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| Hey fellow gardeners, I started my tomatoes with 42" tomato cages, then they grew up past those...So I double stacked the cages...Now they are at the top of those. Its only may and we have a lot more growing to do. what should I do? I have a recent video upload of the garden and the tomato's I am speaking of, please help if you know what to do next. https://www.youtube.com/user/KovarGardenOnline |
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| Nice video and garden! You have other systems besides the cages that I like better. The t posts (which I use) are always good...along with concrete re-inforcement wire. I considered the panels, but they are expensive. You can abandon the cages or just keep adding posts/extensions...with wire support. If you start over and abandon the cages...it will look better. |
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| Nice video and very nice gardens. I especially like the stone framed beds. Those tomato plants in the double stacked ring cages - my suggestion would be to use a T post to stake each set of cages well, tie the cages off to the posts, and then just let the future growth drape back down the outside of the cages. I know it won't look all that great but if you try to remove the cages and change things now I fear a lot of damage will be done to the plants. Another alternative is to top the plants at the top level of the cages. If you don't mind losing that production. But what normally happens when you do that is new top growth, new lateral stems, keep cropping up from just below the cut and growing even taller than the plant itself will. Another alternative would be - if there is room, is to add another cattle panel behind the caged plants and ties the cages off to it. Then next year save the 3 ring things for eggplants and peppers, not tomatoes. Hope this helps. Dave |
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- Posted by sleevendog none (My Page) on Wed, May 21, 14 at 21:58
| Good advice above. And a lovely passionate garden. Mine are not even in the soil yet. It all does grow so fast. I have to look at previous season pics to believe i might have some crops eventually. Just rhubarb and chives at this point. All on schedule. Tomatoes are so tough, but if not supported and suddenly fall over, the main stem can split and crack open. Hard to recover from that. They do not like support stakes driven in close to the stem either. Stakes/supports around the outer rings are fine to add. Looks like you may need the extra help to support the obvious weight to come. |
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- Posted by KovarGarden 8b (My Page) on Thu, May 22, 14 at 8:33
| Thank you for the help with the trellis options. I have been adding twine and will add bamboo to the cages to add another 2-3 feet. Next year I will build the tomato skyscraper :) I will make another video soon just for you all so you can see how it has been growing. Thanks. I have fruit and like sleevendog has said I will need help with the extra weight. They are big varieties. Burpee's Steakhouse Hybrid and Mortgage Lifter (heirloom). |
Here is a link that might be useful: Kovar Garden YouTube Channel
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