Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
3r3o3b

How do you make a tomato cage bigger

2 months ago

My tomato has already outgrown its cage. I'm not trying to brag. It's planted in the raised bed, and covered with netting, so I don't want to move it. I would search, but it's not Gardeweb, it's Houzz and it gives you way too many suggestions.
Do I somehow rig another cage on top of it? Add some sticks? What would you do? I normally just sort of strap it to the pergola, but it's in the raised bed that's across the yard. I'm doing my very best to keep it away from the hornworms. Over by the pergola , is where the nicotiana and moonflower vine are. I assume the netting and the distance are enough 🤞🏻
Not going to lie, there is an uncovered tomato plant just for the hornworms. I happen to love sphynx moths.

Comments (10)

  • 2 months ago

    Is it an indeterminate tomato? You could try the Lower and Lean method.

    rob333 (zone 7b) thanked aziline
  • 2 months ago
    last modified: 2 months ago



    Three things. Please ignore the grass on the outside. I didn't expect everything to survive. And I know it needs to be weeded. P.S. the entire line of flowers behind it are really outside of the chicken wire fence. Got to keep the deer out. It's just marigolds, chilis, and a mini pumpkin tower with two tomatoes.


    Now that that's established, how can I make your method work with the tomato on the right? I'm never this successful, so I'm really at a loss

  • 2 months ago

    Oh, and it's 'Black Krim'

  • 2 months ago

    Um, if you have room, just set up another cage next to it. Lateral expansion.

    rob333 (zone 7b) thanked daninthedirt (USDA 9a, HZ9, CentTX, Sunset z30, Cfa)
  • 2 months ago

    Oh. Okay. It's just crazy to be this successful this early. He'll probably get probably taken out by a hail storm or deer. Hopefully not. Thank you.

  • 2 months ago

    Are you pruning and taking off suckers? You don’t have to, but some do and like the plant to be trimmer & have more air circulation.

    Sometimes I put a large center stake in the cage, with loosely tying the main stem for more stability , because I use a large diameter cage, and may add some stakes outside the cage also. My cage is fenced for deer also, and anything that protrudes through the fence gets pruned by the deer.
  • 2 months ago

    I've never did it to, because I've never gotten this big. I'm lucky if it survives hornworms. I don't even know that I would know what to look for to prune a sucker. Flowers, I have all day long. Vegetables not so much.

  • 2 months ago

    There are two approaches to the problem. (1) make the cage bigger, (2) make the plant smaller. It's a matter of deciding whether productivity can be compromised. Adding additional netting may be an issue, so the second option might well be more feasible.

  • 2 months ago
    last modified: 2 months ago

    I have a number of spiral stakes and use them to support long tomato vines when they top their cages - you just wind the stems into the spirals



    IIRC, I got some of mine here:

    https://www.gardeners.com/buy/spiral-plant-and-tomato-stakes/39-514.html

    Lowes has them singly:

    https://www.lowes.com/pd/Gardener-s-Blue-Ribbon-Tomato-Twist-Red/5005344769