Rolling cattle panels into tomato cages

[Cabin Fever]

Can a person easily roll cattle panel?

I want to make Wind In Her Hair some heavy-duty "forever" tomato cages. I was thinking that I could buy some 16-foot cattle panels and cut them into three sections of about 5-feet each. I would like to "roll" or bend these sections into perfect cylinder shapes.

I was thinking that I could use a couple of ratcheting cargo straps and run each strap thru opposite ends of the 5' sections, hook the strap's S-hooks together and start ratcheting. The straps should pull the ends together....or is cattle panel just too stiff for this?

The other idea I had was similar but using rope. Tie one end of the rope to a tree. Thread the rope thru the opposite ends of the 5' panel. Tie an overhand "knot" and then tie the other end of the rope to the pickup. Drive the truck forward and the overhand knot will cinch the ends together....maybe?

Once I have the ends of the panel next to each other, I'd fasten the ends together with a few chain repair links.

What do ya think?

[wwubben]

Cattle panels are 16 feet long.I think a person could roll them around a 55 gallon drum in some manner.The end would have to be vise gripped to the open ends of the barrel and then rolled up.I have not done this yet, but I have been thinking about it.I presently have cages made from concrete reinforcing wire, but they are getting old.I have made arches from cattle panels for our climbing beans and it seems like a person could bend them fairly close.Let us know how it turns out.Thanks in advance.

[Jalopy]

Cabin Fever, I have not done what you are thinking of but I have worked with numerous cattle panels and I am thinking that if you can anchor one end on edge between two posts or a post and a tree then use a garden tractor to pull in a concentric circle you can get the cylinder started then cut the panel in thirds as you said and finish it with the racheting strap or a come along. I think if you cut it first it will be hard to get a circle and it might kink or twist instead. Good luck and let us know what works. JLP

[mustangsally17]

CF, Cattle panels are HARD to roll, but i ahave used hog wire and did the same for tomato cages and they lasted for years...and were less expensive...

[Wisconsin Ann]

All time best tomato cages I ever saw were made from rebar wire. it comes in 3ft to 4ft heights, is either 4x4 or 4x6" between the wires (perfect for reaching inside) and it is really easy to work with. heavy wire, but a small bolt cutter works well on it. It's made to be outside (well, in concrete anyway) and best of all...inexpensive.

You can roll it into 3ft diameter (bigger or smaller, as desired) easily, it's light enough for moving around pretty easily, but supports even the largest of tomato plants.

there. that's my opinion

[Wisconsin Ann]

another thought....why do they have to be circular? perhaps cutting them into 2ft widths, then connecting 4 together with links. they would fold flat for storage, clip together to make a trellis for peas, or linked together for a small fenced area.

Personally, I'd love a bunch of cages like that.....

[gwithrow]

great suggestion, but how would you cut these things...they are pretty sturdy...we have bent them over and made 'hoop' houses for chickens...but I don't think my wire cutters will cut them...but I can see them zig zagged thru my raised beds for climbing things...or squares like you suggested for tomatoes...you could use wire or in a pinch zip ties to make flexible joins.....now to see about cutting them....

[Sherrynboo]

I was thinking along the lines of Wisconsin Ann. Make them square where they will store easily. You would have to use bolt cutters to cut it and maybe some electrical ties to connect them.

Sherry in GA

[CowgirlGloria]

Originally Posted by Wisconsin Ann

All time best tomato cages I ever saw were made from rebar wire. it comes in 3ft to 4ft heights, is either 4x4 or 4x6" between the wires (perfect for reaching inside) and it is really easy to work with. heavy wire, but a small bolt cutter works well on it. It's made to be outside (well, in concrete anyway) and best of all...inexpensive.

You can roll it into 3ft diameter (bigger or smaller, as desired) easily, it's light enough for moving around pretty easily, but supports even the largest of tomato plants.

there. that's my opinion

Yes, I have tomato cages made with remesh. They last and last. The stand up to high winds - we had 50 mph winds come through here with a recent storm, and all my cages were still standing.

I cut off the bottom wire so that I have a series of spikes all around the bottom of the cage. They then sit firmly in the ground, self-staking.

Cattle panels are a PIA to work with. Take a look at remesh and see what you think.

[ksfarmer]

Cattle panels are almost impossible to bend in circles. Why not drive t-posts in a straight row and fasten the cattle panels on them, then use as a trellis to tie the tomatoes up to. Some even use two panels about 20 inches apart with the tomatoes between. I use the single panel method, then use baler twine to hold the plants up to the panel. Currently I have 180 tomato plants tied to panels. As the plants grow, I string more twine.

[DaleK]

Rolling them around a barrel would work, but I'd probably go along with making them square out of 4 smaller pieces so they fold for winter. Angle grinder with a good cutting blade works nice.

[Freeholder]

Originally Posted by ksfarmer

Cattle panels are almost impossible to bend in circles. Why not drive t-posts in a straight row and fasten the cattle panels on them, then use as a trellis to tie the tomatoes up to. Some even use two panels about 20 inches apart with the tomatoes between. I use the single panel method, then use baler twine to hold the plants up to the panel. Currently I have 180 tomato plants tied to panels. As the plants grow, I string more twine.

This is what I would suggest, also. But if you have to have individual cages, make triangles rather than squares. You'll use less panel per cage that way, and they should work just fine. Do take the bottom horizontal wire off so you have spikes to stick in the ground if you do it this way. I wouldn't try to roll them up that tight -- with mechanical help, you might be able to do it, but I really think that a whole, straight cattle panel on three posts would work better (put a post at each end and one in the middle).

Kathleen

[mduncn52]

Cabin Fever--I tried that very thing this winter. bought a 16 foot section of Goat panel. Wanted to make 3section triangular cages. Got idea from seed catalogs (small cage to support the main stem not the whole plant. cut a couple of 3 square sections and nothing I had at my house was gonna bend that dude. I thought about taking them to a shop with a bending brake, but ended up buying a 50' roll of 54" welded wire fencing, cut eight section pieces, rolled them and looped the free ends around the first vertical. drove a 36" rebar into the ground next to each plant, set the wire tube over and used two short pieces of wire to tie cage to the rebar. So far they are working beautifully. But here in N. Ohio plants are only 3 ft tall right now. Every few days i guide the central stem back into the middle. I will let you know how this works later when the plants are 5' tall and 50 lbs. If it works I should get a lot of years service out of these. They are only about 8" in diameter so storage should not be a challenge.

[agmantoo]

Storing the cages between crops is an aggravation, at least to me. If you took whatever material you decide upon and make 2 halves the pieces would nest and store without taking up a lot of space. Short lengths of wire or plastic tie wraps could be used to hold the 2 halves together when in use. Bolt cutters shear the cattle panels without difficulty. I can and have bent a cattle panel by hand and a wooden fixture but I have never rolled one as tight as a tomato cage would need to be. Rolling a cattle panel IMO would be difficult doing it manually. Let us know what you decide upon.

PS....If you are open to an alternative to cages here is a concept that I am trying this year that is working great. The tomatoes flourish and there is almost no work. Given a chance I will take a pic of the tomatoes to show their progress. The tomatoes stay clean, they have not been watered and we have been in a drought all season, there are no weeds in the plants and I am about to pick the first vine ripened tomato. These will store easily also and they were free. The big disc are the plastic sides from dismantled wire reels.

[DayBird]

Originally Posted by ksfarmer

Some even use two panels about 20 inches apart with the tomatoes between.

That's exactly what I've done. I double dug a raised bed including lots of organic matter. I made it 16 feet long. I put in two Tposts at one end about 18 inches apart. Then in the middle I put in two more 18 inches apart across the width of the bed and then again at the other end. I used two cattle panels, one on each side, and used cable ties to secure them. The only mistake I made was using too much fresh chicken manure and the plants are mostly vine and few tomatoes.

[Cornhusker]

Get the lighter weight cow panels. they look just the same but are a tad lighter gauge.
We bend them all the time. Use fence pliers, bend them a little at a time to make it look good.
Even if you have the heavy ones, you can bend them a bit at a time.

[Rick]

Originally Posted by Cornhusker

Get the lighter weight cow panels. they look just the same but are a tad lighter gauge.
We bend them all the time. Use fence pliers, bend them a little at a time to make it look good.
Even if you have the heavy ones, you can bend them a bit at a time.

We put our combined 400 pounds on 8 foot sections yesterday and bent 90 degree turns on the ends.

[Cheribelle]

Do you weld? The best tomato support I ever saw was built by my dad out of rebar. He made A shaped pieces, then welded little "arms" off the sides. These were end and middle supports. Then all you need to do is hang long bars in the little arms. Really was awesome to see this setup full of tomatoes!

[Gailann Schrader]

The tomato cages I like best are THREE SIDED. They take the wind better and can be folded flat.

And YES. Just have goats or kids play on them. They "spring" for a little bit? THEN BEND FLAT.



A 120# doeling REALLY can smash your goat "shed" flat when she runs up the side and jumps off (ala Wilbur with a string on his tail from Charlotte's Web). Silly doe. I sold her for $400... And my goat "shed" is still partially flattened.

[Cabin Fever]

Wow, a bunch of great ideas! Thank you. WIHH will have to decide now.

Keep the ideas coming!