I don’t have a market garden but with just 5 plants in each of about 5 beds I found this difficult when they got big. And are you doing this with indeterminate tomatoes or just determinate varieties? If indeterminate then I can’t wait to see what you do when they are 7 feet tall. Hope you continue to update this method.
I started using Florida Weave method after watching an older video of yours, I love it, so thank you! Question: how do you water your tomatoes with the covering on? Does the rain get in? Or do you have a drip irrigation system underneath? Loved your video of the tomato cage too! 👍🏻👍🏻
I've always put a roll of twine in a five gallon bucket with a hole drilled for the twine…it feeds right out. A smaller bucket would work as well. Also when i did this method, I weaved the twine back and forth between the plants, like twine on front side of first tomato then twine on backside of next one etc…..Florida WEAVE.
Lazy Dog Farm on YouTube uses a bit of conduit, or a weaving stick, which is an eyelet at the bottom of an old tool handle to weave the string back and forward between the tomatoes, so he does not have to bend over as much. The latter can be seen on his video, "The EASIEST (and cheapest) Way to Trellis Tomatoes", from the 10:57 mark.
Eat more meat bro… You'll want more muscle a little later in life. Just grab a broom, use the handle with the twine 😉 (eh way too short yet to me 😉 ) You must have used a line to plant, or the plants would be outside of the trellis area at that height especially. lol,,, You never used twine before have you, first time I'd say lol. I watched your brain click a couple times lol. You changed it up. Appreciate you… see ya next time.
Agree that rocky soil is your worst enemy when driving T or W posts. Clay can also be difficult. The great quality soil at this farm really permits easy driving of posts.
The true key is that the nubs on the post must face outward either along the row or as shown here where the end posts are on the outside of the row and the intermediate posts' face at right angles to the plane formed by the row. So, you can just all have them face at right angles to the plane of the desired row of tomatoes. The nubs are your anchor to keep the twine from slipping down to the ground under weight of the plants and fruit. Or a lazy picker or a varmint…
You don't need the box contraption. Just take a length of 1/2 inch EMT or galvanized water pipe or copper pipe and put it through the middle of the twine spool. Run a wire through the center of the pipe and form a handle that's shaped like a "D" for you to hold and pull. We used to even put a smaller piece of pipe or old garden hose on the wire to keep it from hurting our hands from just the wire. The gadget can be pulled by one or two people, it's cheap, works well and can easily be transported and reloaded with a fresh spool of twine (or wire if you use that for this trellising project).
Check out Veggie Boys. They’ve been growing tomatoes for their family commercial operation for 4 ir 5 generations. Their plants sprawl on the ground on top of biodegradable mulch. No time or money spent on trellising. You do need to leave enough room between rows to harvest. Looking at this bed of white plastic makes me wonder if there is enough room between rows to harvest.
I'm trying out this method for the first time this year. I have a mix of sizes of tomatoes (a few failed when I transplanted ao bought replacements) which has created a bit of tension issue when only one plant is at a height, but otherwise it seems to be working fine. The real test will be when the tomatoes come in and the vines get heavy.
I use 60" concrete reinforcement mesh to make cages for my favorite plants. Twine methods are okay when I start finding a few dozen volunteers but I find my biggest, healthiest, and best producing tomato plants are the ones in cages….particularly in the case of cherry tomatoes as trying to tie them can quickly become futile.
I can only container garden, but I am really enjoying this new farm content. My brain is having trouble accepting that white ground cover though. I keep thinking I am seeing snow! LOL.
Florida weave is the only way I grow tomatoes. My only regret is buying 8 ft T-posts instead of 10 ft T-posts. The plants grow straight up and well past 8 feet so I'm "weaving" them back down as the weight increases and the plants get bigger. I'd happily get on a ladder to keep them spaced out. Remember the length of your T-posts INCLUDES the pay that's driven underground.
36 Comments
I don’t have a market garden but with just 5 plants in each of about 5 beds I found this difficult when they got big. And are you doing this with indeterminate tomatoes or just determinate varieties? If indeterminate then I can’t wait to see what you do when they are 7 feet tall. Hope you continue to update this method.
I started using Florida Weave method after watching an older video of yours, I love it, so thank you! Question: how do you water your tomatoes with the covering on? Does the rain get in? Or do you have a drip irrigation system underneath? Loved your video of the tomato cage too! 👍🏻👍🏻
Look at all the green of the trees and plants growing on your farm! All the work already is showing.
I prefer to pull the twine from the inside of the roll vice the outside. Doing so prevents it from falling off of the spool.
Just make sure it’s NON STRETCHABLE strong cordage.
Like a pro? Use illegal alien labor and pick em while they are still green and tasteless?
Look at how easy those posts went in the ground!!! I live in an area that has endless rocks.
This method looks like a really good idea 🙂
So, with that white plastic, how do your plants get water? Soaker hoses underneath?
I've always put a roll of twine in a five gallon bucket with a hole drilled for the twine…it feeds right out. A smaller bucket would work as well. Also when i did this method, I weaved the twine back and forth between the plants, like twine on front side of first tomato then twine on backside of next one etc…..Florida WEAVE.
It seems they could be a little taller before weaving them, or do they appear smaller than they look?
WEAR YOUR GLASSES! I'm sorry LOL you're gorgeous ❤
This is awesome. Thank you.
Great video..thanks!😮😂❤
Is polypropylene the same as nylon? Can't seem to find nylon baler twine but polypropylene is everywhere
Put a small broom stick inside the bail string and it will feed off easy
I had heard of this, but never had seen it done.
It took the post office longer to get my recent package to me than it took MI to put it in the mail. Thx!
Lazy Dog Farm on YouTube uses a bit of conduit, or a weaving stick, which is an eyelet at the bottom of an old tool handle to weave the string back and forward between the tomatoes, so he does not have to bend over as much. The latter can be seen on his video, "The EASIEST (and cheapest) Way to Trellis Tomatoes", from the 10:57 mark.
Or bamboo would work really well for tomatoe plants. Plus they last a long time. I had mine for 4 years and keep on using them❤❤❤
Jute has aphid bugs in certain kinds of jute. Deep South Homestead experienced this issue.
Brilliant!!!! Can't wait to see these fully grown!!!!
Eat more meat bro… You'll want more muscle a little later in life.
Just grab a broom, use the handle with the twine 😉 (eh way too short yet to me 😉 ) You must have used a line to plant, or the plants would be outside of the trellis area at that height especially.
lol,,, You never used twine before have you, first time I'd say lol. I watched your brain click a couple times lol. You changed it up.
Appreciate you… see ya next time.
Agree that rocky soil is your worst enemy when driving T or W posts. Clay can also be difficult. The great quality soil at this farm really permits easy driving of posts.
The true key is that the nubs on the post must face outward either along the row or as shown here where the end posts are on the outside of the row and the intermediate posts' face at right angles to the plane formed by the row. So, you can just all have them face at right angles to the plane of the desired row of tomatoes. The nubs are your anchor to keep the twine from slipping down to the ground under weight of the plants and fruit. Or a lazy picker or a varmint…
You don't need the box contraption. Just take a length of 1/2 inch EMT or galvanized water pipe or copper pipe and put it through the middle of the twine spool. Run a wire through the center of the pipe and form a handle that's shaped like a "D" for you to hold and pull. We used to even put a smaller piece of pipe or old garden hose on the wire to keep it from hurting our hands from just the wire. The gadget can be pulled by one or two people, it's cheap, works well and can easily be transported and reloaded with a fresh spool of twine (or wire if you use that for this trellising project).
Check out Veggie Boys. They’ve been growing tomatoes for their family commercial operation for 4 ir 5 generations. Their plants sprawl on the ground on top of biodegradable mulch. No time or money spent on trellising. You do need to leave enough room between rows to harvest. Looking at this bed of white plastic makes me wonder if there is enough room between rows to harvest.
🤤🤤
It would be easier and would use less twine to cut them and tie rather than looping around the post
I definitely recommend against natural fiber twine… it will break late in the season during storms.
Thanks for another great video, Luke!
I'm trying out this method for the first time this year. I have a mix of sizes of tomatoes (a few failed when I transplanted ao bought replacements) which has created a bit of tension issue when only one plant is at a height, but otherwise it seems to be working fine. The real test will be when the tomatoes come in and the vines get heavy.
Trying it today!
I use 60" concrete reinforcement mesh to make cages for my favorite plants. Twine methods are okay when I start finding a few dozen volunteers but I find my biggest, healthiest, and best producing tomato plants are the ones in cages….particularly in the case of cherry tomatoes as trying to tie them can quickly become futile.
I can only container garden, but I am really enjoying this new farm content. My brain is having trouble accepting that white ground cover though. I keep thinking I am seeing snow! LOL.
Rabbits leave the tomato plants alone but chew through the string, so I buy a bulk roll of plastic coated thin wire. Works great.
Thank you! I will try this. I was thinking about this method but was not quite sure how. Great video!
Florida weave is the only way I grow tomatoes. My only regret is buying 8 ft T-posts instead of 10 ft T-posts. The plants grow straight up and well past 8 feet so I'm "weaving" them back down as the weight increases and the plants get bigger. I'd happily get on a ladder to keep them spaced out. Remember the length of your T-posts INCLUDES the pay that's driven underground.
That twine is designed to be pulled from the center of the spool
d rain came at d right timing! when you're done already! are u gonna do d trellis as d tomatoes go taller?