# How Do You Support Your Tomatoes and Peppers?



## kyredneck

I've mostly staked and caged mine down through the years but I've read some good things about 



, anyone here ever done that?

It should work for pepper plants also, don't you think?


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## Tank_Girl

Yep..I do something similar.

I put stakes into the ground every 3 feet and as the plants grown I weave two strands of plastic bailing twine in and out of the stakes around the plants.

The good thing is as the plants grow you can remove the bottom strands that are no longer supporting and use them higher up.

The plastic bailing twine is really tough and I've had it last over 3 growing seasons.
At the end of the season I just roll it up and it gets stored in the shed until next year.
It's a great way of recycling the bailing twine I get on my square bales of hay.
I've found that the orange and black colored bailing twine lasts longer and stands up to the elements better than the light blue for some reason.


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## IlliniWarrior

I made large 8' X 10'-12' trellises about 15-20 years ago .... hard copper pipe tube frame (soldered assembled) and covered in galvanized fencing .... made to last .... using cloth strips, I tie support my tomato plants to one side of the trellis .... the reverse side I plant pole beans .... 

pepper plants - I just support with regular tomato cages ... I intermix pepper varies in a close bunched grouping to support their pollination ....


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## Tribal Warlord Thug

with soft music and kind words.............


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## Davarm

I just use cages made from welded fence wire for the tomatoes, my peppers dont seem to need much support.


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## *Andi

The only time I cage my peppers is when they are in the greenhouse ... and I used my tomato cage for that. (welded fence wire)

I have heard of the system but never have tried it because the cages work well for me.

Let us know how it works if you try it.


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## goshengirl

I tried the Florida weave two years ago, but with more than two plants in between each post. That was my downfall - the tomato plants weighed too much and there was insufficient support. I would be willing to try it again (using only two plants between posts), except that I've been growing hundreds of tomato plants, and can't afford that many posts.

Last year I used u-posts between every 4-5 plants, and just ran a wire across. Then I staked the tomato plants to the wires using plain old string. Much more economical for us, and it worked well. I found that we could easily just run a wire across for every foot of post height, rather than every six inches, and that provided plenty of support.

The other problem I had with the Florida weave was having plants growing at different rates being next to each other. You can't do the next row of weave until each plant is a certain height, and that's a lot easier on paper than it is in the field. It was easier using the wire/string method above - each plant got staked when it was ready.

HTH


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## LilRedHen

I use tomato cages made out of concrete wire. The wire is very sturdy and the spaces are larger. My tomato plants got so large last year that a couple of them fell over in a storm because the stake used to stake the cage was not tall enough. This year I will use the bought tomato cages for my peppers, since I had a lot of trouble with them falling over last year.


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## talob

kyredneck said:


> I've mostly staked and caged mine down through the years but I've read some good things about the Florida Weave method, anyone here ever done that?
> 
> It should work for pepper plants also, don't you think?


Thanks for posting this, I was wondering what I was going to do this year in my raised beds tha method I used last year didn't work well, I think I'll try this.


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## DJgang

My husban bought these heavy duty wire things years ago, we take them and support the base stem. Then we cage them with hog wire, ones we've made.


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## k0xxx

Tribal Warlord Thug said:


> with soft music and kind words.............


Funny, I thought the same thing when I read the title of this thread. lol

We use cages made from cattle panels. We've been using them for about 8 years now, and the should last many more. We just stack them out of the way when not needed.


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## ZoomZoom

I do something similar to what's in the video but with a couple changes.

a) At the ends of the rows, I use steel T-posts as they're much stronger. Angled out for extra strength.
b) For the middle posts, I have holes through the posts and run through those instead of wrapping around the post.
c) I use electric fence wire.

I like the idea of the synthetic baling twine. I may try that this year.


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## Meerkat

I tried to copy from the barbed wire, if it did'nt work,just skip to 12:24 minutes into video.

After seeign this babrbed wire we did our greenhouse and outside stakes too. We think it is the best because the barbs on the wire seperate the strings and it will last forever. We use old cloth for our ties and strings,they are vey easy on the plants when heavy winds come.


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## cqp33

I got some welded wire from left over construction sites where they were pouring a drive way. bought a roll of concrete bailing wire and cut the welded wire to make 24" diameter 4 feet tall cages. The wire mesh they use for concrete is thick and last for years, I made them in 2007 and used them for 3 years, since I am in Hawaii my father in law is using them in TN ever since and they are still working just fine!


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## Wellrounded

I have gal tube frames 24' long 6' high and 3' wide. I weave baling twine in a grid pattern on the long sides and plant against that. When the plants come out in March/April I grow peas on it and then move to a new location when the tomatoes are ready to be planted out the next spring. I've tried many methods over the years and this one works well for me. I can throw frost cloth over the whole structure if needed.


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## kyredneck

goshengirl said:


> ....The other problem I had with the Florida weave was having plants growing at different rates being next to each other. You can't do the next row of weave until each plant is a certain height, and that's a lot easier on paper than it is in the field. It was easier using the wire/string method above - each plant got staked when it was ready.
> 
> HTH


Thanks for bringing this point to light, I'm growing waaaay too many varieties this year to even consider the Florida weave, the wire method may be a possibility though, sticking with stakes & cages is a possibility also.... 

Hey thanks for all the comments; keep posting. Let's hear more.


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## Locutus

Last year I used 1/2" EMT galvanized conduit to make a frame from which I hung nylon tomato netting. I've found that 1/2" EMT is very economical when purchased in bundles of ten 10FT sticks, $20 for the bundle, or $2.00 each. They will not rot like wood and the galvanizing keeps them from rusting.

Last year I welded the frames together for use in the greenhouse, but they're difficult to weld because they're so thin-walled that the welding process tends to blow holes in the metal very easily. Also, welded frames cannot be disassembled without cutting the metal, thus destroying the frames. So this year when I made similar frames for the raspberries, I bolted them together and put tension on them with galvanized wire in an "X" pattern to obtain some rigidity.

Here are a couple of photos to illustrate. First is the tomato framing, second is the raspberry framing.


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## zimmy

*Trellis*

Just put up a chain link fence and run it east and west. All the plants will be facing south and you can grow your plants along the fence.


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## ashley8072

I just finished up getting our pallet planters ready to plant for tomorrow. Here in OK, we expect another freeze this week (last I checked). Since we are o ly in this location til January, I thought that the pallets would serve a good temp raised bed. At our house (currently under remodel), we've started the 4x4 boxes similar to how the pallets will be. Either way you have the box for planting, then 2 t-posts on 2 corners for vining plants. Between the posts is square wiring run all the way up. If we're lucky, the plants will exceed the posts and continue to the porch trellis just above them. This house is so high off the ground on one side, I'm hoping to cover some of the unsightly under the porch. The top of the posts have a bar run across to support the weight too.


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## UncleJoe

k0xxx said:


> We use cages made from cattle panels. We've been using them for about 8 years now, and the should last many more. We just stack them out of the way when not needed.


I use cattle panels as well. I don't make cages with them, I just attach a 16' panel to a few T-posts then tie the tomato plants to the panel. It works well for peas, cukes, beans or anything else that has a tendency to crawl.

Peppers? They're on their own.

In case you're not familiar with them...


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## -prepper-

I use a topsy turvy and it works amazing for me ! But I've also heard bad reviews with the topsy turvy!


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## ContinualHarvest

We do something like that with Master Gardeners. It works well for beans and peppers too.


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## rawhide2971

*My raised bed support system for Tomatoe Plants*

My raised Bed with my rather elaborate way of supporting my tomato plants. I am fortunate enough to have been able scrounge the support and ent when our plant shut down manufactruing and most of the metal went to the scrap bins. I add suport cross pieces as the plants grow.


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## fishparts2003

Trying out the weave method this year. Doing a small tomato raised bed garden. After watching how this is done it seems like the perfect idea. Beefsteak, sunsugar, striped, and 2 cherry at far right. 
Weaving not done yet, after the plants get a little taller.


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## *Andi

Greenhouse peppers ...


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## rawhide2971

*Updated view of Tomatoe Frame as of June 10*

Thought I would update the view of the Tomatoe Plants as they grow through the frame. I add the cross pieces and if needed I do use some plastic ties to help support the plant as the weight of the fruit can sometimes pull the plant to one side or the other. I like to use old Panty hose but the wife and daughter really don't wear them much and so I don't have much of a supply anymore.
I do use some EMT as straight up support. I find that the 1/2 works well. I buy some 3/4 and crimp one end and cut the lenght of it to about 18 inchs and pound it into the ground and then slide the 1/2 inch into it. The secure the plant to the 1/2 as it grows. I know some may question the cost of the EMT but over time its pretty cost effective. Some of the EMT I have scavenged but a bundle usually runs about $18 -$20 for 10 = 10 ft sections and I cut them down to about 6 ft long or so and some of the ones I have are 6 years old and still going strong. At the moment I have 60+ plants most are 3-5 foot high and should start harvesting this week (here in SC). Some people aroound here have already pulled a few but I kind of got mine in a week or so late and the cool spring set me back.


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## JayJay

Rawhide--I am trying the same thing with string..my tomatoes aren't high enough yet for the first tie up(almost)...but if they get like most tomatoes in this area, will get 5/6 feet high; so after first tie up(at two feet) with string and panty hose from dollar tree, will tie up again at another foot.


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## badman400

I realize I'm resurrecting an old thread, but I use a way that was passed from my grandfather, that works very well to support the plants and fruit, allowing the plants to reach 7-8 ft tall. 

First I bought a 50 ft. roll of 5ft tall hog wire fencing. It is also used as reinforcement wire in small concrete projects like porches or garage floors. I had one of my sons cut the wire into lengths that would make a 2.5 ft diameter circle cage. After the plants reached a couple of feet in height I then used stakes to anchor them into place around the plant. As the plants grow, I would slide 3 foot lengths of bamboo or other thin wood rods through the squares under the limb and fruit that needed support, and out through a square on the other side. I would keep adding these crisscrossing sticks as needed all the way to the top. 

When the season runs out, I simply pull out the sticks and tie in a bundle with some twine to keep. Then pull the old plants out of the cages and stack them away behind the barn til next season. They can be used for years, and do a great job! Keeps the plants healthier, the fruit out of the dirt and increases yield by as much as 2 times or more, while lengthening the growing season as well. Another "trick" I use is to put down flower bed "weed" barrier fabric. The sun warms the soil, shining on the black weave. And it keeps out most of the weeds while letting the water soak through into the soil and the roots. This method also eliminates the need for most of the "tying", as the vines and fruit simply lay on the sticks that are run through the cages from side to side.


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## k0xxx

Seems like it would work quite nicely, although the best way to support tomatoes is on a bed of bacon and lettuce. :?)


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## ZoomZoom

badman400 said:


> Another "trick" I use is to put down flower bed "weed" barrier fabric. The sun warms the soil, shining on the black weave. And it keeps out most of the weeds while letting the water soak through into the soil and the roots.


I tried that this year. The sun degraded the weed barrier plastic so bad that it was worthless after about a month. I guess that stuff only works well when covered and not exposed to the sun.

Next year, I'm going to try road fabric. Much tougher.


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## musketjim

We've always grown our tomatoes upside down with various old buckets and some topsy turvys. You can also plant carrots in the tops of them, no wasted space that way. We're not big pepper fans. Cucumbers work well upside down also.


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## crabapple

I did not cage my peppers, only the tomatoes with bamboo pole I cut.
Then the peppers started to have other limbs break off, because of all the fruit.
I lift the peppers on to get color & they spilt the bush.
I started to use the store bought cages on my tomatoes, big boys,better boys,whoppers & juliets.
The tiny 24 inch cages turned over when the tomatoes got over 40 inches.
So I got hog wire for the tomatoes & used the store bought cages for peppers & egg plants.
When the tomatoes are about 18 inches tall I plant cucumber seeds around the inside of the cage, no more then 4 seeds. The vine climb the cage & tomato limbs, never had a problem with tomatoes or cukes.
One year I dug out a 24" deep X 14" wide hole to fill with compost, the planted the transplant tomatoes to the first leave. While the hole was empty I added bamboo poles that were 8-12 feet tall with 14" in the soil. The Ideal was to leave the pole all winter & plant pole beans on them the next spring.
I had grown the tomatoes from seeds.
After about three weeks I noted that the tomato bushes were 12 inches around, but only 8 inches high with 8-12 feet of bamboo poles.
I checked the seed pack, I had bought, patio tomatoes for hanging baskets.
My tomatoes never got any larger, but my son laughed every time he saw the tall pole with tiny plants at the bottom.:rofl:


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## Magus

we bought a bunch of 1/2" rebar from the steel shop as scrap, they were the trimmings from
a major job, all the same size and length. I burned a point on the lot, they work good on tomatoes and
some beans.had to make some a bit longer this year because of better growing conditions.

If memory serves, I got them for 18 cents apiece!

Make a post hammer out of 2" pipe by welding a plate over the bottom and a cross grip about a foot long.wear gloves, its hard on the hands!


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