That's a lot of tomatoes in a bed that size.

I'm growing 21 too. Two beds (each 3x9) have 10 each and the last is in another bed with peppers and bush beans. I use a combination of Texas Tomato Cages and 8' tall plastic-coated metal poles. The tomato in the pepper bed is growing in an obelisk. That by far is the most attractive, but not practical for a lot of tomatoes. I really like the cages. They're not cheap, but they are sturdy and collapsible which means off-season storage is a breeze!

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

Natal, for your 3 x 9 beds, will tomatoes be the only things in those beds? What space will those 10 tomato plants occupy?

I have two 4 x 10 beds that I hope to have installed this weekend if the weather cooperates and they are designated for tomatoes. I was thinking of putting 5 down the center of each and then other things around the perimeter but I have more plants that need to be placed.

t-bird, In my haste to ask Natal questions I failed to mention that one cheap and functional way to trellis the tomatoes would be to use bamboo poles that you could also paint for added drama. These could be made into teepees with twine around them for the tomates to cling too.

Oh MY! 21 Maters in an 8x4 space??????
I usually do 4-6 in that area! They usually over-run my whole garden area!
Good Luck!

Tish, only tomatoes in those beds. Five along the length on each side.

Thank you Natal!

Natal - I've been eyeing those Texas tomato cages. Do you prune your plants or do the cages provide sufficient support (I'm clueless about growing tomatoes but really want to be successful this year).

Laura I have been reading a lot about pruning to one stem for the indeterminates. I plan on trying that this yr.Below is a link to an article I found very helpful. I have only grown determinates before so havent tried it yet.
Tammy

Here is a link that might be useful: Pruning tomatoes

well actually the length will be 10' but sounds like I still need 2 bed for this? How far apart do tomatoes need to be? I was thinking 12-18 - guess I am off!

I'd cut back on planning - but the little darlings are already doing their best and 3-5 inches high...:).

I don't have the heart to reject them!

So if I do 2 beds......one with asters, one with borage - or 2 mixed?

Laura, I never prune. I pull off the suckers until the first flowers form then I let the tomatoes vine. The Texas cages offered great support. Next year I'm ordering another set. The only problem I have is some of my tomatoes get much taller than the cages so I end up tying some of the vines to neighboring poles.

T-bird, yes two beds would be much better than one for that many tomatoes. Why not put the flowers in a separate bed?

Two years ago, the first year I had a potager, I planted my tomatoes down two rows, about 2-1/2 feet or so apart. When they got taller and needed support, I criss-crossed two bamboo poles above and between two plants, and tied the poles like that. I then tied a long pole across the tops of the "vees" above each pair of plants.

Then I tied each plant with garden twine to the pole running the length of the garden, or to the pole nearest the plant.

This looked very nice, but the tieing up of the plants wasn't as good as, say, a support around them.

Any comments, fine-tuning ideas?

Gwen, I bought them online. They're 6' tall. You can buy 2' extensions. They collapse for easy storage.

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

On the NE Coast we only need 4 ft. high cages. I found some stronger than the usual big-box store version, and these are enameled bright colors! I took a couple (apple-green, bright yellow) to try them out, and if they look good, I'll go back for the rest I need. Probably available online.

Carol

Just wanted to say I love this thread. I am agonizing about this right now. I bought WAY too many tomato plants for my tiny potager. Going to need to settle on just a few. I just kept seeing interesting varieties and picking them up one or two at a time until all of the sudden I had 8. LOL.

Here are the plants I picked up. Any feedback on which get huge and which might be more manageable? I'd love input on which to keep and which to pass along.

Red Beefsteak
Green Zebra
Lemon Boy
Cherry Sweet 100
Sweet Olive (grape)
Black Krim
Celebrity
Yellow Pear

I hope the ideas keep coming. Do tomatoes do well in an obelisk? I'm thinking of biting the bullet and buying a few that match. Having my potager look beautiful is equally important as productivity for me.

One other idea I had is to buy two sections of antique iron fence and putting them a foot or so apart running north-south in the center of the bed and planting two or three tomatoes in a row between them? Any practicality to that decorative idea at all? They'd be supported up to 3' or so and then billow over the top? Maybe use tall individual stakes (black) for each of them to support beyond the fence? I really don't know what to expect in terms of size of the plants with the length of my growing season here in the northeast. Clearly, they won't get quite as big as they do down in Louisiana.

I have a feeling I'm going to learn a lot through my inevitable mistakes this year. LOL.

Lisa

carol6ma,

I too am a zone 6ma member. I am really interested in the enamelled tomato cages you found. Any tips on where around our area that I might find some? -

Donna