On Tue, 20 May 2008 15:33:59 -0500, Ignoramus4856
wrote:

:Whenever we plant tomatoes, they grow very big, about 7-8 feet tall
:and yield a lot of tomatoes. I am not complaining. (we use chicken
:manure and sometimes fertilizer).
:
:But, my question is what do people use that is cheap and sturdy and
:can support such a big tomato plant.

There's lots of different ways. One good way is just stakes. I have a
very good book that has you plant your tomatoes in a box in the soil,
made out of masonite, with no bottom and stakes in the four corners
angling slightly away from each other, probably around 8 feet above the
ground. The plants have side suckers removed and are tied to the stakes
at intervals.

I used to do this but now use bamboo for stakes and a modified method
without the box scenario. I have bamboo stakes set in the ground and tie
more bamboo between them as needed and tie the plants where appropriate.
My neighbor has a tall stand of bamboo and I always get as much as I
need free.

Dan