I grow a few toms in pots on the patio usually small determinates. They always get straggly and droopy. As I'm fed up with twigs, sticks and string, I'm considering buying something st4onger that will poke into the pots to give a bit of support. Along the same lines I don't grow bush toms in the ground outdoors because they droop and get manky. I might even consider a support or two for bigger varieties.
Any advice on what and where to start looking?
How about a wire hanging basket, upside down over the pot so that the plants grow up and through it..
I use these for all sorts of things - apart from hanging baskets.
I've used stock fencing to build tomato cages before, it works quite well. The holes are big enough to get your hand through. Need to support the cage with canes for taller and bigger fruited plants.
I've looked on the Web and am slowly coming to the conclusion I can do a DIY job far cheaper and better with what I've got in the shed. I've got a roll of stock fence somewhere, it's such awkward stuff to work with though, one step worse than chicken wire. Thanks for the tips.
I built some compost bins out of stock fencing and chicken wire recently. Much prefer the stock wire, chicken wire catches on everything and leaves you with scratches.
What I did with the stock fencing to make cages is snip the required length off (circumference of the pot minus a bit so it fits in) leaving one end with open ends, then used some pliers to fold a bit of the ends in to a U shape so that it can latch on to the non-open ends.
Uhhh...that sounds confusing so I have provided an artist's impression...
I have a couple of small metal teepees I got from Aldi one year which are about 1m high. I found them useless for climbers so I use them instead as supports for determinate tomatoes in containers and they work very well.
(01-02-2023, 01:49 PM)toomanytommytoes Wrote: [ -> ]I built some compost bins out of stock fencing and chicken wire recently. Much prefer the stock wire, chicken wire catches on everything and leaves you with scratches.
What I did with the stock fencing to make cages is snip the required length off (circumference of the pot minus a bit so it fits in) leaving one end with open ends, then used some pliers to fold a bit of the ends in to a U shape so that it can latch on to the non-open ends.
Uhhh...that sounds confusing so I have provided an artist's impression...
TMTT My thoughts exactly. Your explanation was superbly clear. That way you could unhook them if necessary.
(01-02-2023, 02:54 PM)Garrett Wrote: [ -> ]I have a couple of small metal teepees I got from Aldi one year which are about 1m high. I found them useless for climbers so I use them instead as supports for determinate tomatoes in containers and they work very well.
Thanks Garrett, I'll also keep an eye out in Aldi.
(01-02-2023, 03:30 PM)JJB Wrote: [ -> ] (01-02-2023, 01:49 PM)toomanytommytoes Wrote: [ -> ]I built some compost bins out of stock fencing and chicken wire recently. Much prefer the stock wire, chicken wire catches on everything and leaves you with scratches.
What I did with the stock fencing to make cages is snip the required length off (circumference of the pot minus a bit so it fits in) leaving one end with open ends, then used some pliers to fold a bit of the ends in to a U shape so that it can latch on to the non-open ends.
Uhhh...that sounds confusing so I have provided an artist's impression...
TMTT My thoughts exactly. Your explanation was superbly clear. That way you could unhook them if necessary.
(01-02-2023, 02:54 PM)Garrett Wrote: [ -> ]I have a couple of small metal teepees I got from Aldi one year which are about 1m high. I found them useless for climbers so I use them instead as supports for determinate tomatoes in containers and they work very well.
Thanks Garrett, I'll also keep an eye out in Aldi.
I’ve got a couple of those Aldi ones too. And will be looking to buy a couple more once they’re available again.