Tomatoes are among the most commonly grown types of produce in home gardens across the United States. In fact, certain varieties are particularly suitable for beginners making their foray into growing their own fruits and vegetables. As you delve into the world of growing tomatoes, one of the first things you will need, in addition to the seeds, of course, is a form of structural support. This is essential to keep the plant upright and prevent it from breaking. This support can come from any trellis, or even designated tomato cages. When we had an exclusive conversation with gardening expert, coach, and consultant, The Young Nonno (@theyoungnonno on Instagram), he pointed to a much better and easier way of growing tomatoes without cages.
He recommends the unique approach to growing tomatoes in Florida, which can easily be implemented anywhere: the Florida weave. This technique, he explains, “is a system of poles at either end of a row of tomatoes, which act as an anchor point for string or twine to be run along and back in successive loops of various heights to contain the tomato plants and branches.” Every tomato plant receives some form of support, whether from Martha Stewart’s go-to bamboo stakes, a long piece of lumber, or a metal pole with a height of at least 5 feet. To keep the plant upright as it grows taller, the main stem and some secondary branches are tied to the support structure.
According to The Young Nonno, this method is ideal for tomato varieties that are shorter and with more outward branches, like those used for making tomato sauce or canning. He also recommends this method for some cherry and grape tomato types, which “don’t benefit from regular pruning of branches and suckers.”
Read more: 15 Best Things To Plant Alongside Your Tomatoes
Are cages ever useful for growing tomatoes?
ripe red tomatoes supported by a wire cage – knelson20/Shutterstock
Is there a point at all for having or using tomato cages in your garden? The answer is somewhat of a “yes and no” situation. Per the wise words of The Young Nonno, “Whether or not to use cages depends on factors such as the variety of tomato being grown, spacing of the plants, and the level of care a gardener wants to commit.” Adding to that, he says that usually, cages are flimsy, lightweight, and are not tall enough to support some tomato plants that easily grow up to 4 to 8 feet tall. While the structure of the cage helps to contain outward branches, it also offers poor airflow, which can cause disease and make harvesting the tomatoes more challenging. That said, one of the benefits of cages is that they are relatively easier to install and don’t require much additional material. It’s a straightforward, one-time installation that is more conducive to a “set and forget until it’s time to harvest” style of gardening.
The Florida weave, on the other hand, needs additional levels to add height to the entire system as the tomatoes grow taller. As The Young Nonno describes, “Single stakes are placed in the ground once, at the time of planting, but the tomato plants supported by them will quickly outgrow the strength of the support if they are not pruned aggressively and tied up regularly to ensure they stay upright as the plant gets larger.”
At the end of the day, he emphasizes that there are several methods that are used for supporting tomatoes as they grow, with some methods being more involved and complex than others. “Which to use depends on the variety of tomato and how one wants to prune and care for them,” he says.
Read the original article on Chowhound.
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