Put a pillow case on it. Wrap it with string or scotch tape if necessary. Rotate the cage when removing and/or lowering it. E-Z-P-Z!

What? It works!

If I wanted to stake it, would I just end up damaging the roots?

Why not build a cage around the container instead or sticking one on top of it?

I made mine out of some garden stakes, bamboo sticks and tree branches fastened with some plastic zip ties. See photo. Pound the stakes a foot into the ground or tie the cage up to something permanent (a fence?) for support.

The wire cages are pretty worthless for tomatoes. Too short, too light and too unstable. If the plant grows big enough and gets heavy with fruit the plant just gonna fall over with the cage and likely break some branches when the wind blows on it. Tried those last year and had these problems. If the container itself is small and light, then stability will especially be an issue.

This post was edited by DHLCAL on Wed, May 28, 14 at 0:16

DHLCAL has a good recommendation.

I have one too , but a bit TOO LATE.
You could put the stakes( 3 of them. Big Boy gets 6 to 10ft tall ..) in the pot first and then transplant.

Here is what I did: (But mine is a DET)
I installed a stake to a 5" by 5" cedar lumber ( using screws).
Theo I put it inside the contained.....
Continued as normal transplanting.
That stake is not going to move. Because it is held by the 5" by 5" and the soil and root mass.

DHLCal, I have no ground on my actual patio that I could dig four stakes in.

If I were to get a single stake for the plant, will I damage the roots? Or is some minimal damage ok and expected?

Staking is normally done at the time of planting (be it in ground or in container) If done much later you would be running a risk of injuring some of the roots.

With single stake, which should be at the center, the chances of injury is much greater than installing 3 stakes next to the wall of container. Also, a single stake at 10" DEPTH is not going to be stable.
Therefore, the best option is to install a cage that goes outside the container. JMO

I wonder if a pot-in-pot setup would be useful here. Get a bigger pot. Fill it with a few inches of potting mix first. Put this pot in. Drive 3 stakes into the space between the pots and fill in the rest with potting mix.

How big is this pot anyway?

Alternatively, if you can't drive stakes into the ground, and you don't mind building stuff, you can put together a cage with whatever material that can stand on its own.

Someone here shared a design for a pvc tomato cage, for example:

Here is a link that might be useful: Pvc cage.

If you want to use the cage you already have, i think you could just stick it in now - won't cause too much root damage i don't think. and i would just leave the other one there. however, i agree that you may need more than that down the road - and a single stake inside that pot may not be very stable.

the pot-in-a-pot idea might be the cheapest solution - if you can get a big cheap plastic pot.

another forum member just built a trellis on a patio - see link below -

Here is a link that might be useful: johns trellis