You Asked For It! The Beefiest DIY Tomato Cage (& Bad Jokes)

[@2BitRanch]

Check out concrete mesh. I use it for containing plants and it disappears because it rusts. I use it in the flower garden alot

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

Such a good idea! We used it on top of a pergola to give our passionfruit something to grab onto, but we've never even thought to use it for a trellis! -Jon

[@yvonneellefson]

I use the concrete reinforcing mesh in cylinders but the downside is they don't store nicely like your hinged versions. Not sure I'd bother doing hinges on the concrete mesh though since the lighter weight and rusty wire doesn't seem like it would hold up as well being hinged pieces compared to cattle panels. But as one piece tubes they've lasted over a decade (minus some tines that broke off the bottom).

[@dls677]

Made a few of these two-piece cages last year too. Main difference was removing the bottom lateral section so what’s left are spikes. The cage stabs into the ground well. No t-post needed.

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

OoOh! That's so smart! Love that idea

[@lindabranch8294]

I have some extra cattle panels this will be great for a trellis for a cherry tomato may plant a Roma this year thanks

[@bobdoglangmaid3399]

I'm trying the low and lean method on one, the french twist on one, a regular cage on one, and just vertical support on others.

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

Awesome! Keep us posted on how the different systems perform

[@bobdoglangmaid3399]

@@SanDiegoSeedCompany Will do!

[@Balaams_Donkey]

Fun video. Will definitely do this next year - already too far into this season this year.

[@jt1453]

You can cut the panels down the center of the square. Bent the metal stub back onto itself over the next panel. No zip ties needed.

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

Ah ha. Good tip!

[@joycebovee5818]

I’m growing my tomatoes at the string! This is the first time I’ve done it with the string. In previous years I’ve used Tamara cages and they’re just not big enough.

[@Fr4nkSanchez]

I did just a vertical panel for my tomatoes, it did work well, but I used the panels to fence my garden and avoid deer that ate all my peper plants and tomatillo. This year I want to try cages

[@Mark-u5u6x]

Interesting design for the cages. When you cut off the zip ties the parts can be stacked for storage. If you raise the cages 10" or so above the ground and then attach them to the stakes, it is much easier to weed around the bottom of the plant/cage. It also, in effect, makes the cage 10" taller.

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

Yes, great for storage. That's a really interesting idea to stake them up too! We hadn't thought of that, but it would definitely make some maintenance easier

[@Powerfamilygarden]

Tractor supply offers cattle panel ties for free with purchase of the panel. It lasts for ever where the zip ties can lose integrity over time due to elements.

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

Oh man. Definitely need to make sure we get those next time!

[@TexasNana2]

Great video 😊

[@smuggafree]

You guys had me laughing.

[@trebis1]

LOL "one big unit" lol

[@Allyallyyyyy]

I wish I saw this months ago. I just lost my huge tomato plant because of poor trellising on my part, every year I underestimate how gigantic they will be. My harvest this year will be 0. A slight wind = cracked off at the base. Next year I am copying this method. Out of all of the videos I saw, this one seems the most secure and the least amount of work.

[@steveperez9646]

Would you use these type of cages on indeterminate tomatoes? We have two heirloom plants that we are getting ready to plant in Menifee ( north of San Diego)

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

You totally could plant one plant in each corner and prune them to one leader. Downside is you only have 4ft of height, and pole tomatoes can theoretically grow forever tall without disease or frost. I would recommend trellising with something taller like lower & lean. -Jeff

[@explorergal91]

You can use them, but you'd need one panel for one cage. You make your pieces lengthwise.

[@TheEmbrio]

Grass in san diego ? Please se this opportunity to make turf to native reconversion videos

[@PixiePrincessBrat]

I just went low and lean this year.

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

Can't wait to hear how it goes!

[@PixiePrincessBrat]

@@SanDiegoSeedCompany so far so good. Its been unusually cool for up here most days, but I'm finally getting blooms.

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

@@PixiePrincessBrat definitely been a slow start to the warm season!

[@workinprogress3609]

How does the average person get that cattle panel home with just a pickup truck?

[@SanDiegoSeedCompany]

If your bed is long enough, bend them into a "U" shape and sit them in sideways. In our case, I borrowed some cardboard to protect the cab from getting scratch, laid them in longways and tied them down tight creating a half-pipe shape in the bed.

[@milkweed7678]

Take your bolt cutters to the store or use the ones the store has and cut them there. That might might work for you.

[@TheSassysusie]

❤️🙃