Pruning and staking tomatoes

9 years ago

Hello, all.I've been reading a lot about pruning and staking tomatoes, and I think I've learned a lot, but in the end I may just be more undecided about what route to pursue.

I have a bunch of seedlings under lights in my basement: Amish Paste, Lemondrop, Kanner Hoell, Brandywine, and Isis Candy Cherry (3 of each variety); all are indeterminates.

Looking at all the different support methods, I think I'm down to choosing between stakes/stringing and trellis--i.e., probably not cages, but that's not a complete conviction.

From what I've gleaned, if you use a stake or a string you basically should prune to a single stem, while you can use multiple stems or dispense with pruning if you use a trellis of some sort (horizontal strings, steel mesh, etc.). So, support method dictates pruning and vice versa.

My thought is to try this: for 2 of each variety (10 plants total) prune to a single stem and use along with staking or stringing--the space I can use is limited and this'll allow me to grow them closer together. Then with the remaining five plants (one of each variety) plant them either with a string trellis--either the Florida weave method or this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oCCx93hEoa8, though weaving your own mesh seems like a lot of work)--or using a couple of sheets of concrete reinforcing mesh. These five I can prune to four or so stems.

As far as staking, any reason not to use these?http://tinyurl.com/mvcpx9csharpening one end and driving it down 18-24", leaving 6' exposed.

thanks.

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Comments (3)

digdirt2
9 years ago
Well your youtube link is definitely a lot of work and the tinyurl link doesn't work.

You have identified the primary problem with all the methods except for good quality cages - lots of extra work throughout the season and very time consuming with all the building, pruning, trimming, weaving, etc. You also pay for all those other forms of support in lost production per plant. In the case of Isis that may be no big deal but for Brandywine that loss could be substantial as it isn't a big producer normally.

So you are correct that the support method you choose determines the amount of work you will have to do throughout the season. That means you first have to decide how much time you will have available daily for the work, how much you want to do it for approx 3-4 months long, and how much lost production is acceptable.

Dave
Scott (Long Island, NY--7b)
Original Author
9 years ago
last modified: 9 years ago
Ah, the text after the link got appended to it. Here it is:

http://tinyurl.com/mvcpx9c

The problems with cages for me are:

Accessibility--getting to the stuff inside.

Room: between the cages and the relative lack of pruning, I'd have less room for the plants than I'd have with single-stem staked or 3-4 stem trellised. The room I'll have for the tomatoes is limited, so if I go for cages I think I'd have to toss a third, maybe half of my seedlings.
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Labradors
9 years ago
I use the string method and find it difficult to prune to one stem just because I don't have the heart to do it. Nevertheless, I plant them close and prune to 2 or 3 stems and it works for me as I have the time to play with them every day :)

Linda