Tomato Cages

New fangled tomato supports

I have been struggling for years with the best way to support tomato plants. They seem so puny in the spring when you plant them. How could they possibly need so much support? Eggplant is a prolific producer and needs no support. So too, most pepper plants. But tomatoes are different. Their fruit is weighted down with lots of water and are super heavy.

In the past we have used tomato cages (anyone need about 100?). They work great at the beginning of the season. But by the time harvest rolls around, they are toppled over and the plants are back on the ground. In addition, the cages make it difficult to prune branches, a very important step when growing tomatoes.

Tomato stakes work well. But they are a huge labor drain. Every tomato has to be individually staked and they have to be retied to the stake every week or two. With so many things to do in the garden this time of year, that seems less than efficient. What usually ends up happening is that you get a top heavy plant with lots of broken branches.

This year, we decided to try something new. Pantyhose! By tieing pantyhose to tomato stakes, we can get several plants per stake. In addition, pantyhose has way more give than twine, so the delicate tomato plant branches don't break or get cut. Also, pantyhose is strong enough to support even a huge tomato plant weighed down with fruit.

The only issue was getting the pantyhose home. I just couldn't bring myself to buy 60 pairs of hose by myself (what would the clerk think I was doing with them?) So, I brought Karen along and we got out with no questions asked! I'll let you know how our new experiment works for better or worse.