NewsDid you know that around 35% of American households produce some of their own fruits and vegetables? They can enjoy the benefit of fresh, organic crops that have a rich and delicious flavor.
Tomatoes are a popular plant that many people cultivate. Tomatoes are delicious fruits that taste great in salads, on pizza, and in tons of other recipes!
If you’re growing your own, you’ll need to know how to grow tomatoes from seed as well as stake tomato plants properly. In this article, we’ll look at staking tomatoes.
WHY YOU SHOULD STAKE TOMATOES
Before we go into the procedures for staking tomatoes, let’s discuss why you should.
- Staking your tomatoes keeps them tidy and frees you valuable garden area.
- Staking your tomatoes reduces the likelihood of them decaying or acquiring infections.
- Stakes also make them less accessible to pests and insects in the garden.
- Staking allows you to reach all sections of the plant for trimming and harvesting.
STEP ONE: FIGURE OUT WHAT TYPE OF TOMATOES YOU’RE GROWING
The first step to setting up your vegetable garden and staking your tomatoes is to figure out what type of tomatoes you’re working with. You may deal with two varieties of tomatoes: determinate tomatoes and indeterminate tomatoes.
Let’s look at what each of these terms entails and how it influences tomato plant staking.
Determinate tomatoes:
Determinate tomatoes grow to certain sizes. They bear all their fruit in about a two-week time period.
When it comes to staking, determinate tomatoes don’t need as much assistance. You’ll still want to support them, but the vines on these plants are much smaller, so you can easily grow them in more confined places.
Another thing to remember about determinate tomatoes is that many hybrid types are. Check the label on your seeds for your variety.
Indeterminate tomatoes:
Indeterminate tomato plants mature faster and produce more fruit over a longer period of time. They also tend to yield more fruit. As a result, they will profit from strong stakes.
Indeterminate tomatoes continue to produce tomatoes until the first frost. That means you’ll get a much larger harvest out of these plants!
What are some varieties of tomatoes that don’t need support?
Bush tomatoes with lightweight fruit, like some cherry or patio tomatoes, can be grown with little or no support. They are an excellent option for growing in patio planters.
Consider planting Tempting Tomatoes® Goodhearted® or Patio Sunshine, which do not need to be staked or caged to thrive.
STEP TWO: CHOOSE BETWEEN CAGING OR STAKING
Staking tomato plants may be accomplished in two ways:
- Caging
- Staking
Each method has its benefits and drawbacks and is best suited to a specific type of plant. Here’s what you should know about these techniques.
Caging tomatoes:
If you’re staking determinate tomatoes, it’s a good idea to buy a tomato cage. Tomato cages help the plant develop while also reducing your effort.
While the plants are young, it’s a good idea to keep determinate tomatoes in cages. That way, the plant will fill out as it grows and you’ll have to tie the tomatoes less often than if you were staking.
Now, while we recommend caging for determinate tomatoes, that’s not to say that you can’t use cages for indeterminate ones, too. But bear in mind that as the plants get higher, you’ll need bigger cages.
Pro Tip: Tomato cages may be made using concrete reinforcement wire, animal wire, or chicken wire. This can be a fun garden activity as well as a great way to protect your plants.
Staking tomatoes:
The second alternative is traditional tomato staking. Staking is much less expensive than caging, but you’ll have to carefully tie the vine without damaging it.
When staking a tomato plant, pick stakes that are suitable for the kind of tomato. Indeterminate stakes should be about six to seven feet tall, while determinate stakes can be closer to three feet or so.
In any case, ensure sure the stake is strong enough to support the vine and the fruit. Wooden stakes are an inexpensive and easily accessible choice. Yet, there are other options, including plastic, steel, and bamboo poles. The stake will be simpler to insert in the soil if one end is pointed.
Stake your tomatoes by inserting the stake at least a foot into the ground and keeping it at least five inches away from the developing plant. Finally, using twine, thread, or old pantyhose, secure the tomatoes to the stake. As they develop, you’ll need to add new ties every 6 to 8 inches.
STEP THREE: SELECT A STAKING METHOD
Another part of staking your tomato plants involves choosing a staking method. There are three basic approaches you may take:
- Florida weave
- Single stake
- Double stake
Here’s what to know about each method.
Florida weave:
Plant the tomatoes in two rows approximately two feet apart using this strategy. Then, drive a stake at the start and finish of each row, with stakes between every three plants.
Tie some twine around your first stake and weave it in front of one plant and then behind the other. Repeat up to the end of the row, then down the second row.
Note: The Florida weave is for gardeners who grow a lot of tomatoes. This might be useful if you have a huge tomato patch.
Photo by: wertinio / Shutterstock.
Single stake:
Using the single stake approach, you simply stake your plants when they reach approximately a foot in height. Tie the stakes to the vine using your chosen tie and re-tie the plants every six inches.
Single stakes are an excellent alternative for potted plants since they take up little additional space.
Double stake:
Twin staking works well for maintaining heavier tomatoes, such as heirlooms. For this method, place two stakes on opposite sides of the plant. Then, tie the twine or jute around the plant stem and each of the two stakes. Continue tying your tomatoes as they develop.
STEP FOUR: PRUNE YOUR PLANTS
Pruning away suckers is the last stage in growing and staking tomatoes. Suckers are plant components that do not yield fruit. They are frequently found between fruiting branches and the main stem.
After you’ve staked the fruit-bearing parts of the plant, prune away the suckers so that they don’t suck the energy out of the plant. The plant may then employ all of its energy to generate fruit-bearing branches.
Moreover, trimming your plants maintains them healthy by improving air circulation. Read more about how to prune tomato plants.
STAKING TOMATOES MADE SIMPLE
With this guide to staking tomatoes, you’ll have no problem getting your plants growing beautifully. Just keep these tomato staking ideas in mind, and you’ll have delicious fresh tomatoes in no time.
