Three Easy Methods to Trellis and Support Tomatoes (Grow Bags Too!)

[@italiana626sc]

Just a small suggestion: a much more close-up view would help. I personally know what the clamps are and how to apply them, but it wasn't super evident in this video. Just a suggestion for those who don't already know. I think it would really help to have close ups on all of these methods. Love your channel!!

[@jacquesinthegarden]

I thought I had some decent close ups but I missed that one! I will try to show more detailed closeups in future videos!

[@icouldjustscream]

We bought a few groceries at Walmart today. $4.57 for 5 small tomatoes. We'll be happy once we start getting produce from our garden! We have: Sungold, 42 day, chocolate stripes, old German, Berkeley, and giant crimson tomato seedlings started.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Tomatoes are always so pricy yet flavorless from the store, we almost never bother to buy them because they are so sad.

[@doumbasera2202]

Tomatoes from supermarket are the worst. Better buy at local organic gardener ,they taste way better,fresh and healthier.

[@meriphiusfelamorr779]

You're one of the top 3 most wholesome and adorable humans on the planet and I greatly appreciate your videos.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Thank you!

[@garden_geek]

When we bought our house we found that the previous owners had left behind some welded wire fencing. I’ve been using it to make cages for my grow bags too, it works great! I especially love it for cucumbers. Why didn’t I think of that wheelbarrow hack before?? Brilliant!

[@karensmith246]

Wow! Thank you so much for being so detailed. Every time I watch one of your videos you answer so many questions that I haven't found anyone else addressing. Thank you Jacques 🙏

[@funty420]

I've been waiting for something like this. Thank you. I am growing in bags + pots in VA and have indeterminate heirlooms

[@ethanletzer3507]

Another great vid from our friendly neighborhood Garden Hermit!!!

[@maryzwierecki5646]

Thanks. I enjoyed this. Never get tired of trellis ideas.

[@joanies6778]

I like using the nylon cord that came attached to my tomato hooks, then I use tomato clips the whole distance. There is no rubbing of the cord on the plant. Last year I got the j-hooks to support heavy branches full of paste tomatoes that grow in clusters. Paracord can be found at Dollar Store for $1.25 for a 40 ft. spool.

[@aj-li4ly]

Thanks for another great video!

[@nomadhomad3685]

My favorite method so far has been the Florida weave. Super easy and noninvasive. You just need 2 poles and string. Works great for pepers too

[@jacquesinthegarden]

It is really a fantastic and easy system and yes it is perfect for peppers!

[@manolocastillo315]

I always find ur videos interesting as a beginning gardener

[@justcallmejean1090]

Lining my grow bags with a layer of cardboard has put a stop to the water draining out the sides of the grow bag of straight away. I’ve been doing it for 3 years now and it works a treat.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Interesting, makes sense and then the cardboard breaks down eventually

[@desertflower9557]

Great idea, I kept mentioning this challenge but, was getting back info that did not help.

[@blessingeison]

Thank you for this calming video.. your voice is soothing and you explain it perfectly for me. I never understood sucker or leave or fruit on a 🍅 plant.

[@Carmen-ok]

You have provided some great information. Both trellising systems look that they will provide a substantial amount of support for the tomato plants 🌱🍅

[@maryannditullio2581]

Thank you so much for a very understanding Description of what you are doing and why. Giving multiple options how to trellis our tomatoes according to how we are growing them. Very informative! Now I am ready for fall planting ! 💕

[@dannellivery2021]

Thank you. The video was great. Now I have some ideas to suport my garden plants. Have a great Sunday.

[@crystalvazquez6596]

Love the wheelbarrow trick....thank you for sharing 🌞

[@ulla.umlaut]

I have found the cable ties that come with my washing machine lint socks are my favorite, ever. They are thick and sturdy, and most importantly: they have lever so you can unzip them easily. Great for places where you want zip tie security, but the ability to re-do.

[@daisyblooms4813]

Great tip about the fertilizer. Thanks Jacques!

[@XCellenTruckerBellz]

Great sharing they looked healthy, completed watching 19:07

[@thereseavelis1372]

Hi Jacques! Your garden is wonderful and inspiring, especially all the flowers. Like the chickens, too 😊. Another method for trellising tomatoes can be found in Animal, Vegetable, Mineral by Barbara Kingsolver, pgs 118-120. A gardener she comes across in Massachusetts grows tomatoes (albeit in a poly tunnel type greenhouse) with a string from the ground to the top of the tunnel, with a coil of string at the top. As the plant grows, she lets out the string at the top as the lower leaves die first. Coils the part of the plant that is no longer producing on the ground, and the rest of the plant continues to climb the string. Just a thought. Thanks for sharing your garden and talents with the rest of us! Cheers, Tess

[@AJsGreenThumbLLC]

Excellent video Jacques!

[@trevorborcky7405]

Awesome video!! I can't wait until I have a yard to grow in again. For now, I will continue container gardening in front of my apartment. My spot only gets around 5hrs of direct sunlight, so my plants don't get extra tall but still produce enough. I will be upgrading to epic seed cells next year when money isn't so tight, because I'm fed up with the cheap plastic ones I have only had for 2 years but they are already cracking.

[@Dafniforfree]

Exactly what I needed! I've started on my tomatoes the other day so its nice to see how I should go with em I my growing bags!

[@pineappleapplepens]

the DIY tomato cage looks amazing.

[@annienovak]

Great tips on the grow bag support!

[@sandyflores2656]

I'm using the Florida weave for the first time and am excited to see how that tames my inevitable tomato jungle I end up with. :)

[@rockyusa2012]

Great suggestions 👏🍅

[@pamici1]

So many great ideas!

[@haventli]

Very nice tip for the grow bag cage! I have the same problem with water coming out the side but have found that building up a little lip of soil around the outer edge was a fix for me. Happy gardening!

[@helenmcclellan452]

Wow, your video came just in time. We are going to try all the methofs to see which we like best. Thank you!

[@cynthiak2955]

Thanks for all the great tips!!

[@matadaniel6520]

Awesome info Jacques trellis for my grow bag 🍅🍅 thank you 👍

[@juliepuhr9806]

Excellent video. Great presentation

[@Islandlife488]

Thanks so much for this video. Definitely going to try this at my dad's house this year

[@debihediger4760]

Enjoyed seeing another informative interesting video.👍🏼🍅

[@judyh3017]

Excellent video….sooo helpful! Thx Jacques!

[@irenesilva744]

Thank you, Jacques. Super helpful!

[@rebeccazody1278]

Great video, Jacque! Thank you

[@wdsjrmd1]

great information. i love learning from you

[@vee5032]

Thank you jack, I was actually debating on taking the flowers out of tomatoes after transplanting, we have 58 and above temps at night and 96 during the day

[@Neenerella333]

My raised beds are all framed and caged in with metal chicken wire. (I got squirrels and ravens)My indigo cherries just climbed up that by themselves. The stems were half in thick, so I didn't worry about the stems getting hurt. The jute the previous owners used for green beans was rotten in no time(just like you said).

[@krissykrimmel4640]

Thank you so much for this video, love the idea using string and putting use to all the branches that make there way to the ground, ill be trying this when able to get outside and garden!

[@lenam2114]

Great video!

[@treasuretreereynolds1764]

Thank you, Jacque. I like the basket weave method. It’s easier for me I think. I had forgotten about that method! Have a great week! 💜☀️💜 Actually, the net trellis seems better for me.

[@hansejr]

First time watching you. Glad to see you incorporate azomite in the planting hole. I had used it at the clematis garden where I previously worked. We used it as a top dressing for newly potted clematis. I had so much leftover though and was wondering else to use it on. Looking forward to watching more of your tips.

[@jennifersiegrist8440]

Great video, I learned the hard way to not tie twine around the base of your young tomato as the stem will get bigger and it will choke it. ❤️❤️🌻🌻

[@sudhac1384]

Love this video!! So informative. Thank you!!

[@mariansims7936]

Thank you, good idea for the fencing for tomato cages especially when you have rabbits and nosy dogs. 😂

[@christinawong7093]

Love the variety of tips. I’ve used the wire fence cage and can attest that it works really well.

[@AlvinMcManus]

The bags you are using are a bit pricey for me, but I love the planting technique you use.

[@umhebes]

Yay! Thanks jaques!

[@Unifyhandmade]

I LOVE using those tomato clips, with the garden staples, and I actually use thick clear fishing string because I worry that the twines on the market will mold, or attract small pests-but mostly because I don’t like seeing the twine or trellises 😅 it looks cool with the clear fishing line, as though the plants are magically growing and standing on their own.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Haha that is an interesting method, I guess I would think the fishing line would be able to cut the plants up in some wind.

[@Unifyhandmade]

@@jacquesinthegarden So far so good! I haven't seen any tomato stems cut up as of yet! I don't spin the fishing line around the plants, though, that's what I use the plastic tomato clips for. :-D

[@siamstation]

Fantastic video on how to support the tomato plants. This coming season I will be using a trellis for support, rather than those tomato cages. Blessings from Australia ❤️

[@nancycowell-miller4321]

Great info - as always! I might try a tomato in a grow bag this year!

[@bigtomatoplantslover6205]

Beautiful Plants and good gardening. Include Like it, I leave 3 presents. Have a good relationship. My friend, always stay connected~~

[@Gothbrooks420]

great content and thanks! I planted a tomato in the corner of my Birdies raised bed as an experiment. Like I do most things... now I have to figure out how its going to work after the fact because its an indeterminate! I think ill use the parachute cord trick!

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Next time try growing dwarf tomatoes, they are indeterminate but only get to be 3-5' tall!

[@mystlkitchengarden]

I use para cord in in my greenhouse. Works great.

[@squashit339]

I used a cattle panel and 3 t-posts this year and I am excited about it. One at each end and one in the middle and hung the panel starting 1 foot off the ground. I've tried the Florida weave and hated it, my tomatoes were leaning and there was string everywhere 😵 I've also tried a t-post for each tomato in the past and that works but if you want to rotate tomatoes year to year you have to pull all the posts out which is a pain. Cattle panel arch from one bed to the other works pretty good, but when the tomatoes reach the arch they don't want to curve, they want to grow up straight lol

[@jacquesinthegarden]

I really really need to go buy some cattle panel, there are no nearby stores that have it. I also will need to tie down to the car roof but that should be fine.

[@squashit339]

@@jacquesinthegarden Tractor Supply! Join their rewards and they give out free deliveries all the time! In March I bought 3 and they brought straight to the house free!

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Wow that is a pro tip! Never thought about delivery for some reason haha

[@elisabetk2595]

@@squashit339 This is something that would solve all my problems. I'd like to use some to make square cages - two 4 ft wide pieces bent at 90 degrees (use a 2x4). Zip tie two pieces together to make a cage; take them apart and they transport and store easily.

[@jaredmccutcheon5496]

I make cages out of concrete reinforcement wire. It’s much stronger than welded wire and you can put your hands through the squares to harvest tomatoes.

[@ddgardner5671]

Thanks for letting us know about the paracord. The jute twine I'm using is failing. It seems that when it is in or on wet ground, it disintegrates enough to break.

[@Oktopia]

Thank you for another informative video! Interesting to see different methods. Get in closer for the details though. Also using the net wouldn't it be bad for birds to get stuck in them maybe?

[@ryanr.719]

I highly recommend using Hortonova trellis netting in the future. It is so much better and easier to use.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

I still haven't used it but I have always seen it around, its the hard plastic material rather than "string" right?

[@ryanr.719]

@@jacquesinthegarden Yes, it’s kinda like the plastic that holds 6-packs of beer/soda. Tomato clips work the same on the hortonova as the flimsy netting. I think you’d prefer it as I do.

[@VaultDwellerGal]

Awesome trellis methods; thanks for sharing! With the trellis net, how hard is it to resist yelling Goooooooooooooal every time you see a new tomato? Asking for a friend.

[@freewaybaby]

If you don’t want to use zip ties at the top (on the netting), you can weave the netting in and out of the top rail.

[@MMuraseofSandvich]

I was wondering if Paracord is appropriate, since I have a bunch. Great that you're using that.

[@MMuraseofSandvich]

I like the basket weave. If all goes well I'll have 6 tomato plants in a rather small space and I picked up a couple of heavy wire trellises for structure. Also I have some cucumbers.

[@なんの変哲も無いただの人]

日本からこんにちは。 英語はわからないけれど、こんなやり方もあるんだなあと勉強になったよ。

[@joshuahouse682]

Para cord can hold up to 550 lbs. Great video. I use the single string method myself. I like your brackets for the conduit.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

This is the skinny stuff I think its called 275 so it only holds 275 lbs!

[@joshuahouse682]

That would probably work better than 550 cord. Are you and Kevin going to be selling the corner brackets? I have tried to find some, but all I found was the 4 inch long brackets.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

We will be! We were hoping it would be ready like last week but with the way things go it probably won't be until next week (start of May) .

[@ncgardener7468]

Can you provide the info on the silver (metal?) frame? The pole system looks very handy as well, what is the poles used and how did you secure it in the garden bed? I am very novice and would love to try this but i need to set up the frame. Thanks!!!

[@jacquesinthegarden]

The poles are 3/4" EMT conduit, it is something you can find in most any hardware store as its commonly used for electrical work. I show how I assembled it in the previous video "Raised Bed Refresh"

[@kadalora]

Great stuff! Awesome to see all the different methods in one concise video. One thing, at 15:25 you seem to just be filling in fertiliser and potting mix over the tomato while it's still in its pot... surely you should remove it from the pot first?? Cheers

[@jacquesinthegarden]

This was actually a sloppy editing cut, the pot was removed!

[@kadalora]

@@jacquesinthegarden Ahhh gotcha! Haha all good, thanks for the reply

[@pakbowl420]

Jacques!! Have you tried the Brian Lowell, from Next Level Gardening, method of tomato trellising? He just put up a video showing how to build it. It's been trending in the garden community for the past few years.

[@domesti-city]

@jolojo500 Brian is using the single string method with "Tomahooks" which are a wire apparatus that allows you to lengthen and move the string at the top support to extend the length so indeterminate tomatoes can continue to grow as tall as you let them. His most recent videos show the trellis he is building for this method. I use the single string like Jacques has, and leave plenty of extra so I can move or lengthen it as needed.

[@pakbowl420]

@jolojo500 You can hang the hook on the the next screw eye and keep moving it over for how ever long the plant grows. It wraps around the trellis. Watch his newest video. He explains it.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

I haven't personally tried messing with Toma Hooks yet but I have been curious to try them. Maybe I will give them a go this season!

[@vimondireksri8820]

Love the video. BTW Zip ties are.reuseable if you know how to open them and they hold up. :)

[@michelleduenez2167]

Hi Jacques, Do you have an Amazon store for the garden items you use and recommend? Thank you for the great videos!

[@_thisisdavid]

Use the stick method as well. Whats better then free haha.

[@lindasoaft9303]

Oh just going crazy right now trying figure out the best way to trellis my tomatoes! Also is it too late to plant basil in garden with seeds?

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Not to late! Basil can grow pretty quick it only has to grow for a month or so before you will be able to harvest

[@enigmaticreverieproduction5169]

Can you please make a video on watering growbags. My soil became hydrophobic and it’s so hard to water and I need to water every morning. I have mulch and it all still dries out with our Poway heat. Please give advice of how to water and how to get all the soil wet

[@thisfool89]

I just wind them up a string. Very easy and effective

[@lvh912]

Hi Jacques, Thank you for this informative video. I just had a question about your tomato suckers. I have always read and been told that you should prune them. Is that a myth? Do you prune them only on indeterminate varieties? What has been your experience with pruning vs. not pruning them? Thanks in advance, Happy growing season!

[@jacquesinthegarden]

The true answer is that there is no correct answer. It all depends on how you want to grow them, how much space you have, and how long your season is. For example if I prune all the suckers off and only leave 1 main branch, I can probably plant my tomatoes 16 inches apart and be fine. It would also be really easy to support just 1 branch. If however I didn't prune them at all I would end up needing closer to 36 inches of space as they would get quite massive and then I would have to figure out how to support all the extra branches. I tend to prune off most suckers at the start and then leave a few others as the season continues and eventually I will give up on pruning and let it get massive.

[@lvh912]

@@jacquesinthegarden Thank you Jacques! Have a great day.

[@ForbiddenFish]

Do you think that the cage for the grow bags would have to be taller if it's for indeterminate plants?

[@Herone01]

The zip tie is NOT a single use plastic. If you use a screwdriver (or simething flat) to lift the tonge that holds in the notchs you are good to use it for many many times. (Just don't cut it to size :) )

[@jacquesinthegarden]

I have seen this tip but haven't tried it yet so isn't part of my memory yet haha, good point!

[@martenalvarado7147]

Definitely going to be using your wheelbarrow tip back method after mixing up some blueberry potting soil today! Are you going to leave the net up and let the plants do their thing without pruning suckers?

[@jacquesinthegarden]

I will prune to two main branches at the start and once they get to like 3 feet I will probably let them go crazy

[@Andrea-gp1xn]

I made the classic mistake of growing mint with other plants...it's coming back with a vengeance in my grow bed. Lol Welp, I hope the hubby likes a lot of mint, because I'm not planting anything else in there. I'll probably start using grow bags. They look handy.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Yeah keeping mint contained is key to not having it take over the garden!

[@sanguineotter5778]

Nice video Jacques, I'm still deciding what trellis to use this year. Last year I did the vertical string you show first here, had issues with the string breaking so I went to steel picture hanging wire and use clips to support the plant all the way up. Worked well but lots of maintenance. May try the F lorida weave or the netting option this year as I've already got the frame installed from last year. PS, I see you left the suckers on the tomato you were stringing up. Do you remove them later or leave them?

[@jacquesinthegarden]

I leave the suckers until I'm sure the main leader is doing fine. Occasionally I will accidently break it or wind or birds will so I like having a backup plan. Eventually I do remove it though

[@davidalvarez7615]

Jacque are you growing any cucumbers this season ? If so can you make a growing guide? Currently starting some bushmaster cucumbers for the first time , I would appreciate any guidance from the “King Hermit” 🙌🏽🙏🏼

[@jacquesinthegarden]

I will for sure be growing some cucumbers, I will try to put a guide together this summer!

[@davidalvarez7615]

Let go!!!!

[@bethsands7665]

Did you take the tomato out of the plastic pot before planting it in the Grow-bag ?

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Yes! The cut was weird but I certainly removed it

[@desertflower9557]

So, that netting is strong enough not to break if the vines get heavy?

[@butterlite100]

First, who is the dog? Does it belong to the person filming? Thanks for all of the demos and ideas for trellising tomatoes! I use the single string method, even though my hanging system isn’t nearly as nice as yours. I use two T posts topped with pvc T joints with a spare 1/2”x1” punched through. It works. The net system looks like it could work for cucumbers, too. Or maybe melons? Haha

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Tephra is her name and she is my garden buddy and bed hog! The t post system with pvc T is for sure a fantastic system. Easy to install anywhere and cheap! The netting does work well for beans, melons, squash, cucumbers, and pretty much most tendril climbing plants.

[@Dylan-fc6mr]

Hi Jacques! I sewed some tomato seeds 9 days ago and haven't had any luck yet. I was wondering if you had any tricks for better tomato seed germination or if I should be patient?

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Sometimes it takes 2 weeks but usually tomatoes pop up within a week. The main culprits could be that it is too cold or the surface is too dry. Also, if the seeds are older they will take longer to germinate

[@Dylan-fc6mr]

@@jacquesinthegarden Thanks!!

[@christophervanmeier1648]

My wife and I are looking to trellis our tomatoes this year. Looking at your frame, it looks like electrical conduit. If so, how did you set them? I like the clips. Are they reusable?

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Previous video on raised bed refresh shows how i set it up, and yes it is 3/4" emt conduit. The clips are indeed reusable if you can find them all haha, generally something like 10% of them will break by end of season

[@asandstorm]

You should use twist ties or reusable Velcro-type "zip ties"

[@MStrickkk]

It's more work, but would be stronger and look way better; You could undo the conduit on one side and weave the net over the conduit slaloming back and forth the whole way.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Totally, that is something I did in the past and reduces need for zip ties, I totally blanked on this!

[@carolinachen3801]

For the grow bag set up, do you make holes to trim off leaves as they’re growing or just for harvesting tomatoes?

[@jacquesinthegarden]

You can do both, in this case I will probably just let it go wild!

[@normastarr4390]

I'm curious about the structure that you are using for the single string trellis. Is it galvanized pipe? What kind of corner pieces did you use? That's my biggest struggle, finding something strong enough for the frame.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

I added a link to the description! It is 3/4" EMT Conduit!

[@jksatte]

What is the mulch you are using and where did you get it? There is no straw in FL and I need mulch.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

I just added a link to the description, forgot to earlier!

[@jksatte]

@@jacquesinthegarden Thank you!!

[@micheler.5]

Did you really use your pruners to cut that weld wire?! Ha ha!😂

[@jacquesinthegarden]

These are Felco CPs aka "universal cutters", they are designed to cut anything from plastic to metal and were made for trellising work on grapes where they use thick metal wire to support them!

[@dwkincheloe162]

Is there a link for the aluminum poles?

[@jacquesinthegarden]

The poles are 3/4" EMT electrical Conduit, which you can get at any hardware store!

[@gregbluefinstudios4658]

Jacques, what's the diameter of those clips? For the part that the tomato vine sits in?

[@gregbluefinstudios4658]

also, someone told me, that when I water grow bags, spray the outside first then do the soil. the outside shot seems to help with that water loss only from inside

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Inner Diameter is 1 1/4" which should support any top growth on a tomato!

[@gregbluefinstudios4658]

@@jacquesinthegarden thanks!

[@BaronTweedmouth]

Could you use the tomato clips to hold the netting to the frame?

[@jacquesinthegarden]

Not in this case because the clips are designed to attach to string, so if I had string running down the sides in theory yes I could clip it to that!

[@BaronTweedmouth]

@@jacquesinthegarden if you keep the string part of the clip on the netting and the part that holds the tomato around the pipe. or is the pipe diameter to large?

[@MrBKings]

@@BaronTweedmouth I don't think the clips would have enough grip like the zip ties do when they're pulled tight. It may work but probably wouldn't keep trellis taut.

[@jacquesinthegarden]

I wouldn't trust it to support all the weight but in theory it could work. you can also secure it by simply getting some twine or string and tying it to the top pole every couple feet.

[@BaronTweedmouth]

@@jacquesinthegarden Thank you for the replies. I'm in zone 5b and about to start planting my first garden over the next couple weekends. This was very helpful

[@chrisz.9974]

What’s the name of the method that lets you loosen the string? 4:20

[@jacquesinthegarden]

It just needs to be a knot that can loosen slack, one of the types I have seen is called a constrictor knot.