My tomato support system

[chickenista]

I have tried many different ways to tame heirloom tomato vines throughout the years and none worked very well.
So I decided to get serious with it.
We dug deep holes, filled with cement and set pvc into them.
The we set a smaller diameter pvc into that, used connectors to build the white part of the system.
Think of it as a large 'M'. A long row along the north side with three branches running north to south.
I have room in between for other rows.
We cut 5 ft 2X4 fencing to length and used poultry staples to secure it to a scrap board. We used zip ties to hang the boards off the top support and zip ties to secure the bottom of the fence to the upright supports.
The support frame is 7 feet high with a 5 ft fence hanging on it, leaving 2 feet of open space at the bottom for working and weeding and composting.
So far I love, love, love it and it can be easily taken down and stored over the winter so as not to weaken the pvc.
We started late, so the vines were already a good size before we got them up and we still have more to hang. It should look better than it does with the vines more even spaced.
Next year it will go better, but I am still loving it.

[farmerbrian]

cool! So you tie the vines up the fence as they grow? Those are white strips of fabric I am seeing halfway up hte fence?

[chickenista]

Next year, when the supports are in place BEFORE the vines, I will use smaller ties such as pantyhose, but right now because the vines were so big we used cloth strips to support the big vines as they retrain and stretch up.
I went out this morning and did some fiddling to extend them up as they are getting used to being up and off the ground.

[motdaugrnds]

Real nice idea. I am thinking I might be able to set something similar next year. My problem would be figuring out where to put the "permanent" in-ground pvc holders that would not interfere with tilling. Will be doing some thinking about this.

Thanks for sharing.

[Paquebot]

Remember that the higher up you tie them, the higher they will go. As an experiment, keep tying them right up to the 7' top. Then come back in September to show us how they draped over the top and reached the ground on the other side. They will indeed do that!

Martin

[chickenista]

I know that, Martin and do not intend to keep tying them up the whole 7 feet.. jeesh.

[Paquebot]

Originally Posted by chickenista

I know that, Martin and do not intend to keep tying them up the whole 7 feet.. jeesh.

Depending upon the variety, you'd also get loads of fruit all the way down the other side as well. If an indeterminate is stopped, then it expends a lot of energy trying to do the same thing with a lateral. Sort of a catch-22 with those.

Martin

[chickenista]

The fences are planted both sides in a 2/3 pattern.
Though I do figure I will need a stepladder at the end of the season anyway..

[dogrunner]

Does this necessitate planting your tomatoes in the same spot every year?

[Callieslamb]

Originally Posted by dogrunner

Does this necessitate planting your tomatoes in the same spot every year?

I think you can lessed the effects of planting tomatoes in the same place by planting green beans on the other side of the fence - close to the tomatoes. I have done that for years with no issues. If you are also adding compost every year, nutrient-wise, you will be fine. Bug wise- I don't know. I haven't had a bug problem on my tomatoes past aphids.

[chickenista]

I have found, that for me, my tomatoes are happiest if they keep the same bed.
I am fortunate that I don't really have any tomato pest problems and no real disease issues. They are my easiest veg.
I feed the soil well with compost with eggshells etc.. and clean every fall. Yeah fire wand!!
And I plan on doing spring and late fall peas etc.. on them and planting turnips etc.. in the beds for the winter.

[Paquebot]

It's no problem to grow tomatoes in the same place. Usual objection is soil-borne diseases. Unless you are rotating them from one side of an acre plot to the other, the soil for hundreds of feet around is also infected. If it were a nutrient problem, you could do as I do for several hundred plants. 5-gallon size hole is dug. Half of the excavated soil is mixed with a hole mix of compost and horse manure and replaced in the hole. It amounts to planting in the same place but the same place is no longer the same.

Martin