How to Use Tomato Cages

Tomato cages offer one way of supporting tomato plants as they grow. Too often tomato cages in stores aren't strong enough for large plants. Gardener Scott discusses tomato cages and shows a new set that he is using in his garden. (Video #463)
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[@Gardeningchristine]

My local thrift store had some 6ft coated red square tomato cages in their scrap pile. They let me have them for free and there were 6 of them. Saved me about $250. So nice of them!

[@johnmeyers1943]

10/10 find, I love thrifting!

[@garden_geek]

I got those super tall black cages from gardeners supply a few years back and they’ve lasted wonderfully. They were expensive but they can handle indeterminate tomatoes without too much pruning. I also use them for smaller melon varieties, beans, peas, Malabar spinach, climbing flowers and pretty much anything you can think of. So useful!

[@lyndabuchholz1216]

I use my tomato cages to put around my tiny seedling trees to keep the deer from eating them. I put either bird netting around the cages or tulle netting. I have never found a tomato cage that worked for my tomatoes but peppers is a good idea!!

[@heidiclark6612]

I have staked and caged my tomatoes for many years. I used the Florida weave method last year and now this year. Those look like very sturdy tomato cages.

[@MichaelCoolidge]

We have gone a different route with our cattle panels. Our bed is 16 ft long so the panel is standing up down the center of it. It is held vertical with two T-posts. We then alternate which side the tomatoes are planted on down the length. It works for our tomatoes, tomatillos, and beans.

[@amygriffith3598]

That’s what we do too. It works really well.

[@GardenerScott]

I did the same for one of my beds too.

[@TheColorblindGardener]

I did that for my cherry tomatoes. For my indeterminate tomatoes, I put the cattle panel across the top and dropped strings down (roller hooks) and connected them with tomato clips

[@reinbeck1156]

Just this year transitioned all the typical cages to the peppers and my cherry toms. Added a bed of large toms and put a post system in for those beds. May be trying those big cages next year.

[@Lynda5876]

I haven’t thought about Crocodile Dundee for years. Thanks for the giggle!

[@geoffoutdoors]

Yeah those small cages i used for one season fir tomatoes they were waaaay to small so now theyre my pepper cages. My local greenhouse had taller larger square cages so i made the investment for my tomatoes and thankful i did 👍

[@Yankeesista203]

I use the very large metal square cages and utilize them the same way you did with one in the middle! So funny about the run of the mill tomato cages! I have used them for peppers, flowers, peas and Tiny Tims for years!

[@SherryEllesson]

I like the idea of using the regular round cages for peppers. I've had those get so heavy they flop over and knock down their neighbors.

[@angelblack2215]

The hubs made me 10 wood tomatoe cages this year. They are 2 ft. Square about 4-5 ft. Tall with 3 cross beams on each side. Each cage has 4 tomatoes-one on each corner. So far so good. They probably aren’t tall enough, but I may top them off at some point. They probably weigh 25-20lbs a piece. They aren’t going anywhere 😂

[@thehydrosource]

Thanks for the great video Scott!

[@frankbarnwell____]

I've relegated tomato cages to pea plants and pepper plant, duty. There is also "cage wire". It's larger wire than the welded fence. It's in 30in high widths, but can cut and raise on 2nd run.

[@dustyflats3832]

We use 2x4 welded fencing for surrounding garden, only baby rabbits can get through so we have used chicken wire on bottom. We use cattle panels attached to T-posts and I plant peppers on east side and tomatoes on west and attach with clips, string or webbed wrap as they grow and only prune the bottoms and for air flow as they grow. They need the leaves for shade. For cheaper version on second garden we used free hog wire that was thrown away attached about 1-1/2’ up to T-posts. We use tomato cages for peppers. I seen some for sale and they were $6+. I’ve seen on KZbin they cut the cattle panels to make square cages and zip tied together so they can collapse for storage. Don’t know if you anchored your towers down, but I would especially if you tie branches to cage. I’ve seen your weather and it’s opposite of ours as we are drought and excessive heat AND super dry air! I never realized you got tornados!! They look white compared to Midwest tornados. How far are you from Akron? With a wing and a prayer we have a very good chance of rain Sunday! I watched radar a few days ago and the cloud was over us and it said raining-It wasn’t! It’s Soooo dry here it dries up before it hits the ground. The hail you are getting is crazy. We are the oasis in a desert Z5a, WI. Everything wants out stuff! We had voles, moles, deer, a coon and now Potato Beetles that are relentless!! The coon was the trickiest to figure out. It tore up a lot and then it looked like trails and tunnels. It must climb up fence by compost bin. What next? An electric fence? I use fish emulsion a few days before so that probably called him in. Here’s to hoping we can pull it off with all the weather issues. I think a high tunnel is in order.

[@HealyMeans]

hi scott 🤗 great ideas for tomato cages. tfs

[@LLAMA-LLAMA]

Those look really nice, especially paired with the planter. I like how you utilized the space between them for more plants. I think the website said it’s plastic coated steel so I’m sure they’ll last a good while. I have a cattle panel set up like you would a fence but about 16” off the soil level in one bed. I also have EMT conduit spanning overhead from one bed to another and I have containers of tomatoes that I tie a string to a landscape staple and wind it around the main stem. Then I inevitably plant way too many tomato plants so I just use whatever I can find for the rest😅. The ones you’re showing look like a great option though, thanks for all of the trellis ideas!

[@kalena777]

The intro had me subscribed in a second! “That’s not a tomato cage”

[@GardenerScott]

Thanks! Welcome to the channel!

[@lastchancemonicam3948]

I liked the special effects

[@almag6524]

great idea! thanks.

[@jefffarris9238]

I agree with everything you said in this video. Those tomato cages were a decent deal - 3 for $69, then price lowered to $59, now sold out. I know it is more work tying up the stems every week or so, but I like 7 foot bamboo posts supported by 5 foot T-posts, wired together for a single pole. The single, very heavy T-posts that you can get at Tractor Supply are good too. But if you want an actual cage, I like some of the options you suggest.

[@KatesGarden]

That’s interesting that you’ve had bad luck with the concrete mesh rusting. I’ve had mine out in the garden for two years and no sign of rust yet. I wonder if they differ depending on the manufacturer. Great video as always 👍 I need to get out and trellis my tomatoes two. They’re getting huge! 😱

[@tomst9417]

Those tall cages look quite sturdy and should last a very long time. I am using the string trellis in lieu of cages. As long as I am disciplined in pruning the plants it does the job well at only the nominal cost of 2 eight foot t posts per bed, a 10' length of electrical conduit, and the metal hooks for the string and plastic clips to connect the plants to the string.

[@brianseybert2189]

A great option if you cant use a cattle panel. Those flimsy tomato cages are a joke, completely agree, they should be called pepper cages. I have a few lying around will use to support my Corno del Toro and California golden wonder peppers. Always giving good advice! Stay Well!!!

[@sparky5860]

Great video

[@bonnybabs392]

I brought home 8 pieces of cattle panel in a cargo van. Had to fold lightly them, but that's fine. 😀

[@brianbarker2670]

I use the concrete welded mesh, just make them the diameter you want and cut off the bottom for prongs. . The mesh I got is in a roll not as individual panels. As for rust I believe it doesn't get as hot as shiny metal and I can wash off any rust that gets on my hands..

[@obsessedwith_christmas]

I need the really large cages! Unfortunately, I got some of those cheap ones and my plants have totally outgrown the cages!

[@tranthiduyen615]

Xin chào bạn Scott lời chào từ Vietnam,bạn làm vườn rất tuyệt vời

[@54cal54]

Remesh wire rolls aren't $99 anymore. I'm trying the Florida weave this year got to many tomatoes. Those cheap cages work fine for paste tomatoes.

[@eliandkate]

Ha ha ha ha Loving it Hmmmmmm idea

[@user-ij2dl8ni2x]

Does The Dude abide?

[@stephenluna7932]

For the concrete mesh would using a rustoleum style spray paint work to not deal with the rust problem?

[@GardenerScott]

Yes it would.

[@jackijax505]

I need help!! I planted several jalapeños plants & turns out they are banana peppers. They put the wrong tags in the plants. Any suggestions on what to do with banana peppers?

[@GardenerScott]

I like to make pickled peppers and banana peppers are ideal for that.

[@Cod3Thr33]

Hey Scott, have you ever had any experience with broad mites? They were in my peppers all year last season, and now they're everywhere! They've ruined my okra, they're in my tomatoes, pole beans, and purple hull peas, and I'm just about ready to spray everything with insecticide. I try not to introduce chemicals into my garden, but I'm afraid if I don't do something drastic, there will be no gardening for me this year. If you have any experience dealing with broad mites, I'd sure love to hear about it. It might make a good topic for a video.

[@GardenerScott]

I haven't had a problem with them. Here's some info that might help: www.tnstate.edu/extension/documents/Broad%20Mites%20-%20TSUNRC%20Fact%20Sheet-1.pdf

[@Cod3Thr33]

@@GardenerScott, thank you!

[@patrickwalsh2361]

Nice crocodile Dundee reference! Any chance you can get Linda Kozlowsky to make future appearances on a hot day?

[@FC2ESWS]

I went through your videos and didn't see a update on how these cages worked on a full grown tomato. Did it not work?

[@GardenerScott]

They worked well. I had a couple hail storms that damaged the plants so they didn't reach as high as I hoped they would.

[@peggypease3267]

Well, the cages did not help protect against the devastating hail we just experienced a few hours ago but the cages were doing their job and did look great. My garden spinners even were bent. My question is, how do I help my plants to survive this…? Fertilize and prune what is left? Or just replant. My gardens had such a poor start this spring with cooler than average temps and so much rain. East Black Forest

[@GardenerScott]

The cages did a good job for me to support plastic draped over them and that saved my plants from hail. I've already done replanting in other beds after our "spring" and think that is often a better option if the original plants are badly damaged.

[@peggypease3267]

@@GardenerScott There wasn’t time to drape the plants. The skies just opened up. Only able to pull my deck plants to shelter before we were forced inside. 3”+ of hail and 2.5” of rain in a very short amount of time.

[@kmiller6002]

Gardener Scott.... will you Adopt me LMBO.... Seriously ive learned SO much from you.... Thank you 🙏 Kendra

[@rockymeadow7311]

They are out of stock on the cages! :>(

[@Cod3Thr33]

Dang. Tomato cages are sold out.

[@hugelpook]

Need to brush up on your Australian accent mate.

[@concernedrn2844]

Obsolete. There are better and cheaper ways to trellis tomato, beans, peas, etc...

[@mikemcdonald9960]

Where do you get the green put together cages

[@GardenerScott]

I got mine at: forevergardenbeds.com/?ref=GARDENERSCOTT