What type of tomato support would you recommend? Planting one tomato plant in the top left and bottom left square.
Using this raised bed for various reasons, but wondering what type of support you'd recommend? I'm located in Maryland and growing Roma and San Marzano tomatoes. Thanks for any tips!
I think the simplest would be a trellis at both the top and bottom.
You could also do an arch trellis, or a trellis along the entire left edge
ASecularBuddhist
San Marzano tomatoes are the best! Cages will provide the best support.
I use both fallen branches and cages in growing tomatoes. The ones in cages always do better. It’s almost like they feel more confident and grow more full knowing that they have that 360° support around them.
gonzotronn
I very much dislike the cages and only use trellis and vertical posts
Massive-Mention-3679
The green wire ones that look like upside down hoop skirts
sunonmywings
This is a beautiful raised bed! I bet tomatoes would do great on a decorative trellis made for flower vines like clematis (assuming you have indeterminate varieties). You may just have to secure them with plant wire at spots. I had mine grow up a 6×6” grid netting last year and they did well.
GoPointers
Your two tomato plants will probably overtake anything else you plant.
People say you can fit tomatoes in way smaller places that I feel is correct, but also people cut off 80% of the plant to get more tomatoes on a few vines which isn’t good math
Hardlife91
Maybe a therapist or motivational speaker?
mdixon12
I made cages from concrete reinforcement screen. It’s not easy, but they will last forever and the holes are large enough for my giant slicing tomatoes to fit through
No-Disaster-698
Tomato plant roots can grow to be 6’ to 8’ long. The barrier at the base of your raised bed may impede the tomatoes growth.
With the amount of space you have, if I were you I would buy indeterminate tomatoes (unless you already have determinate in which case this wouldn’t work) and single stem them. Idk what your skill level is so sorry if this is patronizing but I would watch a few YouTube videos about single stemming and see if it would be a good fit for you. I think if you want to plant in the other squares and not let things get crowded it would be a good way to do it; once the plants are getting taller you can snip the bottom leaves so there will be space in the first foot above the ground to plant something lower growing beside them. If you have a short season you could stick a really long stick in the ground and grow them up the stick (I’m zone 3 and this would probably work fine for me) or if the season is longer they will need more room to grow so you will need to set up a taller and more permanent structure. There are lots of examples of trellises for single stem tomatoes on YouTube.
sarge1000
Simplest solution would be a 3-ft U-post hammer in the ground and a stick screwed into it. this is what I do and its strong. Or just a 6 ft T- post.
17 Comments
Are your varieties determinate or indeterminate?
I think the simplest would be a trellis at both the top and bottom.
You could also do an arch trellis, or a trellis along the entire left edge
San Marzano tomatoes are the best! Cages will provide the best support.
I use both fallen branches and cages in growing tomatoes. The ones in cages always do better. It’s almost like they feel more confident and grow more full knowing that they have that 360° support around them.
I very much dislike the cages and only use trellis and vertical posts
The green wire ones that look like upside down hoop skirts
This is a beautiful raised bed! I bet tomatoes would do great on a decorative trellis made for flower vines like clematis (assuming you have indeterminate varieties). You may just have to secure them with plant wire at spots. I had mine grow up a 6×6” grid netting last year and they did well.
Your two tomato plants will probably overtake anything else you plant.
Just went looking bc I’ve used all types of tomato support with varied results and found an [outstanding tutorial](https://www.johnnyseeds.com/growers-library/methods-tools-supplies/pruning-trellising/trellising-tomatoes.html) (text, not video). I will use two types this year, one for determinate and one for indeterminate. Happy growing!
Give each plant a 2×2 space. I use 8-foot rebar and tie the plant as it grows
If you can use the fence top to tie them on I just use string – under the root-ball method [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgAEJKZ_gZc&ab_channel=CharlesDowding](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RgAEJKZ_gZc&ab_channel=CharlesDowding)
Id only plant one in there.
People say you can fit tomatoes in way smaller places that I feel is correct, but also people cut off 80% of the plant to get more tomatoes on a few vines which isn’t good math
Maybe a therapist or motivational speaker?
I made cages from concrete reinforcement screen. It’s not easy, but they will last forever and the holes are large enough for my giant slicing tomatoes to fit through
Tomato plant roots can grow to be 6’ to 8’ long. The barrier at the base of your raised bed may impede the tomatoes growth.
For determinates, I’d use a tomato cage. I grow indeterminates and use teepees as seen [here](https://www.themarthablog.com/2019/07/supporting-the-growing-tomato-plants-at-the-farm.html)
With the amount of space you have, if I were you I would buy indeterminate tomatoes (unless you already have determinate in which case this wouldn’t work) and single stem them. Idk what your skill level is so sorry if this is patronizing but I would watch a few YouTube videos about single stemming and see if it would be a good fit for you. I think if you want to plant in the other squares and not let things get crowded it would be a good way to do it; once the plants are getting taller you can snip the bottom leaves so there will be space in the first foot above the ground to plant something lower growing beside them. If you have a short season you could stick a really long stick in the ground and grow them up the stick (I’m zone 3 and this would probably work fine for me) or if the season is longer they will need more room to grow so you will need to set up a taller and more permanent structure. There are lots of examples of trellises for single stem tomatoes on YouTube.
Simplest solution would be a 3-ft U-post hammer in the ground and a stick screwed into it. this is what I do and its strong. Or just a 6 ft T- post.