Think of tomato cages as scaffolding: You need a support system to keep vines from sagging (or snapping off) under the weight of heavy fruit. Match the right size cage (or trellis, obelisk, or tepee) to the kind of tomatoes you’re growing.
Cherry tomatoes can grow in containers against a flat trellis. Large beefsteak varieties will fill their cages and need sturdy galvanized wire or steel supports with large openings to make it easy to reach in to pick fruit. Plum tomatoes, depending on the size and variety, can grow in tepees, obelisks, or A-frame trellises.
Tip: Be sure to space tomato cages at least three feet apart to allow air to circulate around mature plants.
Here are 13 tomato support systems to consider this summer.
Cages
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Above: A set of four sturdy 10-gauge-wire Tomato Cages with eight-inch-square openings (so you easily can get your hand inside to snag a ripe beefsteak). The 39-inch-high cages fold flat for winter storage and are available in four colors, including black (shown) and green (in the featured photo at top). A set is $59.95 from Gardener’s Supply.Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Above: Suitable for use to support dwarf varieties of cherry tomatoes, green iron Cage Plant Supports come in two sizes (about 17.5 and 23 inches high, respectively); £32.99 and £39.99 at Crocus.Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Above: A 54-inch galvanized wire frame Panacea Heavy-Duty Tomato Cage has a tapered silhouette, with a top ring measuring 16 inches in diameter; $4.49 from Southern States.Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Above: A 47-inch triangular Tomato Cage made of vinyl-coated steel folds flat for storage; $6.48 at Lowe’s.
Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Above: A steel frame Trellis designed for growing container tomatoes on a balcony or in a small space has polypropylene cords for tomato vines to climb; €40. The trellis legs sit inside a window box or soft growing sack (a black Cotton Soil Sack Cover is sold separately for €35); both are available from Manufactum.Image may be NSFW. Clik here to view. Above: Sized to fit two bush-variety tomatoes, a Classic Tomato Planter has vented sides and is $101.15 from Gardener’s Supply.
