Posted by EVP MAN on December 28, 2010, 12:16 am
Since I'm cutting way back on my tomato plants this season, I think
I'll try a different method to support the plants. I use the green
steel fence posts that you buy at any hardware store 5' tall. All the
other years I used a single stake per plant which worked ok but constant
tying here and there is necessary and some branches still break due to
the weight of the fruit. Since I'll have an excess of fence posts this
season, I plan to put 3 stakes around each plant in the shape of a
triangle. I'll run parachute cord from stake to stake at several
different heights. It should work kind of like a tomato cage except
much stronger as each stake will be a foot or more into the ground and
the cross members will be of parachute cord and not wire. Each stake
forming the triangle, I'll place eight or nine inches from the plant.
By doing this, I think that I may be able to get as big a harvest even
though I'm setting out half the amount of plants. When using a single
stake, I would prune the plant in order to have one or two main stems.
I should now be able to allow at least four main stems per plant. I do
realize the size of the fruit may not be as large but the volume of
fruit should surpass the difference. Any opinions on this idea?
Rich from PA zone 5-6
Posted by Nanzi on December 29, 2010, 12:27 pm
On Dec 28, 12:16 am, White_Nois...@webtv.net (EVP MAN) wrote:
> Since I'm cutting way back on my tomato plants this season, I think
> I'll try a different method to support the plants. I use the green
> steel fence posts that you buy at any hardware store 5' tall. All the
> other years I used a single stake per plant which worked ok but constant
> tying here and there is necessary and some branches still break due to
> the weight of the fruit. Since I'll have an excess of fence posts this
> season, I plan to put 3 stakes around each plant in the shape of a
> triangle. I'll run parachute cord from stake to stake at several
> different heights. It should work kind of like a tomato cage except
> much stronger as each stake will be a foot or more into the ground and
> the cross members will be of parachute cord and not wire. Each stake
> forming the triangle, I'll place eight or nine inches from the plant.
> By doing this, I think that I may be able to get as big a harvest even
> though I'm setting out half the amount of plants. When using a single
> stake, I would prune the plant in order to have one or two main stems.
> I should now be able to allow at least four main stems per plant. I do
> realize the size of the fruit may not be as large but the volume of
> fruit should surpass the difference. Any opinions on this idea?
> Rich from PA zone 5-6
The Amish around here, DE run 2 lines of fencing about 5' tall and
about 18" to 2'
apart and grow between them. They remove lots of the leaves, and their
vines are loaded with 'maters. Easy to reach and totally in view.
nanzi
Posted by EVP MAN on December 29, 2010, 3:02 pm
Yes, I can see where that would work very well provided your plants are
all in a straight row. But for my purpose, I need a support method for
each individual plant. I'd also like to utilize the stakes and
parachute cord which I already have on hand :)
Rich
Posted by Higgs Boson on December 29, 2010, 3:43 pm
On Dec 29, 12:02 pm, White_Nois...@webtv.net (EVP MAN) wrote:
> Yes, I can see where that would work very well provided your plants are
> all in a straight row. But for my purpose, I need a support method for
> each individual plant. I'd also like to utilize the stakes and
> parachute cord which I already have on hand :)
> Rich
Where do you get parachute cord?
Posted by EVP MAN on December 29, 2010, 5:11 pm
I bought a 1000 ft. spool at Amazon. It's not real cheap at $50 a spool
but the stuff lasts a very long time.
Rich
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> I'll try a different method to support the plants. I use the green
> steel fence posts that you buy at any hardware store 5' tall. All the
> other years I used a single stake per plant which worked ok but constant
> tying here and there is necessary and some branches still break due to
> the weight of the fruit. Since I'll have an excess of fence posts this
> season, I plan to put 3 stakes around each plant in the shape of a
> triangle. I'll run parachute cord from stake to stake at several
> different heights. It should work kind of like a tomato cage except
> much stronger as each stake will be a foot or more into the ground and
> the cross members will be of parachute cord and not wire. Each stake
> forming the triangle, I'll place eight or nine inches from the plant.
> By doing this, I think that I may be able to get as big a harvest even
> though I'm setting out half the amount of plants. When using a single
> stake, I would prune the plant in order to have one or two main stems.
> I should now be able to allow at least four main stems per plant. I do
> realize the size of the fruit may not be as large but the volume of
> fruit should surpass the difference. Any opinions on this idea?
> Rich from PA zone 5-6