If your tomatoes always turn into a tangled mess, get disease, or just don’t produce the way you expected… this is the method that fixes it.
In this video, I’ll show you the exact system I use to grow tomatoes vertically using a single stem and string trellis — the same approach used by commercial growers, scaled down for your backyard. This method gives you better airflow, healthier plants, and way more production in the same space.
And if you’ve got a longer growing season, I’ll also show you the simple tweak that lets your plants keep producing instead of stopping early.
These are the tomato hooks I use in my garden:
Tomato Hooks
📺 Watch Next
If your plants are growing but not producing, watch this next:
Tomatoes Not Leaves: https://youtu.be/9w-7RoH_uic
👍 Helpful Resources
Garden Guide (FREE custom planting dates & more): https://www.gardenguide.com/
CHAPTERS
0:00 Why Most Tomato Plants Fail
0:36 The Method That Changed Everything
1:14 What Single Stem Trellising Is
1:50 The Problem With Tomato Cages
2:58 How to Set Up the String System
4:09 Proper Spacing & Structure Height
4:47 The Biggest Mistake People Make
5:10 How Tomato Hooks Change Everything
6:23 The Hooks I Use (Link Below)
6:38 Hooks vs Reels (Which Is Better?)
7:08 When This Method Doesn’t Work
7:36 Hot Climate Adjustment (Shade Tip)
8:00 How to Prune (Single Stem)
8:51 Are You Removing Tomatoes?
9:28 Why This Method Works
9:50 Grow More in Less Space
10:14 Final Thoughts
23 Comments
I don't prune, have a small garden, and harvest wheelbarrows full every year. What are you doing to your tomatoes that they aren't producing for you?
thank you!
Ohhh! OK, I'll try anything, at this point! 😉
I've grown tomatoes using the lower and lean method and got great production – for sure it's a great way to grow tomatoes and one of the most time consuming too. Tons of suckers to remove. However, I do not like how it looks & especially later in the season. I like the look of single tall stake method with lots of tying and pruning and using tall cattle panels where you let the plant sprawl but tie of any growth.
Also grow vertical pumpkins, squash, gourd, zucchini, watermelons, cantaloupe, honeydew, Persian, casaba, Armenian cucumbers, … all of the same technology of vertical tomatoes. save space, grow vertical, greater production per square foot … and that also means grow vertical stacking potatoes, sweet potatoes, and yams in the same fashion. No more flatlander and wasted garden space and walkways.
What happens when you pick tomatoes, will more grow in its place, or will more fruiting vines grow?
Sorry don’t understand the hooks. What happens to extra growth does it start growing down?
So how do you protect your tomatoes then from sunscald?
Thanks, Brian. I ourched these hooks from you and used them last year for indeterminate 'maters. Wondering if you string snd prune your determinate 'maters as well?
P.S. I LOVE the difference the hooks made in growing the indeterminates!
Brian you are the FIRST Gardner video I saved amongst many over these years. I just realized as I saved this to my garden collection. I'm so happy you have created your own for US to purchase! I actually trust you so this is wonderful..💚💚💚Many blessings you and your family 😊
I’ve watched you for years, but the only place I get full sun is the side of my house. I didn’t consider putting hooks on the roof overhang trellising that way do you think that might work? Also, I’ve never seen you plant artichokes have you ever planted those? I did one time, but then I broke both legs and never got out in the garden to see what happened.
Geez, never mind on the determinate question. Shoulda finished watching 'til the end….😊❤
Yeah it produces more but I don't remember when I've ever thought, I wish I grew more tomatoes. If you're selling tomatoes, it makes sense. But it takes quite a lot of effort initially and is just not worth it unless you're selling tomatoes or just need an obsene amount of tomatoes. Otherwise, tomatoes will grow still. It's fine
I struggle with deciding if I should do 2 plants in my 48” and double stem. Or try 3 an keep them to a single stem.
I’ve been gardening for 20+ years, and I just let nature take its course. I’ve never fretted about my plants, bugs, or Spraying BT.
I live in an area that’s WIDE OPEN, no fences or houses to block the WIND. I CANNOT vertical grow, except against my house.
This year, 2026, I’m going to TRY growing my indeterminate seedlings against my brick house.
I have about 20 cherry tomato plants right now, that I started growing from seed in February, and they are indeterminate. Wish me luck!
I enjoy all your comments! I always single stem my tomatoes however in the UK we are always advised to pinch off the top of the stem after 5 trusses – i can usually manage 6 but by then the weather is changing, nights getting too chilly!
The part I have been wanting to see is what the bottom looks like during the lowering phase. IE how to drape the now empty lower part of the branch, in a way that it doesn't break or over bend. I managed to not break mine last year, but I feel like it wasn't ideal and the branches just interfered with each other. Especially near the end when I was trying drape 6' of plant stem.
That's very interesting. Could you do the same with peas? Also what about using metal clothes hangers?
Is this the right method for both beefsteak and cherry tomato plants? Are there differences between these two types so that this doesn't work? I've heard various theories but don't know.
One exception to what you said about cherry tomatoes… the Sweet 100 cherry tomato does respond very well to this method of managing plant growth for better production. I always get huge strings of nice big cherry tomatoes when I keep my Sweet 100's suckered. But the others I've grown — Gardener's Delight, Sungold, Chocolate Cherry, and even the Super Sweet 100 — these plants absolutely refuse to produce fruit if you remove their suckers.
Do you remove the little side shoots on Roma bushes? I really enjoy all your videos. Thank you.
Okay, you're on. I'm going hardcore with your method using my indeterminate San Marzano's.