LucasGrowsBest I say make the videos the way it makes you happy. If you try to figure out ways to bring in more views I can understand that but I've seen a lot of people fall by the wayside thinking too much about that aspect. Therefore it turned into a job and the fun aspect was lost. As long as you're having fun and it makes YOU happy is really what counts😀🤗
Thank you P.C. You could not me more right. I could just as easily start a "Fortnite" channel or gaming/prank/challenge channel, but I am using passion to drive my channel. I want to inspire others to love the outdoors and their gardens.
The NET method was not covered ! it's like using a Tennis net, and you guide the tomato plant trough the net in a vertical path, its similar to the stake ! but it's easy to store !
Young man I have been growing tomatoes 60 years. Til this Date I have always staked my Tomatoes, and have had very high yield. If you don't have time to spend on what you're gonna eat then you don't need to grow Tomatoes. Tomato cages decrease air flow, common sense tells you that. By staking you can put the vine where you want it and also increase air flow. I always but 4 stakes on each plant. I place each plant 3' apart. I always do double not single vine. 1st set of flowers I clip off to place the energy in the roots. Roots mean everything in anything you grow. I don't let suckered get over 2" that way I place the energy in the fruit and the roots. Last year my plants were 16' tall and yielded 120 - 150 lbs on each, yes I said each plant. Guess it's just many years of experience and I watch and helped my Grandfather. Couldn't watch my Dad he was Lazy. Lol. So Good Luck to you in the Future. Spend time with those Plants and they will Treat you Right.
@@danacaldwell1035 I'm assuming they "box" the tomato plant in by surrounding it with four stakes. I'm not sure if 4 are necessary or if you could get away with less 🤷🏻♀️ I'm sure if you're actively pruning, it won't need as much support.
I use a hybrid method of staking multiple plants to the outside of a much larger cage. Fill the center of the cage with soil/compost. Highest yields ever
It also depends on the type of tomato you're growing: determinate or indeterminate. Determinate are usually shorter so a stake is often sufficient. But indeterminate just keeps on growing so the stand would have to be very strong or a combo of caging and staking is best. Also, you don't prune suckers on determinates regardless of whether you stake or cage because you'll lose all the fruit.
@@faithfulmoves Double check your seed pack and look up the type online. Since you're probably getting tomatoes at this point in the summer you should be able to tell by how your plant is developing. Determinate: Fruit comes in at once. Indeterminate: Fruit starts, and just keeps coming in.
I’m taking care of my friends garden that passed a couple months ago. I have never done this stuff before so YT has become my best friend lol. After this video, hers must be indeterminate bc those things just keep on getting bigger by the day. I didn’t expect that so I hadn’t staked or caged them…. Aka NIGHTMARE!!!
We use a combination of these two methods. We stake them, but using a "teepee"-like structure using bamboo that grows in our garden anyway. Pros: much foliage, more plants, more fruit. The fruit hangs downwards in the shade under the leaves! Cons: super labor intensive to build and maintain. We use this method since we can put the time in.
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed. I was having trouble deciding which method I liked better and I couldn't find any good videos comparing the two methods so I decided to make my own! I'll try to do some more informative videos like this.
Thank you for making this great video. I just started gardening this year since Coronavirus lockdown made me work from home. I'm currently doing the staking method, using 4 feet long Vigroro plastic and metal stakes. I'm really new to this and find gardening pretty fun! Those 2 cubic yard bags of soil are really heavy! Got to be 60-70+ pounds!!
I have always done both at once I stake them prune it and also have a cage around the plans to support the fruit. I grow in garden bags. Now I'm rethinking everything
Hi mate, this is a very informative video. To be honest I’ve never thought of caging tomatoes. The majority of ones that I grow use the cordon method so a cane or stake is the ideal way to grow. Plus the cost of the cage and storage would be prohibitive to me. Take care. Nick
Thanks mate! I wanted to try a more informative video style for fun. Staking seems to be most popular in the UK, where a lot of people grow tomatoes in greenhouses in poly tunnels. I am still not sold on one method or the other so I will make a determination at the end of the season. Have a nice day!
This is a really good video Lucas. I didn't know there were cons to both. I have to go the staking route as when I see cages filled out to their max capacity it makes me tense and I have a hard time breathing. I have no idea why so I like staking mine. As your plants fill out your cages I will listen to your video but I won't watch your tomato plants lol. Hope you have a great weekend!👍
Thank you P.C.! That is interesting that seeing filled tomato cages gives you a hard time breathing. Staking definitely keeps the garden less claustrophobic!! I will make sure I show the staked tomato plants so there's at least some parts you can watch ;) LOL Thanks for watching, and you have yourself a great weekend as well.
I thought the same thing lol. Who wants to be in a cage? Certainly not people or tomatoes. I can't imagine even pruning one in a cage without having a finger broken. Some things you just got to let go of like tomatoes and Free Willy!
One year I just let them ramble, and I've done it ever since. It may look a little bit messy it may take up a lot of space but I have 20 acres it was Zero work! I got tons of tomatoes. And I didn't care about the few that rotted on the ground because I got so many tomatoes I couldn't even process them all. I know this is probably not realistic for most Gardens but it works for me! And I will never waste my time caging or tying and staking again
Hey that's awesome! I completely agree that supporting tomatoes on a large scale is a waste of effort, you have the exact line of thinking as me. Actually one year I tried the Florida weave technique and I got kinda lazy and just let things go. Probably one of my biggest harvest years, unfortunately I didn't have my channel yet - that was back in 2015 if I remember correctly. The main reason I stake and cage is that I have a very small yard in the city and my mom told me that I can have a garden as long as it's tidy haha :) Also I like how it lowers disease which could wipe out my garden in a matter of days. That's awesome you have 20 acres of land! I'm hoping to have 100 acres for an apple orchard and pumpkin patch one day, but with the ridiculous price of land we'll see if that ever materializes! Thanks for watching and look out for new (and better) videos soon!
@@lucasgrowsbestyt I was very lucky to get a parcel of land that was in the family, as I would have never been able to afford to pay the price for land around here.
@@lucasgrowsbestyt Wow, that is super interesting. I had no idea you can get a bigger yield if you don't support them Thats really cool and Im almost tempted to try it now haha. Doesn't the plant just fall over? Great video by the way!
I saw a video from "the veggie guys" on yt that do the same thing. I thought it was odd to see, but their yields were amazing! If you have the space, it's worth the experiment!
Wow Lucas this is a great video! very well done! we do both but i like staking better..i think it works a bit better but as you said it does cause a bit more work.
Thank you! I worked very hard to edit this video, but it doesn't seem to be that popular..only 37 views in four days. I am glad you appreciate it! I am trying both caging and staking this year to see which method I like better. Cheers and have a great day!
@@lucasgrowsbestyt I may have changed my mind. My caging was so terrible this year. My cages kept getting blown over with every strong wind. Next year I may be staking. It seems more versatile.
I find a simple "A" frame trellis with thin rafters across and strings/ropes hanging down to be much easier. Put together with bolts they come apart easy and can be moved about the garden for simple crop rotation.
Hi, I was thinking along the same lines. Any tips on how the strings should be used to support the tomatoes? I don't want to strangle the little buggers., thanks.
Great info! If I had to got back to cages then those large ones would be the ones to make or get. We sting and clip all ours now. Have a great weekend!
Thanks CB! Stringing and clipping is a method I have never tried but have always wanted to. Greenhouses use that way so it must be effective! Glad you enjoyed, have a great weekend as well!
Good choice. I am torn between staking and caging, which is why I did a side-by-side comparison in my garden this year. Hopefully I can finally decide which method reigns king in my garden. Thanks for watching Brian! I have a complete garden tour scheduled for upload today so stay tuned for that :)
I'm wondering if there's a way to incorporate came into cages or maybe tripods and what's best for tying your tomatoes up rope. Sting, bread ties, ect? Thanks for the help buddy.
Not sure what you mean by came and tripods… all you need is the cage. Anything works, the stretchy plant tape from dollar stores works well and doesn’t cut into the plant
Which way is best should I put my tomato plant inside my planter with a cage with soil or leave it in the original pot it came in then place it in the planter with soil. #2 I watched one video and it told me to place the vine under the dirt then have about 3-4” stand up and pat soil and water around it. My ? Is what happens to the that I buried in the beginning process of planting my tomatoes.
Hi there, a great video with probably equals pros and cons for both choices. I use poles for my beef toms. I wanted to ask, some beefsteak varieties can cope with the weight of many tomatoes and others cannot. Do you know what the cause maybe please?
Hi Marty, I made them myself out of concrete reinforcement wire I bought at Lowe's. For around $100 CAD I made 10 cages, so about $10/cage. These things will basically last forever from what I can tell if you take decent care of them. Check out a video I made about them: ruclips.net/video/UIUw91UXBGE/видео.html
I grow determinate "Big Beef" tomatoes for local restaurants during the summer months up here in South Dakota. I have always used the cage method but have found that the plants get too heavy and the heavy duty cages that I use end up falling over under the plants weight. I harvested 500lbs of tomatoes off of 8 plants this summer and I am looking for the best way to support them. I space my plants 5' apart as I only have access to them from one side. This way I can get in between the plants. What do you recommend that I do to get these to grow and have enough support once they start fruiting?
I did not know that determinate "Big Beef" tomatoes existed... are you sure you don't mean indeterminate (vining)? What kind of cages are you using? I recommend concrete reinforcement wire mesh tomato cages, they will last a VERY long time. Here is a video on them, hope it helps: ruclips.net/video/UIUw91UXBGE/видео.html
@@lucasgrowsbestyt sorry...I didnt realize they were indeterminate. I grew them as bushes this year and got about 80 lbs from each plant. The first year that I took my tomatoes out before a hard frost and the first year that I disnt toss tons of green tomatoes. I use heavy gauge, stick in the ground circular cages.
Thanks. I do have a video on my tomato cages. It doesn't show how to build them but I explain how I did. Here is the link to that video: ruclips.net/video/UIUw91UXBGE/видео.html
Use rubber bands to tie your plants to a stick and not a thread. If something happens to the stick, the rubber band breaks and saves the plant and on the other hand it's an elastic band so it works too... I have tried it on Chilli Plants... It worked
I noticed at lowes they have several different sizes of cages (width and length). Would I just use smaller cages for smaller plants, or smaller cages when the plants are small and switch to the larger cages once big enough?
I recommend using a large homemade cage right from planting. This way you don't risk disturbing the roots or the plant. Do yourself a favour and don't buy those small cages found at hardware stores for tomatoes. They are flimsy, and are too small for the average tomato plant. A healthy indeterminate plant can get upwards of 8-12 feet and determinates, although bushy, will outgrow most of these storebought cages, leading to snapped stems and subsequently a disappointing harvest. At Lowe's here in Canada you can buy a roll of concrete reinforcement wire that's 5' x 50' for $100 CAD. I made 10 cages out of one roll, and they are very heavy duty and have lasted me many years and are still going strong. Check out my video about my cages: ruclips.net/video/UIUw91UXBGE/видео.html Stay safe!
Great video. Very informative. I have a 4x4 raised bed garden that i am planning to grow indeterminate tomatoes. I have a chicken wire for my perimeter raised bed to keep away those critters. I am not planning to invest on buying tomato cages. So I was wondering if i can use chicken wire and bamboo stakes to make my own tomato cages?
Thanks! Sure, the sky is the limit with tomato support structures. Just make sure to prune your plants to suit the structure. Chicken wire is pretty flimsy for big indeterminates, and it will need to be at lease 5-6 feet tall or your plants' branches will just outgrow it and break off due to gravity. Try some with stakes too and see what you like better!
After expanding my garden to 25x50, I'm using metal t-posts with hog pen fencing to support my tomato plants. Caging would be too expensive, and staking is impractical when the plants hit their big growth in June. After a large storm moved through last year, my tomatoe stakes couldn't take the weight and all fell over. Hog pen fencing is $20 for a 4x10' section and easier to store. Everything from beans, cucumbers, gourds and tomatoes will be grown on them. Upside is, when tomatoes exceed the 4' growth, I'll add an additional panel on top.
I think hog panels would work great. An alternative is 4' by 8' sheets of concrete reinforcement wire, as they are less expensive but do rust. The fact that the panels are galvanized is really nice, I just wish they were cheaper and had equally spaced bars. String trellising is something you might want to try - it's inexpensive but involves lots of pruning and wrapping.
@@lucasgrowsbestyt I'm open to trying multiple methods this year for sure. I just can't afford another catastrophe like last years crop.( It was the Florida weave that couldn't handle all the weight)
Yes, they can definitely be a pain in that sense. Check out my video "Garden Demolition..." you'll see the mass of tomato plants I got out of my cages to prepare for winter.
My tomato plant has gotten so big that I went outside and the cage was bent and it was turned on the side but its still growing Any ideas on how to keep it off the ground? It looks like its trying to make a whole different plant on the soil.
I use a bamboo inside the cage to centre the dominant indeterminate stem within the cage rather than letting it diverge to one side of the cage which could obstruct development possibly.
If you have a cage, you want the plant to bush out because it has the support for it. If the plant is staked, you want to prune it to one or two stems because a stake won't be able to support a bushy plant. Choose your pruning method based on the support system you have available.
The stake is sunk about a foot into the ground and believe it or not it holds up really well just with the soil for stability. Although I don't find it at all necessary, you can push the stake further down (say 2 feet) or hammer a footlong piece of T-Stake into the soil beside the stake (so the top is just level with the soil) and tie it on with zip ties. You could also use cross-bracing with other stakes. Like I said though it holds perfectly fine by itself, especially if there is some clay soil at the bottom of the beds. Thanks for watching :)
@@lucasgrowsbestyt Thanks for responding! Building a raised bed this year and planning on having that luxurious soil you can dig with your hand. Also sealing the bottom, too many underground weed roots. I was considering bracing them with a top piece if nothing else.
You're welcome! I love questions and feedback from my viewers. Sounds good to me. Raised beds definitely have some great perks. I didn't put anything on the bottom of mine for weeds, mainly because I didn't want limitation if I was going to sink stakes into the ground (for trellises, etc.) I personally haven't had any weed problems, the area I planted on was grass turf I dug out so there were never many weeds in the area. It is definitely a good idea though, especially with if you have weed roots as you say. I didn't do this, but maybe consider rodent mesh put into the bottom as well!
@@lucasgrowsbestyt some of the 1st 5 lbers were grown from "delicious". Then, by selecting and feeding for a megablossom, it became more competitive to use varieties such Bigzac or Megazac. The current world record is from the "Domingo" variety. Bigpumpkins.com is where most of the giant growers get their info
@8Bit Chik'n Thank you! I have really been working on my editing skills, but I still have a lot to learn. I will check out your giveaway man! Thanks for watching and stay tuned for more!
Subscribing just because you had the wisdom to make this video however you overlook a ton of stuff here. Indeterminate vs. determinate. Determinate tomatoes are bush tomatoes and are best caged. Indeterminate tomatoes will grow as far as the stake or cage. Determinate tomatoes do not need to be pruned. Indeterminate tomatoes need to be pruned! SMFH that you missed these points.
How did you like this informative video? Do you like this style or more casual videos?
LucasGrowsBest I say make the videos the way it makes you happy. If you try to figure out ways to bring in more views I can understand that but I've seen a lot of people fall by the wayside thinking too much about that aspect. Therefore it turned into a job and the fun aspect was lost. As long as you're having fun and it makes YOU happy is really what counts😀🤗
Thank you P.C. You could not me more right. I could just as easily start a "Fortnite" channel or gaming/prank/challenge channel, but I am using passion to drive my channel. I want to inspire others to love the outdoors and their gardens.
The NET method was not covered ! it's like using a Tennis net, and you guide the tomato plant trough the net in a vertical path, its similar to the stake ! but it's easy to store !
Both. It's great when your just trying to get info out
I love your videos. They are very informative. Thanks Guy. Keep up the good work
Young man I have been growing tomatoes 60 years. Til this Date I have always staked my Tomatoes, and have had very high yield. If you don't have time to spend on what you're gonna eat then you don't need to grow Tomatoes. Tomato cages decrease air flow, common sense tells you that. By staking you can put the vine where you want it and also increase air flow. I always but 4 stakes on each plant. I place each plant 3' apart. I always do double not single vine. 1st set of flowers I clip off to place the energy in the roots. Roots mean everything in anything you grow. I don't let suckered get over 2" that way I place the energy in the fruit and the roots. Last year my plants were 16' tall and yielded 120 - 150 lbs on each, yes I said each plant. Guess it's just many years of experience and I watch and helped my Grandfather. Couldn't watch my Dad he was Lazy. Lol. So Good Luck to you in the Future. Spend time with those Plants and they will Treat you Right.
Can you please explain where to attach the 4 stakes on each plant? I'm starting my first small garden this year. Thank you
@@danacaldwell1035 I'm assuming they "box" the tomato plant in by surrounding it with four stakes. I'm not sure if 4 are necessary or if you could get away with less 🤷🏻♀️ I'm sure if you're actively pruning, it won't need as much support.
He made a video, I’d love to see yours so I can try it also
@@midwestmasocist Thank you for answering.
I sort of do a combo of both. The main stake to hold up the main stem, stems and the cage to offer some support to the heavy tomatoes
That works Jake!
We watched bunches of videos on tomatoes and liked yours best, by far! You were to the point and clear in your info. Thank you!
That means a lot, thank you :)
I use a hybrid method of staking multiple plants to the outside of a much larger cage. Fill the center of the cage with soil/compost. Highest yields ever
It also depends on the type of tomato you're growing: determinate or indeterminate. Determinate are usually shorter so a stake is often sufficient. But indeterminate just keeps on growing so the stand would have to be very strong or a combo of caging and staking is best. Also, you don't prune suckers on determinates regardless of whether you stake or cage because you'll lose all the fruit.
Very true. I mention this in my video about determinate vs. indeterminate tomatoes.
I'm new to gardening! How can you tell if you have a determinate or indeterminate tomato?
@@faithfulmoves Double check your seed pack and look up the type online.
Since you're probably getting tomatoes at this point in the summer you should be able to tell by how your plant is developing.
Determinate: Fruit comes in at once.
Indeterminate: Fruit starts, and just keeps coming in.
@@faithfulmoves Q: How can you tell if you have a determinate or indeterminate tomato?
A: By checking the tag.
I’m taking care of my friends garden that passed a couple months ago. I have never done this stuff before so YT has become my best friend lol. After this video, hers must be indeterminate bc those things just keep on getting bigger by the day. I didn’t expect that so I hadn’t staked or caged them…. Aka NIGHTMARE!!!
We use a combination of these two methods. We stake them, but using a "teepee"-like structure using bamboo that grows in our garden anyway. Pros: much foliage, more plants, more fruit. The fruit hangs downwards in the shade under the leaves! Cons: super labor intensive to build and maintain. We use this method since we can put the time in.
Very informative. Short and simple. I love and appreciate this! Thanks
Thank you! I'm glad you enjoyed. I was having trouble deciding which method I liked better and I couldn't find any good videos comparing the two methods so I decided to make my own! I'll try to do some more informative videos like this.
Thank you for making this great video. I just started gardening this year since Coronavirus lockdown made me work from home. I'm currently doing the staking method, using 4 feet long Vigroro plastic and metal stakes. I'm really new to this and find gardening pretty fun!
Those 2 cubic yard bags of soil are really heavy! Got to be 60-70+ pounds!!
I have always done both at once I stake them prune it and also have a cage around the plans to support the fruit. I grow in garden bags. Now I'm rethinking everything
Man. I’ve been doing both and I just go with what works at the time. Thanks for the info.👍🏽
That's the way to do it! As for as I can tell both ways have their place! Thanks for watching.
Hi mate, this is a very informative video. To be honest I’ve never thought of caging tomatoes. The majority of ones that I grow use the cordon method so a cane or stake is the ideal way to grow. Plus the cost of the cage and storage would be prohibitive to me. Take care. Nick
Thanks mate! I wanted to try a more informative video style for fun. Staking seems to be most popular in the UK, where a lot of people grow tomatoes in greenhouses in poly tunnels. I am still not sold on one method or the other so I will make a determination at the end of the season. Have a nice day!
Great video.. I've always have done cages... Just want to see what the other gardeners are doing.. 👍
Thanks! There are sooo many methods of supporting/training tomato plants.
Love the video.. I am growing tomatoes in pots so it seems staking is the best method
Texas Tomatoe cages are really nice
Yeah they are pretty cool, expensive though!
Thank you for supplying this information. I hope to start my first vegetable garden this year and this information in very helpful.
Wow. The intro is insane! The voiceover is unreal.
Thank you Trevor.
This is a really good video Lucas. I didn't know there were cons to both. I have to go the staking route as when I see cages filled out to their max capacity it makes me tense and I have a hard time breathing. I have no idea why so I like staking mine. As your plants fill out your cages I will listen to your video but I won't watch your tomato plants lol. Hope you have a great weekend!👍
Thank you P.C.! That is interesting that seeing filled tomato cages gives you a hard time breathing. Staking definitely keeps the garden less claustrophobic!! I will make sure I show the staked tomato plants so there's at least some parts you can watch ;) LOL Thanks for watching, and you have yourself a great weekend as well.
I thought the same thing lol. Who wants to be in a cage? Certainly not people or tomatoes. I can't imagine even pruning one in a cage without having a finger broken. Some things you just got to let go of like tomatoes and Free Willy!
Lucas, not a bad video at all. I have found caging works best for determinate plants and staking for indeterminate plants.
Thanks Anthony! You're probably right, I will be doing tests this year comparing various methods of supporting/pruning my tomatoes. Stay tuned!
Excellent, thank you.
One year I just let them ramble, and I've done it ever since. It may look a little bit messy it may take up a lot of space but I have 20 acres it was Zero work! I got tons of tomatoes. And I didn't care about the few that rotted on the ground because I got so many tomatoes I couldn't even process them all. I know this is probably not realistic for most Gardens but it works for me! And I will never waste my time caging or tying and staking again
Hey that's awesome! I completely agree that supporting tomatoes on a large scale is a waste of effort, you have the exact line of thinking as me. Actually one year I tried the Florida weave technique and I got kinda lazy and just let things go. Probably one of my biggest harvest years, unfortunately I didn't have my channel yet - that was back in 2015 if I remember correctly. The main reason I stake and cage is that I have a very small yard in the city and my mom told me that I can have a garden as long as it's tidy haha :) Also I like how it lowers disease which could wipe out my garden in a matter of days. That's awesome you have 20 acres of land! I'm hoping to have 100 acres for an apple orchard and pumpkin patch one day, but with the ridiculous price of land we'll see if that ever materializes! Thanks for watching and look out for new (and better) videos soon!
@@lucasgrowsbestyt I was very lucky to get a parcel of land that was in the family, as I would have never been able to afford to pay the price for land around here.
@@littlesquirrel5007 Aw dang, you hit the jackpot! That's great. I'm hoping I'll have my acreage by 35 :)
@@lucasgrowsbestyt Wow, that is super interesting. I had no idea you can get a bigger yield if you don't support them Thats really cool and Im almost tempted to try it now haha. Doesn't the plant just fall over? Great video by the way!
I saw a video from "the veggie guys" on yt that do the same thing. I thought it was odd to see, but their yields were amazing! If you have the space, it's worth the experiment!
Wow Lucas this is a great video! very well done! we do both but i like staking better..i think it works a bit better but as you said it does cause a bit more work.
Thank you! I worked very hard to edit this video, but it doesn't seem to be that popular..only 37 views in four days. I am glad you appreciate it! I am trying both caging and staking this year to see which method I like better. Cheers and have a great day!
Great video Lucas!! Toms are looking awesome pal! Have a great weekend:)
Thanks Ryan! The plants look great but still no tomatoes even close to ready. Have a great week :)
Great video and great job with the editing!!
Thank you!
My favorite is caging. Thanks!
You're most welcome! What makes caging your favourite vs other methods?
@@lucasgrowsbestyt I may have changed my mind. My caging was so terrible this year. My cages kept getting blown over with every strong wind. Next year I may be staking. It seems more versatile.
I find a simple "A" frame trellis with thin rafters across and strings/ropes hanging down to be much easier. Put together with bolts they come apart easy and can be moved about the garden for simple crop rotation.
Hi, I was thinking along the same lines. Any tips on how the strings should be used to support the tomatoes? I don't want to strangle the little buggers., thanks.
Great info! If I had to got back to cages then those large ones would be the ones to make or get. We sting and clip all ours now. Have a great weekend!
Thanks CB! Stringing and clipping is a method I have never tried but have always wanted to. Greenhouses use that way so it must be effective! Glad you enjoyed, have a great weekend as well!
Thanks for the info sir..
I staked last year, my plan grew 7 ft. Tall ! Stake bent 😭😭
Cool, what was your production like from that plant?
You can top the plant after the 6-8th truss to stop it continuing to grow upwards 👍🏼
Good video, Lucas. I am more in the stalking camp. Just like you said in the video, it is so I can get more varieties in a given space.
Good choice. I am torn between staking and caging, which is why I did a side-by-side comparison in my garden this year. Hopefully I can finally decide which method reigns king in my garden. Thanks for watching Brian! I have a complete garden tour scheduled for upload today so stay tuned for that :)
This is my first year doing the wicking tub method and I’m driving myself crazy trying to figure out whether to cage, stake, trellis or what lol!
Do it all! Then you can see for yourself which way you like best.
My favorite is twine/rope tied to a beam above, it is unnoticeble and never fail me.
I'm wondering if there's a way to incorporate came into cages or maybe tripods and what's best for tying your tomatoes up rope. Sting, bread ties, ect? Thanks for the help buddy.
Not sure what you mean by came and tripods… all you need is the cage. Anything works, the stretchy plant tape from dollar stores works well and doesn’t cut into the plant
Which way is best should I put my tomato plant inside my planter with a cage with soil or leave it in the original pot it came in then place it in the planter with soil.
#2
I watched one video and it told me to place the vine under the dirt then have about 3-4” stand up and pat soil and water around it. My ? Is what happens to the that I buried in the beginning process of planting my tomatoes.
Hi there, a great video with probably equals pros and cons for both choices. I use poles for my beef toms. I wanted to ask, some beefsteak varieties can cope with the weight of many tomatoes and others cannot. Do you know what the cause maybe please?
What are those tomato cages made? Those look a lot better than the ones I buy
Hi Marty, I made them myself out of concrete reinforcement wire I bought at Lowe's. For around $100 CAD I made 10 cages, so about $10/cage. These things will basically last forever from what I can tell if you take decent care of them. Check out a video I made about them: ruclips.net/video/UIUw91UXBGE/видео.html
I grow determinate "Big Beef" tomatoes for local restaurants during the summer months up here in South Dakota. I have always used the cage method but have found that the plants get too heavy and the heavy duty cages that I use end up falling over under the plants weight. I harvested 500lbs of tomatoes off of 8 plants this summer and I am looking for the best way to support them. I space my plants 5' apart as I only have access to them from one side. This way I can get in between the plants. What do you recommend that I do to get these to grow and have enough support once they start fruiting?
I did not know that determinate "Big Beef" tomatoes existed... are you sure you don't mean indeterminate (vining)? What kind of cages are you using? I recommend concrete reinforcement wire mesh tomato cages, they will last a VERY long time. Here is a video on them, hope it helps: ruclips.net/video/UIUw91UXBGE/видео.html
@@lucasgrowsbestyt sorry...I didnt realize they were indeterminate. I grew them as bushes this year and got about 80 lbs from each plant. The first year that I took my tomatoes out before a hard frost and the first year that I disnt toss tons of green tomatoes. I use heavy gauge, stick in the ground circular cages.
Great video! So do you have a video on best way to make tomato cages? Yours seem very sturdy, my store bought one keep toppling over.
Thanks. I do have a video on my tomato cages. It doesn't show how to build them but I explain how I did. Here is the link to that video: ruclips.net/video/UIUw91UXBGE/видео.html
Good information and good video
Thanks sir! Glad you thought so, have a nice day!
Use rubber bands to tie your plants to a stick and not a thread. If something happens to the stick, the rubber band breaks and saves the plant and on the other hand it's an elastic band so it works too... I have tried it on Chilli Plants... It worked
helpful video indeed!
@Sushy I am really glad you found it helpful!
How tall are your gages? And thank you !
5', 4.5' when sunk into the ground
I noticed at lowes they have several different sizes of cages (width and length). Would I just use smaller cages for smaller plants, or smaller cages when the plants are small and switch to the larger cages once big enough?
I recommend using a large homemade cage right from planting. This way you don't risk disturbing the roots or the plant. Do yourself a favour and don't buy those small cages found at hardware stores for tomatoes. They are flimsy, and are too small for the average tomato plant. A healthy indeterminate plant can get upwards of 8-12 feet and determinates, although bushy, will outgrow most of these storebought cages, leading to snapped stems and subsequently a disappointing harvest. At Lowe's here in Canada you can buy a roll of concrete reinforcement wire that's 5' x 50' for $100 CAD. I made 10 cages out of one roll, and they are very heavy duty and have lasted me many years and are still going strong. Check out my video about my cages: ruclips.net/video/UIUw91UXBGE/видео.html
Stay safe!
@@lucasgrowsbestyt Thanks, appreciate the info!
Great video. Very informative. I have a 4x4 raised bed garden that i am planning to grow indeterminate tomatoes. I have a chicken wire for my perimeter raised bed to keep away those critters. I am not planning to invest on buying tomato cages. So I was wondering if i can use chicken wire and bamboo stakes to make my own tomato cages?
Thanks! Sure, the sky is the limit with tomato support structures. Just make sure to prune your plants to suit the structure. Chicken wire is pretty flimsy for big indeterminates, and it will need to be at lease 5-6 feet tall or your plants' branches will just outgrow it and break off due to gravity. Try some with stakes too and see what you like better!
I was thinking of using bamboo stakes (7ft) and support it again the chicken wire.
Are you single stemming or letting them bush out?
@@lucasgrowsbestyt single stemming. I have to critters in my neighborhood from squirrels to raccoons to birds. Last year nature had the upper hand
How tall the stick it need for stacking the tomatoes tree... 🤔🤔🤔 Thank you so much and GOD BLESS.
You can't go wrong with an 8-9 foot stake.
After expanding my garden to 25x50, I'm using metal t-posts with hog pen fencing to support my tomato plants. Caging would be too expensive, and staking is impractical when the plants hit their big growth in June. After a large storm moved through last year, my tomatoe stakes couldn't take the weight and all fell over. Hog pen fencing is $20 for a 4x10' section and easier to store. Everything from beans, cucumbers, gourds and tomatoes will be grown on them. Upside is, when tomatoes exceed the 4' growth, I'll add an additional panel on top.
I think hog panels would work great. An alternative is 4' by 8' sheets of concrete reinforcement wire, as they are less expensive but do rust. The fact that the panels are galvanized is really nice, I just wish they were cheaper and had equally spaced bars. String trellising is something you might want to try - it's inexpensive but involves lots of pruning and wrapping.
@@lucasgrowsbestyt I'm open to trying multiple methods this year for sure. I just can't afford another catastrophe like last years crop.( It was the Florida weave that couldn't handle all the weight)
I hate cages because the vines get tangled in them and their hard to get out of at the end of the season but I still use them.
Yes, they can definitely be a pain in that sense. Check out my video "Garden Demolition..." you'll see the mass of tomato plants I got out of my cages to prepare for winter.
My tomato plant has gotten so big that I went outside and the cage was bent and it was turned on the side but its still growing
Any ideas on how to keep it off the ground? It looks like its trying to make a whole different plant on the soil.
Where did you buy those round tomato cages? Thanks.
I staked my plants and the stake breaks off. So I doubled up the stakes still snaped at the bottom. What can I do?
I use a bamboo inside the cage to centre the dominant indeterminate stem within the cage rather than letting it diverge to one side of the cage which could obstruct development possibly.
Can you please clarify as to why if you have the same tomato plant, you only prune or not prune depending on whether it's caged or staked.
If you have a cage, you want the plant to bush out because it has the support for it. If the plant is staked, you want to prune it to one or two stems because a stake won't be able to support a bushy plant.
Choose your pruning method based on the support system you have available.
when should you stake or cage your tomato's.
What keeps the stakes solidly in place?
The stake is sunk about a foot into the ground and believe it or not it holds up really well just with the soil for stability. Although I don't find it at all necessary, you can push the stake further down (say 2 feet) or hammer a footlong piece of T-Stake into the soil beside the stake (so the top is just level with the soil) and tie it on with zip ties. You could also use cross-bracing with other stakes. Like I said though it holds perfectly fine by itself, especially if there is some clay soil at the bottom of the beds. Thanks for watching :)
@@lucasgrowsbestyt Thanks for responding! Building a raised bed this year and planning on having that luxurious soil you can dig with your hand. Also sealing the bottom, too many underground weed roots. I was considering bracing them with a top piece if nothing else.
You're welcome! I love questions and feedback from my viewers. Sounds good to me. Raised beds definitely have some great perks. I didn't put anything on the bottom of mine for weeds, mainly because I didn't want limitation if I was going to sink stakes into the ground (for trellises, etc.) I personally haven't had any weed problems, the area I planted on was grass turf I dug out so there were never many weeds in the area. It is definitely a good idea though, especially with if you have weed roots as you say. I didn't do this, but maybe consider rodent mesh put into the bottom as well!
I don’t know if I should stake or cage my tomato plant
Try both methods and see what you like better!
LucasGrowsBest ok thank you
Go to a farm and try to buy their old cages. I know of a mountain sized pile down the road from me
You missed discussing how difficult it is to control weeds inside a tomato cage
I personally don’t have issues with weeds in my garden. If you do, I suggest natural or black plastic mulch.
Or you could lay a tarp with holes before planting in your bed.
I grow giant tomatoes, my record is 3.90 lbs and the world record is 9.65. 2x2sor 3x3 stakes is the preffered method in giant growing
That's cool! I have seen some giant tomato growing videos and have noticed they single stem. What varieties do you use?
@@lucasgrowsbestyt some of the 1st 5 lbers were grown from "delicious". Then, by selecting and feeding for a megablossom, it became more competitive to use varieties such Bigzac or Megazac.
The current world record is from the "Domingo" variety.
Bigpumpkins.com is where most of the giant growers get their info
Wow! What variety of tomato do you grow?
@@Bella-oc1lz the best varieties for size are: Domingo, bigzac & megazac
Hayden R thank you! I’m gonna try to grow some next season
I have mine caged , with stakes... lol
Great info Lucas. Your editing is becoming top notch. I got a giveaway going on make sure to check it out.
@8Bit Chik'n Thank you! I have really been working on my editing skills, but I still have a lot to learn. I will check out your giveaway man! Thanks for watching and stay tuned for more!
Kerb appeal
Not trying to be an ass ... but it’s pronounced MITT-a-gating not MIGHT-a-gating 😀 Friendly FYI.
Subscribing just because you had the wisdom to make this video however you overlook a ton of stuff here. Indeterminate vs. determinate. Determinate tomatoes are bush tomatoes and are best caged. Indeterminate tomatoes will grow as far as the stake or cage. Determinate tomatoes do not need to be pruned. Indeterminate tomatoes need to be pruned! SMFH that you missed these points.
Phenius Cage wow you are rude
@@ReyaBachmann I'm not being rude. It's my opinion. Those facts are extremely important.
Phenius Cage Your opinion is fine. And you made a great point. It’s the “SMFH” part that was rude and ruins it.
Griselle Zapata amen
@@mariebo7491 my apologies
whats that green tape?
Stretchy plant tape from Dollarama