The Strongest Cages for Tomatoes!

[@rebeccarhodes8423]

So glad I found your channel. You have been missed

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks Rebecca! Glad you found us too!

[@detectivemikevarnado7515]

Travis, you are a great role model for a young man. My JoJo was a blond haired blue eyed sport much like TyTy. Tho our time was spent racing arenacross (dirt bike racing) and training, the result will be much the same. Time spent together between father and son is priceless. Enjoy it. My baby is now 34 years old. He is very successful and a great young man. Keep it up Travis, you're raising a winner.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks Mike! Great memories you have for sure!

[@terratimmerman6841]

Would love to see how Brooklyn preserves the harvest from freezing to dehydrating to canning and any recipes that she is willing to share. =)

[@LazyDogFarm]

Great suggestion!

[@natashacrystal6490]

I’ve seen one video that she canned tomatoes and was hoping to see more content like that. I’ve only made pickles so I have a lot to learn. I’m already enjoying all the gardening advice, just want more ideas on preserving.

[@jasonshuller1541]

Super happy to see I can still get my garden video fix. Alright alright alright! And tell your boy thanks for the camping invite 😂. I look forward to those videos on pop up life.

[@LazyDogFarm]

You got it!

[@shadyacrefarm1005]

Just keep planting, harvesting, and giving good growing tips and this channel will explode Travis. Thanks for taking time to make these videos. Rob

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks for joining us Rob!

[@cjr4497]

Those folding cages are nice. I have 20 round cages made out of remesh that are 25-30 years old. They don't store well though. That is my only complaint about them. You also have to stake them which isn't a big deal.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Yeah these cages are pricey, but the ability to fold them makes it worth it IMO.

[@terratimmerman6841]

Love the lessons that little man is learning including that it's ok to drink from the hose! Thanks for sharing your family and your knowledge with us!

[@LazyDogFarm]

Well water straight from the hose! Doesn't get much better than that!

[@jessicahellar323]

I'm still amazed at how some people freak out about drinking from a hose. Fresh well water untreated with chemicals straight from the hose, there's not much better.

[@jerrygeorgopolis8015]

Just found your new channel Travis. Enjoy seeing/hearing the family, and the spontaneous children's comments !

[@LazyDogFarm]

Welcome aboard!

[@mysuburbanadventures9241]

Great video now you can make them from A-Z your way. Thanks Travis always enjoy watching and learning from you. Keep them coming

[@LazyDogFarm]

You bet!

[@1bonniesbluestar]

Loved seeing little Tyty! On future videos, anything that helps us amateur gardeners get it done faster & easier. Tips, tricks and things you've learned just from experience. PLUS recipes that your family has come to enjoy from things you've grown in the garden (videos of how to prepare them) Your favorite tools, fertilizers, composting tricks.... etc.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Noted!

[@angelalowe5987]

I like the way the cages look. Your son is doing a great job helping in the garden. ❤️

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks Angela!

[@TalkingThreadsMedia]

The tomatillos I grew in2020 got between 3-1/2 to 4 feet tall. The plant is rather bushy - and you need at least two plants for pollination. I did not cage or use Florida weave. Instead, I trellised using the method Josh Sattin showed in his video - a trellis to make you jealous. You will enjoy growing tomatillos. Wonderful flavor addition to homemade salsa! Good luck to you and Brooklyn as you launch your new channel. Best wishes, Kate in Olympia, WA - 4/24/2021.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks Kate. I think we're going to weave them with some tall t-posts and see how that works. We've got 9 plants, so we should have good pollination hopefully.

[@diannemiller4754]

Enjoyed your video. I will be putting my garden in the ground late May or early June here in Michigan.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks Diane! Good luck on starting your new garden!

[@bobbietharrington6690]

Pomegranates are great! This country girl was introduced to them a few years ago. Had no idea what to do. You peel them and take out the "seeds" as I call em. I had to Google it! Lol! They are juicy with a little crunch. I freeze the seeds and take out what I need to put in salads. Or with roasted root veggies. They taste like cranberries but sweeter. I love them! I think I just put this comment on the wrong video. Lol. Love the tomatoes by the way. Ours will be ready to set out about Mother's day.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks for sharing about the pomegranates Bobbie!

[@naplescajun]

Great video! Love seeing the little one helping in the garden!

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks!

[@SuperKingslaw]

Not sure if you do much raised bed gardening. I would love to see your approach to that technique

[@LazyDogFarm]

Might need to add a few so we can show that.

[@eydiewimberly3029]

I would like to see also

[@davidwho8215]

We farm our 5 acre homestead as well, and though I have eight 1000 sq/ft plots, I also have done raised beds and raised square planters, so I’d like to see this as well.

[@monikas5125]

I’m glad I found you again missed your videos

[@LazyDogFarm]

Glad you found us Monika!

[@monikas5125]

@@LazyDogFarm me too

[@doozie8173]

Glad to see you back out in the garden! I’m looking forward to more videos on your new channel.

[@LazyDogFarm]

More to come!

[@bradwarren8833]

Several questions for you! Love the new YT channel.... 1. I am planting potatoes in buckets this year. Even Though it is nowhere near time to harvest them, when do I harvest them? When the leaves start to brown? 2. Where are you going to start purchasing seeds for future crops? 3. will you continue to use wheel hoes, etc in the future? 4. Will you start selling merchandise?

[@LazyDogFarm]

1) Whenever the plants start dying back 2) Lots of different places likely 3) Some, yes 4) Yes

[@donnagonzales9041]

Alright alright alright! Finally found out where you went! Great channel, love the updates, tips and timesavers! I need to get a mule! I thought you were talking about an actual mule to carry the tomato cages!! 🤣

[@LazyDogFarm]

Glad you found us Donna!

[@mattingly1217]

Nice video ! I love mulching with straw.... it can be a pain to spread around your plants sometimes so I have been running my straw through a shredder on a chipper shredder..... man does that make it so much easier to lay around the plants..... its kinda like those bales of E.Z. straw only cheaper lol

[@LazyDogFarm]

We don't use it much because it's $6 a bale, but it does come in handy for some situations.

[@heatherfranklin9197]

So glad to see good gardening tips and quality family time. Try reminds me of gardening with my children when they were lil bitty. Brings back good memories. Keep the content coming! 👌

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks Heather!

[@jessicahellar323]

Our tomatoes tend to last well into September here so they get super tall. I've typically pruned them to a single stem and used tomato clips going up a single string. I've seen the tomato cages though and I've wondered if that would be a lot easier. What did you think of them?

[@LazyDogFarm]

If yours grow into September, the cages probably wouldn't work well for you. Cages work for us because ours are toast in July. And even by then, they're usually falling over the top of the cage. I'd keep doing the single stem string technique that you're doing.

[@jessicahellar323]

@@LazyDogFarm I love how good you are about responding to questions. It's such a huge help. We're up here in North Carolina so we get a long tomato growing season. Looks like I'll be keeping up with my one line system. Just can't get lazy and forget for a couple weeks, then things get crazy. Plants are everywhere 🤣

[@chuckmiller5763]

Extreme temps? It will be 108 degrees this week in Arizona. I hope it dont mess up my tomatoes.

[@wesleydavis5406]

Best cage ever!!

[@LazyDogFarm]

No doubt about that!

[@glowingupmom]

Excited for your NEW adventure! I’ve learned sooo much from you in the past 🌱 Wishing you and your family all the best! #GodSpeed #YoureStillAlrightAlrightAlrightWithMe

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thank you! You too!

[@blueridgehomestead4860]

Love the info and the little helper 😊! Thanks for sharing Travis. Cages for the Tomatillos. They don't get really tall and are more of a bush. Heavy producers!

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks for the info!

[@carolavant3778]

Always great information! Titus is a wonderful little helper! I finally got my garden started. We had a break in the rain yesterday and today, and I managed to till the first zone and install 9 rows of drip tape. Before the rain set in this afternoon, I got two rows of tomatoes in the ground: Tachi and Incredible. Keeping my fingers crossed for a few dry hours tomorrow so I can get the rest in the ground!

[@LazyDogFarm]

Supposed to rain here all day tomorrow. Hopefully you're able to get that garden finished!

[@lanesteele240]

Good luck with the new channel. Ill be here for each show.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks Lane!

[@lindaedwards9756]

Tomatillo’s grow just like indeterminate tomatoes. I treat them just the same . I like the straw idea for tomatoes as well. Going to try that this year .

[@LazyDogFarm]

Let us know how you like it!

[@kimcritchfield5796]

I thought tomatillos grew more horizontal, like ran across the ground? Maybe that’s why I don’t ever have a good harvest?!!! 😂. Travis, be sure and show us what you do so I can see it with my two eyes!!

[@donnastormer9652]

I really like those bigger tomato cages but I had some extra stock panels so I cut them to the size that I wanted and I use zip ties to make basically the same thing but taller and those have worked out really good for tomato cages and they’re so much cheaper. I’ll obviously be able to use those for years to come as well. I think I paid $18 for my 16 1/2 foot stock panel and I got two really nice cages out of it

[@LazyDogFarm]

Good idea Donna! Way to be resourceful!

[@donnalutheran6335]

Where did you get your cages? I bought something similar on Amazon. The first batch was fantastic but I reordered and the second batch fell apart at the corners. I'm not going to send them back though but re enforce with zip ties. I might try making some with wood but I have very little skills with power saws

[@mpobedinsky]

Great video, and I also have and love those cages! They are a good investment since you don't really need to tie the plant to anything. Good luck with the new channel! :)

[@LazyDogFarm]

They'll last a very long time. That's for sure.

[@leahness3588]

You've got some good helpers.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks Leah! In another month or so they'll be out of school and can hopefully help a lot more!

[@leahness3588]

@@LazyDogFarm gardening is a good life lesson, your a good teacher.

[@mjh3392]

I use the cheap tomato cages from lowes for my tomatillos. I plant a few every year to attract bees and butterflies. They go crazy for them.

[@LazyDogFarm]

They sure do make a lot of flowers.

[@MichelleM0704]

I have used cages for tomatillos in the past. Florida weave might work though because my experience has been they fizzle out about the same time as tomatoes here around Houston, TX.

[@LazyDogFarm]

I think I may weave them.

[@wtb2056]

@@LazyDogFarm We did the Florida weave on our tomatillos last year, but they were so prolific, the cotton string we used snapped under the weight. So, we just let them run as they wished, and we had quite the harvest.

[@shanematurin4853]

I would definitely do some harvesting videos as much as you grow show your pickings with everything Travis 💪🏻💪🏻💪🏻

[@LazyDogFarm]

Will do!!

[@Zombie34343]

Do a video on your jing jang okra, I just planted mine and want to see how yours are doing.

[@LazyDogFarm]

We transplanted ours a week or so ago. They haven't grown much. But we'll definitely show them once they start producing.

[@tammywest1642]

I'm growing determinate tomatoes, and I was going to put them on the hortanova trellising. Then I saw this and hear you say you're doing the FL weave... That triggered my memory that you did the hortonova last year or the year before and didn't like it so much. Can you tell me what the pros and cons were?

[@LazyDogFarm]

The trellis netting worked pretty well for cherry tomatoes last year, but it isn't strong enough for larger tomatoes.

[@andrewlittlefield3425]

Travis, you showed me that I really don’t need a bunch of land to get plenty of food from my garden! Thanks 😊

[@LazyDogFarm]

Any time!

[@blakemartin2511]

Travis, do you have bee boxes for your garden? If so could you do a video of the benefits, how to get started, and what you do to maintain a healthy hive. Thanks

[@LazyDogFarm]

I do have a bee box but it appears my bees have left. Beekeeping is not a skill I possess, but something I'd definitely like to learn.

[@terryduprie6313]

Great video Travis. Like the new channel as I have already subscribed, watched and liked both videos, as well as hit the bell. I'll be a regular watcher. Nice that you introduced all your pets in the first video. Looking forward to future ones. How often are you thinking you will put one out?

[@LazyDogFarm]

I'm going to try and do three a week -- Mon, Wed & Friday. We'll see if I can keep up that pace, but that's the current plan.

[@terryduprie6313]

Thanks Travis, that is great, but 1 or 2 will satisfy your viewers in my opinion. I realize there is always more to the story, but I have to share my thoughts with you. I can only imagine this is a bit of a difficult time, but my father unfortunately passed away too young at 56 and now I am aged 56. I would do anything to bring him back and have some time enjoying his company. I hope that you and your father can mend whatever happened and enjoy the father son relationship that all of your viewers enjoyed watching. I'm not judging either of you and I certainly understand how family dynamics can go crossways, but you only have a short time to enjoy one another's company. I'm supportive of both of you and pray all works out the way it should. I do enjoy watching you with your family and especially how you are teaching your boys to garden. Some of my best memories are in the garden with my father and grand father.

[@kevinhusband493]

Have you tried the Havis trellis system for the Cherry tomatoes?

[@LazyDogFarm]

Tried the trellis netting last year for cherry tomatoes. Worked pretty well, but you have to continually weave them through the netting every few days as they grow.

[@abena614-cool]

I am so happy you are back with new videos. I have become an avid gardener from watching and listening to your gardening strategies. This season my plants are thriving so well and it is amazing how beautiful my backyard garden looks. I have to say thank your for sharing knowledge with us all.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Great to hear!

[@DeepSouthHomestead]

Cages for tomatillos. We grew them years ago and they produce heavy

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks!

[@kipboswell4955]

Took me a while to catch on that you had moved. Good luck in your new endeavors. Glad I found your channel

[@jenbuckner6924]

I’m keeping my tomatillos in some big grow bags. They tend to be prolific and can become weedy.

[@LazyDogFarm]

That's a good idea!

[@lorithornhill649]

Another great one. Thanks

[@LazyDogFarm]

Glad you enjoyed it

[@Root_and_Fleurish_Farm]

Tomatillos tend to bush out. It’s like a ground cherry if you’ve ever grown that. I usually stake and tie so they’d do well in a cage. :)

[@LazyDogFarm]

Never grown ground cherries intentionally, but do have a few that pop up as weeds on occasion.

[@KajunHomestead]

great video , keep them coming , love the family action

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks Bradley!

[@jeremyedgeworth9087]

It would be interesting to see a more vlog type video. Something different than the same type videos you made for the other channel. Maybe even a day in the life. You have created a great following and need to build on that.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Sounds good!

[@southerncrossfarmandhomest9291]

Love those tomato cages. Do you have a brand name or supplier you could pass along ?

[@LazyDogFarm]

www.cedarridgemfg.com/tomato-cage/

[@edwarddennis2729]

Have you looked into tomato grafting? Thoughts, if you have?

[@LazyDogFarm]

I've never tried it, but follow quite a few market farmers on FB who do it. Plant propagation is not one of my strong suits. I can grow transplants, but getting things to grow from cuttings has always been a struggle.

[@4KidsandaFarm]

Explain why you cage determinant vs Florida weave indeterminates.

[@LazyDogFarm]

We cage the indeterminates and Florida Weave the determinants because the determinate plants only get 4' tall or so. You could certainly cage the determinates as well, but the Florida Weave is a more cost-effective option if you have a longer row.

[@ronnieortiz6803]

Did you build those tomato cages? Or? You never mentioned anything about them specifically in the video

[@LazyDogFarm]

Here's a link: amzn.to/3xaOxHE

[@joshward9835]

What variety were the cherry tomatoes? Was it the mt. Vineyard’s?

[@LazyDogFarm]

I believe the ones that are already producing are called Sweet Hearts.

[@davidcarmichael8006]

Where you find wheat straw around here?

[@LazyDogFarm]

There's a produce place at the local farmers market that usually has it year round. Can't remember the name of it, but it's right beside the restaurant.

[@davidcarmichael8006]

@@LazyDogFarm Moultrie?

[@mariebarnes416]

I always enjoy your videos and learn so much. I look forward to learning more from future videos.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Glad to hear it!

[@livingeverydayoutdoors7374]

I just pruned and suckered my tomato’s today. I used pine straw last year and about to put some down tomorrow. Do you know any reason for not using pine straw?

[@LazyDogFarm]

Nothing wrong with pine straw. We use it all around our house for our shrubbery.

[@shawnhagen6871]

Took a couple years to break down in my garden.

[@bobbun9630]

My limited experience (only grew them once) is that cages should work fine for tomatillos. They have bifurcating growth habit similar to a pepper plant, though the stems aren't quite as stiff. I'm going to be growing ground cherries this year, which are also in the Physalis genus, and my seedings show that same growth habit, though the plants do seem to have a wider spread than I remember from tomatillos. I grow indeterminate tomatoes, and in the past have supported them using hand built trellising made from T-posts with bamboo laterals. Obviously I don't grow as many tomatoes as you do. This year I have put up an overhead beam and run strings down it, and I intend to prune the tomatoes to a single main stem trained up a string. I'm allowing about eight feet, and suspect that I might have to add extensions at the top of the string and ease the plants down by the end of the season. It does get up to the 90's, and occasionally over 100 here in the Arkansas Ozarks, but I have never had tomatoes succumb to the heat. The humidity may be a bit lower than yours, though.

[@LazyDogFarm]

I like the idea of the overhead wire or beam. Have seen it done on other channels. Might try that next year.

[@anitakimberlin283]

Do you sell the tomato cages?

[@LazyDogFarm]

Here's a link to the company that makes them: www.cedarridgemfg.com/tomato-cage/

[@anitakimberlin283]

Thank you!

[@jaredmccutcheon5496]

Be careful with tomatillos. They get huge, unrully, and come back as weeds everywhere in your garden for years after you planted them. I had them everywhere last year and kept pulling them and tilling them in for the whole summer, my wheel hoe was one thing that saved me from them, lol, crazy thing was that I hadn't grown them for 3 years but after I tilled that part of my garden up again they came back with a vengance. I would cage them because they can get very large. Side note, I'm super sad for he split from Hoss. Literally one of my top 5 favorite favorite channels. I'm another one thet would like to know what the split derived from. The build up to spring planting with this springs videos and then split seems like it was not planned out and everyone is going to want to know what the deal is. It is obviously personal business but when you share so much of your life with us in vids we all feel like friends and are naturally concerned and curious why the sudden twist. Hope everything is ok with both you and Greg Travis. You guys seemed to work so well together, but anyone with any sence at all knows that marketing and real life can look very different. I'm still very happy with all of the purchases I made from Hoss, even though the last few rounds of seeds didnt go very smoothly. I attribute that to massive demand and human error, no biggie.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks for the tips on the tomatillos! Hopefully we can keep any seeds from volunteering in future years.

[@gabbyrico4877]

Working with family can get hard, I have for about 15 years on and off. Sometimes the line between work and personal life disappears and you just need a break.

[@bonniestahmer6796]

Cant wait to learn more from both channels and your little boy such a good helper love seeing different side of how u do things

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks so much

[@allenhickman5914]

Freezing tomatoes: I like to pick the tomatoes...keep out the nice tomatoes with no blemishes for freezing. DO NOTHING to the tomatoes other than rinsing them off and cutting out the stem. Place them on a cookie sheet and put in the freezer. Once they are frozen hard, I then put them in a vacuum bag and vacuum them. Put them back in the freezer. They seem to keep good quality for a really long time (over a year or more). When I want some tomatoes to cook with, then I can take out how how ever many I want to use. run them over running water in the sink and the skins just fall off. Easiest way of preserving tomatoes I know of.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Never heard of doing that, but sounds like a solid plan!

[@gmcvay4]

Good video trav.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Thanks y'all!

[@PaffordHomestead]

Wow lots of tomatoes, good looking young man you have there❤️👍

[@LazyDogFarm]

So nice of you

[@Zombie34343]

Are we gonna see the pumpkin contest?!

[@LazyDogFarm]

We have lots of different pumpkins and winter squash planted, but will no longer be participating in the competition.

[@bpfsu]

11:32 Thought you were puking until I got a little more context.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Hah!

[@hondosmith8234]

Weavem’

[@LazyDogFarm]

I think that's what I'm gonna do.

[@Cindysmiths-homesteadlife]

I like those cages

[@LazyDogFarm]

They're made by an Amish guy in Pennsylvania. Here's a link: www.cedarridgemfg.com/tomato-cage/

[@Wilk853]

What’s up with hair cut still think u will end up with ponytail

[@LazyDogFarm]

I was working on it, but had to cut it recently. Started a digital marketing agency and needed a little cleaner look for all these meetings I've been having. Lol.

[@Wilk853]

@@LazyDogFarm enjoy ur viedos

[@outsidewithjeff]

Will there be any insight into the split from The other channel anytime in the future?

[@LazyDogFarm]

Not likely. We're just trying to enjoy life and making gardening videos here.

[@louissullivan1266]

Address the issue.... you’ve built a social group that feels like a family and may potentially feel betrayed. Idk if I speak for most people but I would be more willing to support both channels if I got an explanation... at this point I’m regretting spending so much money with hoss and will be unsubscribing from both in the near future.

[@outsidewithjeff]

@@LazyDogFarm that makes me sad 😢, I feel like I’ve watched 300+ hours of Travis and Greg while being stuck working from home during the pandemic and it’s upsetting to have a such an abrupt separation without any insight even if it’s just a small insight. It’s like a bad ending to a television series that you’ve Became attached to. Bless you guys and I’ll keep watching both I just wish we could all know what happened instead of everyone speculating. Thank you Travis for all you have done for my gardening interest over the last year you reignited my passion for gardening which was dormant for a few years.

[@davemckenzie7851]

@@louissullivan1266 he doesn’t owe you shit and it’s really none of your business. Not his fault you have an unhealthy obsession with drama. Quit being nosy and enjoy the channels.

[@louissullivan1266]

@@davemckenzie7851 tough guy

[@eydiewimberly3029]

Titi is going to be a lady killer! Big helper

[@LazyDogFarm]

He's a mess! If we can just get him to keep his clothes on, we're doing good.

[@MrsLovelyPendragon]

@@LazyDogFarm lol I busted out laughing at your comment ❤️ I had the opposite problem, I dressed up in my mommas clothes and high heels... Ahhh thank you for bringing back some good memories 👍

[@bigtitan27]

Tomatillos can get out of control. Definitely cage them.

[@LazyDogFarm]

Good to know!