Remesh here, still finishing some cages and when it's done I'll be taking pictures. I can't speak from experience, but I have the same intro as you ... more varieties, more plants ... no space and three strategies: remesh (CRM) cages, trellis, and clipped to dangling strings, the last one being my standard method used before, along with my other method last year which is discontinued in favor of the cages which was an 8 foot x 8 foot by 4 1/3 foot high table-frame of 2x4's and 4x4's I ran last year.

The density of the cages, I know is unacceptable, but hey, you only live once. 20" cages, and 10" between cages for a 2 1/2 ft on-center plant distance. But that's not the bad part of it. The between row distance is the same or actually about 3 inches less. At my latitude the sun is between 70 and 83 degrees altitude during the use of the cage matrix, and that is a key number to check. There are only three rows and 4 plants per row which run N-S. So I feel justified putting the taller plants in the center and getting more morning sun on one side and afternoon sun on the other. All these factors will contribute to the success, if in fact it works --- and I think it will ;-) There will be no shade cloth - a change in practice - if I go into summer with the cages, the strategy being to give it a whirl using dense caging to form a cooler temperature by the transpiration/evaporation of all the close proximity plants, an idea I'm playing with to see if I can find another way to skin Florida's limiting tomato summer.

PC

I crowd everything together far more than I should. Determinates seem to bear heavily so they get cages but the cherries sprawl or get tied up in a twine weave arrangement. The crowding is because of climate: fierce sun, scant rain, and dry air, so I get some amount of self-shading and moisture retention from growing thickets. It has to be paid for, though, with a ridiculous amount of OM (4 or more inches of it every year), careful water control with the drip lines, and mulch mulch mulch. Strangely, with this arrangement the toms seem to do better without fertilizers other than lots of buried kitchen garbage.

Next year I'll want some more cages. If I buy a 150 foot roll of concrete remesh, it will give 20 cages about 26 inches in diameter and five feet high for $5 each, and should last until I die.

Based on all the past discussions here about cages I think you'll find that CRW (concrete reinforcing wire or remesh) are the go-to cage options for homemade. Textas Tomato Cages are very popular for commercial cages.

As for spacing - depends in part on variety/type, the type of support you use, and mostly on whether you prune extensively or not. I use CRW cages and do not agree with extensive pruning so I use 3-4' spacing depending on variety. Many determinate varieties do fine with 3' spacing but indeterminates (like Sungold) can easily be 4' wide.

Dave

Good info here...but keep in mind you are in Florida! Crowding causes lack of good air circulation. Not a good thing in humid conditions.

Thanks fireduck if you mean me! Did I mention my cages are Stiltsville and there will be air blowing through the entire lower 1 1/2 feet ;-) Yes, you are so right about that crucial air circulation in Florida, and it is the Monkey Wrench potential of the whole cage scam I'm running ;-)

PC

On spacing, I think that 3' is pretty good if your are not going to let them sprawl. Say you use a cage with 20" in diameter ( which is pretty good size) still you will end up some space between them.
As far as air circulation goes, you can prune some lower leaves, that is mostly where air circulation is crucial., as PC mentioned (1 1/2 ft from the ground). .
Needless to say that if you have the real estate , go ahead increase the spacing.

Sey

Hi,

I do not use cages.

I built a frame for my tomatoes.

In case some of you thought the frame is too... high, the tomatoes grow 15+ ft.

Hey, Daniel, ..Welcome back ! long time no hear. Hope everything is going well with you . Please join in Hudson's thread called " Brandy Boy Contest". I remember that Brandy boy was your favorite last season.

Seysonn

Hey Seysonn... Thank you. Yeah, everything's ok here. Yep Brandy Boy was on of my fave last year. Tx for the thread. I'll go there.

Any people try the post & twine weave?

I used
both Welded Mesh Fence and Nylon Netting Trellis.

The Nylon Netting Trellis worked incredibly well. It's also cheap and easy to work with. Just make sure you have a sturdy frame (and posts if it's the case.)

I use the same 3' spacing on my plants. I use 3/4" PVC for my cages. Been doing it for many years.

I'm attaching a link (I hope) to a website with all the info.

PVC cages

I grew pretty successfully pruned to 1-3 vines in 1 square foot. I do believe it was a production hit per variety, but more varieties were able to be grown over all (and trust me, I had lots of tomatoes)

simply... BEAUTIFUL !

I like my remesh cages. Mine are about 24 inches across.

I will try to post a picture later when my computer will let me preview the darn picture before uploading it.

A pic of the cages I use. They are made from 5 foot tall remesh wire. Diameter is about 24 or so inches.

I have gone to using jut twine hanging down from 8 feet off the ground. Plants are spaced 1.5 feet apart in the rows and are spaced 3 feet apart between rows. I get 30% more tomato plants and I prune each one to 3 stems. 30% more plants does me well since I like to try a lot of different varieties. I still remesh cage my determinates with no pruning. I grow about 50 plants.

Was at 22.5 inch spacing on 4 ft wide rows (below) fitting 15 plants in the row. This year will go to a 24 inch spacing between plants with 14 plants in the row. Cages are remesh with 3 electrical coduit legs attached to each cage. Bottom of cage is about 6 inches above ground level.

nice... "jungle" you will have very soon.