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Tomato Spirals?
"FDR" wrote:
"DigitalVinyl" wrote in message news Frogleg wrote: On Mon, 15 Mar 2004 01:57:16 GMT, "FDR" wrote: Looking through the Garden Tools by Lee Valley catalog, I came across a tomato staking method using spirals. Basically, it's a 6 foot long piece of metal that you push into the ground and it is spiraled all the way up. The tomato plant grows into the spiral and gives natural support. Does anyone know what a full-grown tomato plant with fruit weighs? I think its gonna vary. MY bush last year was about 6' high and two foot around. I'd say the most tomatoes it had on it at once was about 10-12 lbs plus the weight of the plant itself, which i'd be wild-ass guessing is ?10,15,20? pounds. WHen I pulled them at end of season I thought they were heavier than expected. My vine, which actually ended up growing as two vines on two stakes, was probably less than that. I used the stackable tomato cages from Gardener's Supply. They are unfortunately expensive(like most of their catalog) but it made caging a 6' bush effortless. My neighbor liked how easy it was to harvest and they didn't keep sliding and collapsing down a stake when heavy with fruit. Neither of us do staking well. Plants always slide down and create tight bends. I am considering buying another four this year despite overpriced costs. What's your take on those tomato "ladders" that Gardener's Supply sells? I haven't bought one. They seem expensive, but since they are each 58" tall they can support five plants. The tomato cages are about 30" each, so you could only support 2 tall bushes for $30. So they are similar in price. They look like they would prevnet the sliding and bending we experienced. For me, my indeterminate ending up growing three vines(i did a POOR job pruning). Two of 'em I staked the third grew into the nearby tomato cage. At this point I'm thinking of just treating all of them like determinates and letting them bush. DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email) Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY, 1 mile off L.I.Sound 2nd year gardener |
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