the stem under the soil. Leave the top half of the tomato sticking up to be the growing base of the plant.
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Place a cage around the seedling so it is evenly centered around all sides of the cages. Push the cage down into the soil 3 to 4 inches deep to secure it.
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Add garden stakes around the tomato cage, if it seems wobbly or unstable, by pushing them into the ground next to the cage. Use a few lengths of string to tie the stakes to the cage, using as many stakes as you think you need until the cage feels set in place.
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Care for and water the tomato plant as needed as you watch it grow taller. Allow the plant to grow on its own, slipping branches through the cage when needed. Keep an eye on the main stem to make sure it is growing up straight.
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Support the main stem if it starts to tip by tying a plant tie loosely around the main stem and attaching it to the cage. Use a new tie every 9 to 12 inches as needed to support the tomato plant.
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Tips & Warnings
Harvest tomatoes from your plant as often as needed to keep any excess weight off the main stem or branches. For indeterminate varieties, the more often you collect tomatoes the more they will produce fruits.
References
- "Vegetable Gardening: Your ultimate guide"; Robert J. Dolezal; 2000
- Photo Credit tomato image by YN from Fotolia.com
