Once you've put in all the effort to grow your tomatoes, most gardeners don't want to let the plants just sprawl all over the garden. Growing tomatoes need support, and you can either buy tomato cages, or you can invest in making tomato cages. Here's a few tips on how to make your own tomato cages and supports.

Tips on Making Your Own Tomato Cages
By John Yazo

Tomato cages are a unique and simple method of stabilizing your tomato plants along with other plants. They allow for better air flow around and through the plant, better plant exposure to sunlight, support fruit from having direct contact to the grown and allow for easy access for weeding, mulching or watering of plants. This all provides for a healthier plant, that in return will produce a bigger and better crop.

There are many types of cages that are on the market and can be purchased at most local garden centers or you can simply make your own. There are many different ways that cages can be made and with many different type of standard building material like wood, pvc, or wire that can be purchased at your local lumber yard, hardware store, or home center.

To build your own cages with wood products you can simply place four stakes around the plant and wrap twine around the stakes or you can fasten wood lath across the stakes like a ladder.

Pvc tubing can also be a good product to use to build cages. One way is to use ridged pvc and fittings to create a box type structure with cross pieces like a ladder for the plants to be supported on as they grow or you can use coiled pvc tubing, fasten one end to the ground, stretch the tubing to the desired height and fasten the top to a stake.

Concrete wire mesh or fencing wire are two other products that are commonly used to build plant cages. You can purchase rolls of wire mesh at most home centers, lumber yards or hardware stores. Simply cut the mesh to a desired length, then fasten the two ends together with snap ties creating a tube shape. Stand the tube over the plant and fasten to the ground.

Cages can be used for more than just your tomato plants. They are a great way to support tall flowers or used to support vine type plants like morning glories or string beans. They are a great benefit for any size and type of garden.

A environment friendly and healthy way of gardening. Organic Gardening is away of gardening in harmony with nature. Growing a healthy and productive crop in a way that is healthier for both you and the environment

John Yazo

http://www.organicheirloomgardening.com

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