Caging tomatoes is a good way to grow fruit.You can cage your own tomatoes by buying sturdy cages and installing them over your plants.Once the cages are in place, you can just tend to the plants and wait for the ripe tomatoes to be ready for picking.
Step 1: If you don't have a lot of space in the garden, use metal tomato cages.
It's possible to squeeze metal cages into a smaller space.If your tomato plants are planted close together, this is helpful.
Step 2: Get tomato cages that are at least 1.5 meters tall.
Most tomato varieties will be supported by 5-foot cages.Santiam or Siberia are shorter tomato varieties that can be grown in a shorter cage.
Step 3: The cage should be between 12 and 30 inches.
If you're growing a large variety of tomato, you should get a larger cage.
Step 4: Using concrete reinforcement wire, make your own tomato cages.
There are some at your local hardware store.Make sure you fit your hand through the openings in the wire so you can harvest the tomatoes.You should cut 3 feet of wire for every 1 foot you want the cage to be.Attach each end of the wire to a stake and stake the cage in the ground around a tomato plant.
Step 5: Each tomato plant needs a cage.
Tomatoes should have their own cage to grow in.
Step 6: A tomato plant can be placed directly over a cage.
You want the plant to be in the center of the cage.If the plant's leaves and vines extend outside of the cage, the walls should be close to it.Caging the plants' roots is a good way to avoid damaging them.
Step 7: The stakes at the bottom should go into the ground if you push down on the cage.
Push down until all of the stakes are buried.If you have trouble getting the cage to push down, try hitting it with a mallet or hammer.
Step 8: If the cage is strong, check it out.
Push and pull on the cage when you put your hand on it.Attach a couple stakes to the bottom of the cage and pound them into the soil if it feels like the wind could pull it out.Attach the stakes to the outside of the cage so they don't damage the roots.
Step 9: The tomato plants should be in a cage.
Make sure all of the cages are in the ground by repeating the process.If you want to grow tomato plants, place them at least 4 feet apart.
Step 10: Young vines are tied to tomato cages.
The tomato plants will grow up in their cages.You can tie the vines to the cage with floss or rubber bands.Make sure the vines are not too tight or you could hurt the plant.
Step 11: Cut off dying leaves to conserve energy.
Pull the leaves off with your hands.You should trim the plants a couple times a week.
Step 12: If a tomato cage falls, tie it to stakes to support it.
Take care not to hit the stakes into the roots of the fallen plant.Place twine through the tomato cage and tie it to the stakes.
Step 13: Cut down the tomato plants when they die.
You can tell the tomato plants are dead when they turn brown and yellow.Cut dead vines around the cage with shears.The tomato cages should be left on the plants.
Step 14: Store the cages until next year, if you pull them out of the ground.
The cages will not be damaged by the elements.Next year, grow more tomato plants in the cages.