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What is the best way to support tomatoes?
Should one use dozens of canes or is there a simple and cheap way to do this? Alan |
What is the best way to support tomatoes?
On Apr 15, 9:19*pm, "alan.holmes" wrote:
Should one use dozens of canes or is there a simple and cheap way to do this? Alan If they are in a greenhouse you need dangling strings. Wind the string round the plant as it grows. Obviously you need a substantial place to attach the strings to. Outdoors you need canes or grow bush varieties. |
What is the best way to support tomatoes?
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What is the best way to support tomatoes?
On Apr 16, 1:16*pm, Baz wrote:
harry wrote in news:c669daa2-9cb3-4a2d-ab20- : On Apr 15, 9:19*pm, "alan.holmes" wrote: Should one use dozens of canes or is there a simple and cheap way to do this? Alan If they are in a greenhouse you need dangling strings. Wind the string round the plant as it grows. *Obviously you need a substantial place to attach the strings to. Outdoors you need canes or grow bush varieties. I have used dangling strings outside next to my fence and on the wall ever since I started gardening a few years ago. It works perfectly and you can adjust them very easily. You can use this method for runner beans too, but early in the season the string has to be anchored to floor/soil to enable the beans to grab the string and start climbing. At the end of the season throw the lot on the compost heap, the string will rot too. Not of course synthetics, it has to be degradable string(very easy to obtain) If you have open ground and want to use this method please tell me. I have an answer, a bit long winded and pricey (£15ish)but will pay for its self over and over. Baz * In the US they use tomato cages, Google tomato cages in Images for ideas. |
What is the best way to support tomatoes?
On Sat, 16 Apr 2011 07:19:07 -0700 (PDT), Dave Hill
wrote: tomato cages Wow, what a choice. liked the 'square' bamboo tripod, (if that makes sense!) www.lincolnfuchsiasociety.info |
What is the best way to support tomatoes?
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What is the best way to support tomatoes?
In message
, harry writes On Apr 15, 9:19*pm, "alan.holmes" wrote: Should one use dozens of canes or is there a simple and cheap way to do this? Alan If they are in a greenhouse you need dangling strings. Wind the string round the plant as it grows. Obviously you need a substantial place to attach the strings to. Outdoors you need canes or grow bush varieties. I prefer canes in the GH myself. I have a wire fixed between the end of the Gh near the roof. I clip the canes to it with these natty clips from Medwyns: http://www.medwynsofanglesey.co.uk/shop/SUNDRIES/Jiff-Clip/prod_6.html They work really well, and are much , much quicker than tying up canes. We use them for canes for the climbing beans as well. -- Chris French |
What is the best way to support tomatoes?
On 16/04/2011 08:28, harry wrote:
On Apr 15, 9:19 pm, wrote: Should one use dozens of canes or is there a simple and cheap way to do this? Alan If they are in a greenhouse you need dangling strings. Wind the string round the plant as it grows. Obviously you need a substantial place to attach the strings to. You also need quite substantial string. Beefsteak tomato plants have managed to snap garden twine. |
What is the best way to support tomatoes?
On Apr 17, 10:13*am, Malcolm wrote:
In article , chris French writes In message , harry writes On Apr 15, 9:19*pm, "alan.holmes" wrote: Should one use dozens of canes or is there a simple and cheap way to do this? Alan If they are in a greenhouse you need dangling strings. Wind the string round the plant as it grows. *Obviously you need a substantial place to attach the strings to. Outdoors you need canes or grow bush varieties. I prefer canes in the GH myself. I have a wire fixed between the end of the Gh near the roof. I clip the canes to it with these natty clips from Medwyns: http://www.medwynsofanglesey.co.uk/shop/SUNDRIES/Jiff-Clip/prod_6.html They work really well, and are much , much quicker than tying up canes. We use them for canes for the climbing beans as well. Am I missing something here? I just push my canes into the soil and they then don't need tying to anything. -- Malcolm- Hide quoted text - - Show quoted text - If you are using string in a greenhouse then the best way is to tye the string in a loose loop around the base of the tomato plant, then wind it anti clockwise round the tomato and take the string to the wire and tie it with a loop, if you leave plenty of string at the top then as the plant gets close to the wire you can undoo it and lower the plant down a couple of feet so that the bottom which has croped is on the ground and the plant has more roon to grow up. Well that's how we used to do it in the old days, I must have strung many thousands of tomatoes in my time. David |
What is the best way to support tomatoes?
On Sun, 17 Apr 2011 10:13:15 +0100, Malcolm
wrote: Am I missing something here? I just push my canes into the soil and they then don't need tying to anything. If you have a good depth of soil in your greenhouse, fine, but if like me you are growing out of grow bags, canes need support. But that's no real problem, string works well, but its growing outdoor tomatoes, where any passing hurricane brings the whole lot down that needs a radical rethink on the 'wigwam' Maybe its the newer varieties that produce so much more fruit and so need better support? |
What is the best way to support tomatoes?
"alan.holmes" wrote in message ... Should one use dozens of canes or is there a simple and cheap way to do this? Alan We grew our Toms in a huge tub last year under the veranda. I put a double row of string round the tub just under the lip. I put a hook in the beam over the centre of the tub. I then measured the lip to the hook, doubled that finding and 'added a bit'. I then cut four lengths of string to that length, doubled them in half and made a loop in the top which I hooked on the hook. I then had eight ends hanging down Taking two, I tied them at '12 o'clock' to the string under the lip. Likewise two at '3 o'clock', '6 o'clock' and the last two at '9 o'clock' The strings were now tight top and bottom and the Toms were supported by the strings being passed round the stems. Great success and no doubt 'The Gardener' will do it again this year. Toms used were just a shade larger than Cherry Toms. (We could also pick as required without getting wet as they were under the veranda) Mike -- .................................... Remember, a statue has never been erected to a critic. .................................... |
What is the best way to support tomatoes?
On 16/04/2011 15:57, Janet wrote:
In article0cf8c7aa-7ad3-491b-b893-5b80cb224741 @a11g2000pro.googlegroups.com, says... On Apr 16, 1:16 pm, wrote: wrote in news:c669daa2-9cb3-4a2d-ab20- : On Apr 15, 9:19 pm, wrote: Should one use dozens of canes or is there a simple and cheap way to do this? Alan If they are in a greenhouse you need dangling strings. Wind the string round the plant as it grows. Obviously you need a substantial place to attach the strings to. Outdoors you need canes or grow bush varieties. I have used dangling strings outside next to my fence and on the wall ever since I started gardening a few years ago. It works perfectly and you can adjust them very easily. You can use this method for runner beans too, but early in the season the string has to be anchored to floor/soil to enable the beans to grab the string and start climbing. At the end of the season throw the lot on the compost heap, the string will rot too. Not of course synthetics, it has to be degradable string(very easy to obtain) If you have open ground and want to use this method please tell me. I have an answer, a bit long winded and pricey (£15ish)but will pay for its self over and over. Baz In the US they use tomato cages, Google tomato cages in Images for ideas. You can improvise a US-style outdoor tomato cage with lengths of rylock stock fence tied into a circle with a ziptie. what a good idea, I'll be trying that this year. -- Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. George Washington http://ariesval.wordpress.com/ |
What is the best way to support tomatoes?
Baz wrote in
: If you have open ground and want to use this method please tell me. I have an answer, a bit long winded and pricey (£15ish)but will pay for its self over and over. Baz This reads wrong. It is not what I meant to say. It looks like I am trying to sell something. But I was not. What I meant was that the materials would cost £15. NOT £15 for me to give you info. Baz |
What is the best way to support tomatoes?
Malcolm wrote:
I think the idea is to use the most complicated means of doing a simple job involving a Phd in mechanical enginerring. I just use a cane and twine as well. It's never failed me yet. |
What is the best way to support tomatoes?
"AriesVal" wrote in message o.uk... On 16/04/2011 15:57, Janet wrote: In article0cf8c7aa-7ad3-491b-b893-5b80cb224741 @a11g2000pro.googlegroups.com, says... On Apr 16, 1:16 pm, wrote: wrote in news:c669daa2-9cb3-4a2d-ab20- : On Apr 15, 9:19 pm, wrote: Should one use dozens of canes or is there a simple and cheap way to do this? Alan If they are in a greenhouse you need dangling strings. Wind the string round the plant as it grows. Obviously you need a substantial place to attach the strings to. Outdoors you need canes or grow bush varieties. I have used dangling strings outside next to my fence and on the wall ever since I started gardening a few years ago. It works perfectly and you can adjust them very easily. You can use this method for runner beans too, but early in the season the string has to be anchored to floor/soil to enable the beans to grab the string and start climbing. At the end of the season throw the lot on the compost heap, the string will rot too. Not of course synthetics, it has to be degradable string(very easy to obtain) If you have open ground and want to use this method please tell me. I have an answer, a bit long winded and pricey (£15ish)but will pay for its self over and over. Baz In the US they use tomato cages, Google tomato cages in Images for ideas. You can improvise a US-style outdoor tomato cage with lengths of rylock stock fence tied into a circle with a ziptie. what a good idea, I'll be trying that this year. Is anyone going to tell me what rylock stock fence is and where I can buy it? Alan -- Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. George Washington http://ariesval.wordpress.com/ |
What is the best way to support tomatoes?
In message , alan.holmes
writes "AriesVal" wrote in message news:1cudnc9HDKhPqzHQnZ2dnUVZ8nudnZ2d@brightview. co.uk... On 16/04/2011 15:57, Janet wrote: In article0cf8c7aa-7ad3-491b-b893-5b80cb224741 @a11g2000pro.googlegroups.com, says... On Apr 16, 1:16 pm, wrote: In the US they use tomato cages, Google tomato cages in Images for ideas. You can improvise a US-style outdoor tomato cage with lengths of rylock stock fence tied into a circle with a ziptie. what a good idea, I'll be trying that this year. Is anyone going to tell me what rylock stock fence is and where I can buy it? Stock fencing is the large meshed fencing used for fences for stock (surprise!) - cows, horses, sheep etc. Rylock is presumably a brandname. e.g. http://www.jacksons-fencing.co.uk/fe...cing/wire-fenc ingstock/agricultural-fencing-wire-fencing-stock.aspx Agricultural merchants, and fencing suppliers will sell it but you'd probably have to buy a big roll -- Chris French |
What is the best way to support tomatoes?
On 19/04/2011 23:33, alan.holmes wrote:
Is anyone going to tell me what rylock stock fence is and where I can buy it? Google is your friend ;-) -- Be courteous to all, but intimate with few, and let those few be well tried before you give them your confidence. George Washington http://www.ariesval.co.uk/vals.page/ |
What is the best way to support tomatoes?
harry wrote:
If they are in a greenhouse you need dangling strings. Wind the string round the plant as it grows. Obviously you need a substantial place to attach the strings to. Outdoors you need canes or grow bush varieties. I have used string for melons in the greenhouse, but the tomatoes I tend to stick with canes. Is there any reason for using string over canes other than it's a bit cheaper? (Although the number of times we've reused the canes, even with 'free' bits of string I don't think there's much in it any more .. especially compared to the price of the grow-bags!) |
What is the best way to support tomatoes?
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What is the best way to support tomatoes?
chris French wrote:
I have used string for melons in the greenhouse, but the tomatoes I tend to stick with canes. Is there any reason for using string over canes other than it's a bit cheaper? Commercially I've seen them lower the plants on the strings, lying down the lower part of the plant as they grow to get a bigger harvest (I think Sacha mentioned this) Interesting. Does the lower part of the plant form roots on the ground? I know Nick was talking about slicing open grow-bags and lying the tomatoes along them to give them more rooting space, then letting them grow upwards from the end of the growbag. Although I'm not sure with your* method how you could lie down the bottom of the plant and then have it going up the string without damaging the stem at the 'fold'. (* yes, I know it wasn't /your/ method as such) Maybe also a bit quicker as you don't need to tie them in, you just need to twist the string round. True. But that's one of the jobs I actually enjoy. :-) |
What is the best way to support tomatoes?
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What is the best way to support tomatoes?
chris French wrote:
Interesting. Does the lower part of the plant form roots on the ground? Dunno. I guess it would though knowing tomato plants. It was a long time ago I saw this. I don't think that was the point though, and the plants I saw might have been growing through some sort of plastic sheet mulch anyway. I think it's just to keep them growing longer and so producing more trusses and tomatoes for longer. *nod* But Nick already had something kind of similar planned, and the idea /was/ to get more roots in, to make up for the main ball of roots being quite shallow, so I thought it might combine ideas well. :-) Bit of a win-win, will have to try it. Although I'm not sure with your* method how you could lie down the bottom of the plant and then have it going up the string without damaging the stem at the 'fold'. (* yes, I know it wasn't /your/ method as such) It's a gradual lowering process, with the plant curving up, rather than a bend Yeah, fair enough, i can see that working. But will make it a lot more time consuming, which was what the original point was to avoid, cos it would need doing every day or couple of days, I guess, where tying in would only be once or twice a month. |
What is the best way to support tomatoes?
On May 4, 9:51*am, wrote:
chris French wrote: Interesting. *Does the lower part of the plant form roots on the ground? Dunno. I guess it would though knowing tomato plants. It was a long time ago I saw this. I don't think that was the point though, and the plants I saw might have been growing through some sort of plastic sheet mulch anyway. I think it's just to keep them growing *longer and so producing more trusses and tomatoes for longer. *nod* *But Nick already had something kind of similar planned, and the idea /was/ to get more roots in, to make up for the main ball of roots being quite shallow, so I thought it might combine ideas well. *:-) Bit of a win-win, will have to try it. Although I'm not sure with your* method how you could lie down the bottom of the plant and then have it going up the string without damaging the stem at the 'fold'. *(* yes, I know it wasn't /your/ method as such) It's a gradual lowering process, with the plant curving up, rather than a bend Yeah, fair enough, i can see that working. *But will make it a lot more time consuming, which was what the original point was to avoid, cos it would need doing every day or couple of days, I guess, where tying in would only be once or twice a month. you only need to twist your tomatoes round the string every week or so when you go through taking out sie shoots, time taken is seconds, a lot less than tying plants onto a cane. |
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