Tomato plants are one of the few veggies that I make sure to grow in my garden each spring. I like giant red tomatoes, little cherry tomatoes, golden tomatoes, and Roma tomatoes. If you like these tasty veggies in your garden, then take a look at the 5 fun ideas for growing tomatoes that I've posted below. You might come across a new idea for giving your tomato plants the support they need to survive the growing season.
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Attach Two Mesh Panels Together
The frame around the mesh can be wood, plastic, or metal. The mesh should be sturdy enough to withstand the weight of the tomato plant as it begins to have fruit on it. As long as the frame is able to hold the mesh in place and support your plant, then you can make it from whatever type of material you have available.
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Stake Them out
I find that a simple stake stuck in the ground gives smaller tomato plants all the support they need. The hard part is remembering to keep a close eye on plants with a single stake used for support. You'll have to make sure that the tomato plant is tied to the stake at regular intervals. New ties will have to be added as the plant grows to keep your plant from falling over and breaking.
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Create a Teepee out of Long Sticks
Three or four sticks tied together at the top and then flared out at the bottom make an excellent support for any size of tomato plants. I find that a tomato teepee works best for bigger plants that produce large fruit. The sticks or thin branches need to be long enough that they can be tied at the top and spaced out evenly at the bottom, leaving enough room for the tomato plant to grow in the center of the sticks.
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Make a Mini-greenhouse around Each Plant
If you live in a region where the summers take a while to warm up, then you can protect your plants and give them a boost with the help of wire and plastic. Place a tomato cage around each plant and then wrap a sheet of clear plastic around each cage. The cage will provide support, while the plastic offers protection from the wind and it holds in the heat from the sun.
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Build Your Own Tomato Cage
There's no gardening rule that says tomato cages have to be round. Get some nails and pieces of scrap wood and make your own cages from scratch. Nail the pieces of wood together to form a sort of crate around the tomato plant. Make sure the crate is large enough to allow your plant to grow comfortably.
I hope you can use some of these ideas for growing tomatoes. There really isn't much to taking care of a tomato plant, but if it doesn't have adequate support, all it takes is one gust of wind and your plant is history. Do you have any tips on staking out tomato plants that you’d like to share?
Top Photo Credit: bellyanz1
