DIY: Tomato Supports
Because It Really Does Help Make Weeding A Snap
Tomatoes are one of several crops that are best grown in your own garden. This year, we tried a new support system for our tomato vines. It keeps plants off the ground, improving airflow and reducing the risk of soil-borne diseases. It helps make weeding a snap, and it’s reusable year after year.
Our new method is similar to the stake-and-weave method, but it’s easier. We used sturdy, wire-mesh panels (concrete remesh or hog panels work well) attached to 8-foot posts. We hung the mesh with the bottom about 1 inch above the ground and attached it to T-posts using zip ties.
We planted my tomatoes 2 feet apart in line with the support. While we are in the garden, we can simply weave the tomato tops back and forth through the grid pattern. We do this once a week, maybe twice, while we scout for ripe tomatoes, pests and disease.
At the end of the season, we can remove frost-killed vegetation, snip the zip ties, pull the T-posts and store the panels and posts flat, outdoors, for the next year.
These supports also are great for creating permanent trellises rotating between peas, pole beans, melons, watermelon, cucumbers or any other climbers.
