Well, honestly, I don't think I have seen any cages that are attractive. But, easy to store? Tall and strong? That my daughter will still be using when I am gone? Only one cage for that! www.tomatocage.com

I finally caved after lusting after these for years and bought 12--- I am SOOOOOO impressed. Hope you find something that works for you!

Here is a link that might be useful: Texas Tomato Cage Website

Very interesting idea! Thanks for sharing. This is just the kind of idea I am looking for. Anyone else?

I plan on ordering some of the Texas cages next week. Last year I put a couple of my obelisks in the garden and used them as cages. Not cheap, but they last and look beautiful in the garden.

Oh, no, Natal, now you have given me an excuse to go ahead and spring for those Eiffel Tower obelisks I saw online the other day.......shame on you :-) I may actually have to find another use for the teepees! One tomato plant per obelisk? Planted inside in the middle?

I am thinking of trying a Florida weave since it's simple, neat, and cheap (just need stakes and twine).

Here is a link that might be useful: Forida weave for tomatoes

I've done the Florida (and Basket) weave for several years and I think it is great if:

1- You love to string new string every few days, all summer long. Even when you are at the top of the poles, some will start breaking, some plants will need to be secured better, or your string (jute, etc) will stretch and need to be restrung)

2- You don't go on vacation all summer, and miss any of the restringing.

3- You don't mind spending a lot of time doing above stringing, only to have the plants still slip over at the end of summer.

4- You have a partner ALWAYS available to help you restring.

The end.

As you can see--- it was WAY more trouble than it was worth. I finally caved and got the tomato cages. Good luck though!

Lowe's had beautiful iron obelisks on clearance last fall for just $7 each. I am sick that I passed on them, although at that point I didn't know I was going to build a potager this year. What a wonderful idea! Maybe someone else can benefit from them, and in the meantime, I will be on the lookout for more.

I am familiar with the Florida weave. It looks very neat. I am very, very lazy. :)

I was flipping channels on Sat and happened on QVC's Spring Fever show and they are selling Topsy Turvy tomato planters again (the upside down thing).
http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.M18677.desc.Set-of-3-Topsy-Turvey-Upside-Down-Tomato-Planters

They have red ones now too, for strawberries.
http://www.qvc.com/qic/qvcapp.aspx/view.2/app.detail/params.item.M18984.desc.Set-of-2-Topsy-Turvy-Hanging-Patio-Strawberry-Planter

I am dropping broad hints to the hubby.

Here is a link that might be useful: topsy turvy

I found this! I am wondering if it might work for tomatoes on a much larger scale. Has anyone ever tried anything like this? I was thinking of making the whole thing from heavy gauage wire since it may be difficult to find branches that would be long enough to make this on tomato cage scale. (Why, oh why, did I shred my climbing rose prunings?) Fortunately, I have the original article with how-to instructions that appeared in June, 1997, Fine Gardening.
Do you think it would work?

Here is a link that might be useful: English Hoop Trellis

I love those hoop cages but I don't know if they'd be tough enough for indeterminate tomatoes, which have been known to pull lighter cages up out of the ground as they outgrow them. I'm glad you posted that, though, because I think I'll have to try one this summer for dahlias. It would look really attractive and help keep them from flopping.

Last year, I decided to make a living wall of tomatoes on one side of my garden using the single string method. Except that instead of winding the plant around the string I used trellis clips. I put an eye bolt into the raised bed behind each tomato plant and a single vertical string through the bolt and over the support. Then I trained my tomatoes up that one string. Because I was short on space, I had to limit side branching on my plants, but this year I'm hoping to expand so I can give each plant 2-3 strings.

As for looks, I didn't take a picture but if you scroll to the bottom of this link it looked like the pictures at the bottom. Except that my supports were built out of metal conduit instead of wood.

It was really cheap, and I found that clipping the tomatoes was much less fussy than weaving or tying them. And half-way through the summer, the strings practically disappeared behind all the leaves and yummy tomatoes.

Here is a link that might be useful: tomato supports

I used the trellis system along with rebar cages for years. My trellis wasn't the most attractive, but it worked.

We just finished redoing the 20-year-old garden. I bought 6 of the Texas Tomato Cages to use in one of my beds. Love the way they're made to collapse when not in use. Seems to be a quality product, but the real test will come in the next few months as my tomato plants start to vine.

Those Texas Tomato Cages look great, but the price is more than I can do this year as I am just now building my potager. I'm not sure I can do the hoop trellises either, due to time constraints, but I'm going to give at least one a try by next year anyway. The site of my potager has a number of shrubs, etc. already in it, so I spent all this week getting those things moved to new homes around my yard, including 300 daffodils bulbs (that began as a bag of maybe a dozen), and 3 cammelias that were five feet across! Oh my aching back (hubby's too)! Hopefully next week I will actually begin my potager beds. In the meantime I am filing all these ideas. Thanks, amy for the link. It's a great idea and one I don't think I had seen before.

I'm so jealous that you can get out and work. Why do I live this far north?

I also just remembered the pictures I saw of Martha's veggie garden last year. She trellised her tomatoes by making a teepee for each plant out of three long wooden stakes. Then she hung the string from the top of each teepee down to the plant and clipped the stem to the string.

You all have given me such great ideas on this thread!

Amy, can you tell me WHAT kind of string you used? I was thinking about a vinyl coated wire for strength. Would that work? And your trellis clips---do you have a good source?

Donna, let us know what you end up doing. Please?

marcy- I'd love to see a pic of your setup- got one?

ajpa- They sell those topsy turvy things at LTD Commodities for 7.95 each. Maybe even cheaper on eBay or other sources. Or...if you were handy, you could buy a tarp and sew them up yourself. Just throwing out cheaper alternatives is all.

I gotta go google tomato supports for some ideas. If there's anything more useless than a wire tomato cage, I don't know what it is.

I just found a blog that might be of some interest. While the topic here was 'pretty', I found this interesting.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomato Cage Trials

For my string, I used some nylon cord that I already had. It wasn't thick but it was strong. Wire might be better--it would certainly be stronger.

And for the clips, I used two kinds. I had some green clips that looked like an 8 when I closed them. I think I got those at Home Depot. I also ordered some clips online from Johnny's Seeds. They sell some that are called 'Tomato Trellis Clips.' A pack of 100 was plenty for my small garden and I think it was about 10 dollars with shipping factored in.

Good luck! :)
-Amy

Here is a link that might be useful: Johnny's Seeds Site

Okay, here's a quick pic of my A-Frame tomato cages. Still early here, so not much happening.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomato A-Frame Cages

Ran across this photo and thought of this thread. I think this simple teepee looks really pretty and certainly would be easy to store. Note the pot at the top. Helping hold it together I guess?

Here is a link that might be useful: Look at the picture to the right!

Hi, y'all. I haven't checked in for awhile because I have been BUILDING! I have three of my raised beds complete, and they look very pretty, if I do say so. I had to apologize to my neighbors for the absolute horrible mess I am making! I ended up digging a french drain down the middle of the area because it was so incredibly mucky. The day I dug it, it had been two full weeks since our last rain and there was still water standing in my sunken footprints. Unbelievable that it's on a slope. Anyway, the drain is definitely working, and it is a joy to be digging out of the mud now.

So, added to the piles of yucky, clay soil, I also have a trailer load of horse manure sitting in my driveway, two pallets of concrete blocks (the pretty kind), and a truckload of pinestraw that I am using for mulch. YUCK.
Thanks goodness for nice neighbors.

However, the three beds that are complete give me hope. I try to face them at all times as I am working:)

I love these ideas! Both the A-frame and the teepees are very cool. The teepees look very very easy (LOVE the flowerpot finials!). I may just go with those for this year, and try the Hoop trellises next year when I'm not up to my neck in construction.

I hear you, natal, about the cages needing to be very strong. I am growing Rutgers and Arkansas Traveller tomatoes this year and I know they get pretty big. I am thinking of using tent stakes in the ground at the base of each bamboo upright and wire or strong string to form horizontals every foot or so up and down their length. What do you think? (I always have to keep in mind the very good chance of hurricane force winds coming through just as the plants are at their biggest and heaviest.)

Anyway, thanks to you all for your input. Keep it coming! I actually put six tomatoes into my beds today. There was an article in Horticulture Magazine a month or two back on how to get your tomatoes in a month early. I'm actually within three weeks early, and there's no frost in the forecast, but I have some extra plants growing on just in case. Will let you know how it goes. :)

I LOVE living in the south this time of year! The bulbs and Redbuds are nearly finished and my azaleas, dogwoods, bridal wreath spireas, and viburnums are in their early bloom. BEAUTIFUL!

mmq, I have never heard of LTD Commodities before. Just saw their website. Are they ok to order from? Although QVC is selling 3 for $23, so it's about the same price (I guess it will boil down to S&H).

I was thinking of making something upside-downy from rice sacks (that come with handles).

I thought these were sort of cool

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomato spirals

Gardener's Supply has some gorgeous multicolor spiral supports... I get compliments on them all the time. They're made of enameled metal, so very durable and strong.

While my tomatoes do kind of "outgrow" them by season's end, they still do the job and look really pretty doing it. I have sandy soil and they stay straight and upright all season, even with a heavy load of indeterminate tomato plants on them. No tying necessary, you just poke the plant growing tip(s) into the spiral once in awhile to keep it headed in the right direction.

Here is a link that might be useful: Rainbow Tomato Spirals

I had the square ones from Burpee's for several years. They are tidy looking, solid, but a bugger to store. Yes, they flatten (sort of). Last year I got some of the Tomato Ladders from Gardener's Supply. They require a little more plant management than the square cages did, but they store like a DREAM! I flattened all my square cages and gave them to my mother. I think the ladders are more attractive, and now they have extensions for them if you grow really wild indeterminate varieties.

Farmer at heart, the Texas Tomato Cages are similar to the Tomato Ladders, but they have a larger diameter. They also store flat and there are extensions available. Prices look the same. Just FYI in case you need more.

I alternated Texas Tomato Cage and 8' stake in my beds this year. That's worked out great!

Here is a link that might be useful: Texas Tomato Cages

just reading through this and wondering where bamboo is, I understand that tomato plants grow alot bigger here especially in the south, but mine on a single pole are standing up well about 4 foot tall now (okay small fry), you just train the main stem up the pole and yes you get sagging of branches but I have found in the past the lower branches tend to hold the weight of the upper ones.
I have however not done what I have always done as I am working on the principle I am in a new country with different growing conditions, the plants get much bigger here, so I have also constructed some cages to see if there is any benefit in doing this, and I will live and learn.
I never worry about if a growing structure is atractive or not as once the plant is filling it it will always look pretty...well to my eyes.
the one thing I haven't done here which my dad always did was toms in hanging baskets, and way back in the 70's he also had them hanging upside down, no such thing as a topsy turvey then, he used the old buckets that where past there prime to do it.
I haven't used this method this year as I am nervious about attaching them to our house, the outside is that plastic, that looks like wood stuff! sorry I really can't think of the name! where as most UK houses are brick so can be drilled into to, to place brackets, can you do this here? or do you use trees?? lots of them by my garden!LOL! or do you use special posts?
Any info gratefully recieved.

I have been using the spiral stand for the past two years. It is sturdy, doesn't blow over, and supports huge tomato plants. Because it is green, it blends into the leaves and is practically invisible. It also breaks down for easy storage at the end of the season.

Here is a link that might be useful: www.spiralstand.com

I like that sprial stand. I wonder if they'd work for say a sugar baby watermelon, cuke or cantaloupe. My satellite squash bed may not materialize this season due to "biting off more than I can chew" syndrom. My son will be very disappointed if I don't grow the cantaloupe he picked out.

Daniele, that's contrary to what I've heard. They're too lightweight to offer good support and you have to prune the majority of the plant.

Here is a link that might be useful: tomato staking techniques evaluation

I live in the Sierra Foothills. It's an axiom here that "everything grows bigger in Sierra soil". We frankly don't even think of tomato cages, our tomatoes regularly pass the 8' mark, often growing to 12'. We use the 4' cages for our eggplant and peppers. For tomatoes we plant posts and string fence wire at 3' height intervals. Also, we regularly plant 30-50 tomatoes (sun-dried tomatoes, tomato paste, duck food) so cages would not work. We rotate the tomatoes and pole beans every other year to make better use of the supports.

Here's a nice idea, a triangle shaped fence, a little expensive, but I was thinking of something made bigger like this instead of an obelisk.

Here is a link that might be useful: triangle trellis

I love the folding wire cage by oregon wire products. Came across them at a local nursery when I was considering forking over the big $$ for texas tomato cages.
I think I bought the 18x60 for about $10.
The wire is thick. I'm only into my second season with them, but they seem like they'll last a long time.
Not sure if they meet the "pretty" criteria, but they sell have some in pretty colors as well as regular galvanized metal.
-Karen

Here is a link that might be useful: Oregon Wire Folding Wire Cage

I still like my "tomato walls" the best. They are cheap and easy to make! Just EMT conduit and plastic netting.

Here is a link that might be useful: Tomato walls

Catalin, I had a trellis system like that in the old garden. I was forever tying vines even with the netting, but it worked. Didn't look so pretty in the off-season though.

Whenever I buy something for the garden I don't think is especially 'pretty,' I spray paint it. Spray paint is your friend.