Tomato Spirals – A Look at Tomato Spirals vs Cages
Growing tomatoes is one of the more rewarding crops for the home gardener. Tomatoes are relatively easy to grow, but one of the unique requirements for most types of tomatoes is the need for some type of support as the tomato plant grows taller and starts to bear fruit later in the growing season.
Some of the ungainly growth can be dealt with by simply pruning the tomatoes, but for larger tomatoes and in particular indeterminate varieties you will need to support the tomato plants. This has a number of benefits, such as keeping the fruit off the ground so it won’t rot or get eaten. Keeping the branches off the ground is a good practice, as they will root in the ground allowed to rest there for a while, and they are less susceptible to ground borne diseases if the water can’t splash as easily onto the leaves.
The time honored tradition of using tomato cages works well for many gardeners, but there are some disadvantages. Cages are popular because many gardener will make their own cages. Cages are typically round, and don’t store very well in the off season. If they are large, it can be difficult to access the fruit inside as it ripens, and they can be harder to week inside the perimeter of the cage. If you choose to prune the tomato getting to the main stalk can be difficult.
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While a tomato stake is the popular alternative, a tomato spiral may be a better choice. Spirals are like stakes in that they are a single center support for the tomato plant. While it may still be necessary to tie the tomato to the spiral, the shape lends itself to letting the tomato plant wrap itself around the spiral and create some of its own support. They are simple to put in the ground, and the storage is a snap since it is a single pole.
Filed under Growing Tomatoes by John
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