This Could Change The Way I Grow Tomatoes Forever
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- Опубликовано: 13 фев 2024
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It just dawned on me, the hole on top would fill with rain and would inject water 2-3feet into the soil.... Interesting.
Never thought of that!!!
Would mold also be an issue? Because I had something like this in my garden and a slug went in there and it was nasty and even though it's too high for slugs, other creatures can go in there and decompose. Probably overthinking it because of that horrible trauma😂 but this isn't cool Factor 2.0
You could put a pvc end cap on it.
Idk about mold or decomp. But I don't think I would want to cap it, those roots would definitely go deep. And with core gardening who needs water lol
PVC is meant to be installed indoors or underground to avoid degradation due to exposure to sunlight. It's probably fine for trellises but shouldn't be used for carrying water outdoors because the sunlight breaks down the plastic and water flowing through it will leach those chemicals into the soil.
Can i make a suggestion? Drive rebar into soil then run the rebar through the center of pvc to support it without having to dig a 2 foot hole.
Exactly what I was thinking too 👍🏼
That sounds like a great ideal!
Beat me to it as well. I use 3/4” electrical conduit slipped over rebar. I’ll add, I use a washer at the bottom to to keep it from sinking into the ground.
That said, I think I’ll be trellising mine on a cattle panel this year.
I tried that a couple of years ago when I moved my tomato beds to a new location but found that the PVC pipe can spin on the rebar or a small er diameter PVC. To anchor them I connected the tops of the PVC pipes to each other with another length of it by using a 'U' joint at the opposite ends of the rows. Bonus! You can use the cross piece as a place to tie strings or ropes for beans, peas and cucumbers.
Don’t use rebar. Use a T post and get PVC large enough (1 1/2” for a really tight fit, 2” for a loose fit) to slip over the top. More sturdy, less janky.
I’ve been using this method to mount 10’ EMT for my wood duck boxes for years, and it is a really durable construction.
We did what you are describing the first year we moved onto the property we have now. It gets brittle from the sun and has to be replaced within a year or two. It also can sag a lot. We went with $25 cattle panels bent ito an arch and anchored with rebar in the ground. My tomatoes and cucumbers grow up and over the panel with the fruits hanging underneath. During the summer I keep the foliage trimmed off underneath to make it easier to see the fruits. If YT allowed posting pics in the comment section I could show you.
How far apart do you plant your tomatoes? Do you plan on the inside only? or both sides? I use arches for my cucumbers and I'm going to use them for my tomatoes.
Do you have a problem reaching fruit at the top of arch?
I did a straight line of tbar 6 ft apart and rand cattle panel along them 40 ft or so. worked great
@@pianokey731 I planted along the outside, so the vines can grow up and over the top by late summer. The vines are all the way over on the other side which works out just fine. I train them so they don’t get too crazy and I do the best I can to take the suckers off. I grow huge tomatoes.
@@KrisYoung-rw6hs I am 5 foot two and I don’t have any problem reaching the fruit at the top. The cattle panels are 16 feet long by 48 inches wide. We arch them and put each side on the ground 6 feet apart. Works out perfect even my husband who is 5 foot 10 can walk under it also. It’s a bit of a job to keep the leaves trimmed off on the underside but then really not much more than growing them in other methods. I just really love being able to see all of the fruit from underneath.
Sounds good. The cross pieces supporting the plant is a great idea.
One issue that I have had with using PVC pipe outdoors is that it is not UV (Ultra-Violet) stable. The bright and hot summer sunlight made the pipe very brittle after about a year or two. The pipe then shattered into sharp pieces.
There are two ways that I know of to avoid UV damage. First, paint the PVC to block the sun's rays. Second is to use grey SCHEDULE 80 electrical conduit instead of water piping. Be sure that it is Schedule 80, not Schedule 40. 80 is designed and marked on the pipe for outdoor usage above ground where it can be exposed to sunlight long term. Long term meaning for many, many, many years as it is carrying electrical wiring.
For a trial season, the PVC you have will probably work fine. But, probably will not last for years.
Thanks for sharing this great idea!!!
Wow, that's amazing. You must have some extreme ultraviolet rays where you live. Personally, my experience has been positive, and very long lasting, using white unpainted pvc in direct full sun for multiple years. I have had several beds with multiple 16', 3/4" pvc pipes bent in a U shape under extreme stress for years, and they are yellowing, and probably will fail at some point, but they've been quite useful and worth the time/expense already. I assume a trellis like he just made would last a decade or more in my climate. I live in the Mojave desert, extreme UV light, 3,500' elevation, extreme heat, and again, it's worked great here. I'd encourage people to try it.
@@middle-agedmacdonald2965 I use PVC in my garden also and I concur with you. Lasts quite some time. And I'm in Texas.
👍🏼
Agreed. The grey will last longer outside.
@@middle-agedmacdonald2965
I am in Florida. That means pretty direct sun in the summer, high humidity, and summer temperatures in the 90's. The application was not in a garden. The piping was used as an auxiliary sprinkler/cooling system for a metal roof on a metal building. The fact that the pipes ran over a metal roof was probably another contributing factor. Also, the majority of the time there was no water in the piping that might have helped to cool the PVC. I was just surprised how brittle the Schedule 40 PVC was after a couple of years. It did literally break into pieces when handled.
If we need to do this again in the future, we will paint the PVC.
With pvc you need to paint them or get electric conduit as pvc can break down in sunlight. It gets brittle.
This and the eventual microplastics that would leech into the soil. I'm a HUGE fan of the design, just not the material used, but it's an initial concept so I'm not gonna stress over it too much. I do love the potential for an added water deposit source, too.
I use a cattle panel trellis! I do it like Jess does on Roots and Refuge! Works awesome! you start the trellis about 2 feet off the ground!
Been using pvc for years. If you make a simple T at the top and attach strings to either side and down to the base of the tomatoes. You put tomatoes plants on both sides and grow it up the string. Then when the tomatoes grow up you can turn that T and you have more growing room as they get to 12/13 feet or more. ALSO I took a 2 ft piece of PVC and pound it into the ground. Then your long pvc goes right inside the large effectively securing up the pvc pole. Works very very well. Good luck. 😊
Interesting idea! I prefer the string trellis for our tomatoes. 8 ft tall 2x4s on each end, and a 2x4 across the top, supported with angles pieces at the corners. Then just tie a string every foot and dangle it down. Then you can either knot the bottom end and bury it under the tomato plant, or simply tie it loosely around the base of the plant. As the tomato grows, just guide it in a twist around the string. Never lost a tomato in wind, even with my beefsteak sized ones. It even works with a double stem tomato plant. For us, it's a lot less labor and materials involved, and we had great harvests. We're still working through the excess tomatoes I threw in our freezer at the end of the season 😋
We use your same method!!
I use the same method but with steel posts and bamboo usually.
Same method here, but I also have a 2x4 across the bottom which I tie my dangling string to. More secure and doesn't cut into the plant.
@@MrDxm253 I had considered that, but got ran out of lumber and got lazy 😆. Our tomatoes did just fine though. Cucumbers too!
Ok... i have a really dumb question but how do you keep it from falling over? Do you bury the bottoms a little?
I've used long sections of rebar for years. No fuss, no muss. I've been using the same pieces for 25 years.
Kinda looks like a TV antena like we had on our house when I was a kid. I live on a hill near a river and the wind is brutal. I'll have to give it a try. Thanks!
Cool idea, one note to make is that PVC gets brittle in the sun, it will take a handful of years but will eventually snap. Ask any irrigation installer 😅
I wonder if you could grow timber bamboo and do the same thing. I used to grow thumb thickness bamboo and it was super valuable in making garden support structures.
That drilling angle made me cringe, Luke. Hope the twig and berries are unscathed! LOL 😜
I was sweating 😂
😂
Same here, please do not use your groan for drilling. Shivers
For safety secure the pipe in a bench vise
Same! Freak accidents are real man😂
I'm going to try this out for a couple of mine.
I like the idea.
Also like the note someone else mentioned about putting it over rebar
Oh what timing! I’ve been kicking around different ideas for my tomatoes this year I think I just might do this!
Great idea, I've used 3/4" pvc on many plants including tomatoes.... I use rebar on the bottom to put in the ground [actually my raised beds] and it works great
This would work for cucumbers and vertical growing of yellow squash. I will be going to Lowe’s very soon to start building these. Thank you so much ❤
Great idea! Going to try it! 👍🏼
just ordered a grow light for seed starting and im doing all indeterminates, largest being san marzano. definitely going to be trying this as i need a long lasting trellis idea! thank you!
Awesome!! I cant wait to try it out. It will probably work well.with cucumbers...Im gonna try it on both! Thanks so much for sharing!!!!
I was thinking the same thing myself and also for my squash plants here in Australia
Hi Luke, I find amazing the way you search to improve, even after all the years of experience you have. You did give food for thoughts Thanks .
Great channel Luke, I really enjoy your tips and ideas. Got seeds from you this year, great selection and prices! Electrical pvc has been in my garden for years. I sink some fence posts in a square pattern into my raised beds, sink and snug the pvc in against those and tie them off with jute. I also use multiple fittings as I build up. My basic design remains somewhat the same based on pre cut lengths and fittings, but the tower generally grows to ~9 feet and I secure it to the gutter with bungee cords on my ranch style house to keep wind from toppling the fully grown plants. I try to prune my indeterminates all season to get the best air/ growth and production. I've had good success with cherry and beefsteak varieties, though the cherry types kind of take over if you let them. Jute and stretchy tomato tape supports work great throughout the season. I usually get more harvest than I can use each year, so friends and neighbors also get to enjoy.
I’m definitely going to try this especially for my pear, tomatoes and cherry tomatoes. What an awesome concept Luke thank you for sharing. Will definitely keep you updated on how it does for me.❤
Definitely gonna try this!! I'm gonna start buying the PVC now, that way it's not so expensive when it's time to plant. Thank you for this!!
Great timing!
I was just investigating how to do this.
Pretty interesting. I really like using a 16 foot cattle panel, or cages we make from woven wire fencing. Both are inexpensive and do a great job supporting tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.
Nice; my husband is going to love another project I hand over to him. Yes, I could do this also it he could do it twice as fast.
Interesting idea, Luke. I shall watch this season and see how it works for you! It's too much for me, with the drilling and all.........I grow my tomatoes up a 4X8 panel of re-mesh fastened to a couple of T-posts pounded into the ground. I get 3 plants on an 8' length and have never had to prune to a single stem. Looks tidy and is pretty productive too. Happy Tomato Season!
Have you ever used a cattle panel tunnel? We use it for our tomatoes and never have a problem.
Interesting idea! Thanks for sharing. Keep us updated on how it works out.
Love all the creative ideas.
Interesting idea, but I think I'd prefer to see your actual experience with it over several years. A few thoughts:
1.As others have pointed out, like a lot of plastics exposed to sunlight PVC gets brittle over the years. (Although someone pointed out Schedule 80 electrical conduit does not have that problem)
2. Many of us don't have pickup trucks, so sticking 10 ft things in our cars isn't that doable without some serious effort. That said, it could be made modular.
3. Do the crossbars really need to be so close together?
4. Will it be hard to drive deep enough in the ground??
5. The OSHA inspector will be around to discuss your "crotch drilling" technique.
Busted out laughing when got to #5 😂🤣😂
I just discovered your videos, and they are so educational! We will be following your advice on the pruning off the shoots of our tomatoes and growing a single stalk, indeterminate type. And trying out your PVC trellis - it's a brilliant idea! Question - growing a tomato plant this way, can we plant them 19" apart, since they will be growing up on that single stalk and staked?
I think I will be trying this!
So excited to try!
Looks like it would work for beans and possible cucumbers. I agree about the rebar. I would love for you to try the Florida weave method as well.
That['s a great idea. Thanks Luke
When I was in highschool, my Dad and I took a large PVC pipe and drilled holes in the side about six inches or a foot up.
We buried the pipe with the holes toward the tomato plant with the holes under ground.
When we watered, we watered inside the pipe so all the water went to the plants. It worked well.
This was probably a two or three inch pipe. We just tied the tomato to the pipe. We didn't prune them.
Now that I grow tomatoes in buckets, I put pipes in for stakes and water through the pipes. The pipe is in a water reservoir in the bottom of the bucket that wicks into the soil.
I love PVC. I have used it a lot in my garden for plant supports and for making row covers , but I've never used it quite like this.
Going to try this this year 😊
Please show us your progress as you use this method during the upcoming season. Love to see it in use and hear the pros and cons.
Good idea. Thanks.
Absolutely going to try this!🙏🤞
Wow this is incredible thank you so much for sharing and explaining 👏😁🌱❤️
Have made pvc stakes/trellises for years. A few tips. Put a cap on the end or it will fill with water and lean/fall. Sand with course sandpaper til rough-then wipe on multiple colors of stain or shoe polish. Will make it look like wood grain. You have to fasten in the ground or it will bend/lean/fall. I fasten the pvc pole to a 2-3 foot section of 2x6 board then bury the board a foot or two depending on height of trellis. They will start to bend after a couple years. You can straighten them by using a heat gun. Heat the bent area until flexible. Bend back to shape and hold in that position until it cools (about a minute or two). Use oven mitts to hold the hot section of pvc. Happy Gardening!
That jog with the pole. 😂😂😂 Gardeners are seriously the best RUclipsrs. Love you, man!
Instead of burying the pvc pipe, I cut a slightly larger inner diameter pvc pipe, approx 2 feet and bury it in the ground, knocking out the inside dirt in order to insert the smaller diameter pvc pole. It works great and makes for easy transition to a second seasonal planting after tomatoes.
Brilliant!
I made a trellis system with pvc fir part if my garden.but i hug with twine then drilled small holes at each spot..capped of one end then was able to fill the pvc up with water.each hole the string directed the water to each plant..i also did crossover pipes to each row so i could actually just fill at one spot to water the complete garden.all the pipe was free but worked great.
That is a great idea! Glad I didn't invest in furring strips yet lol I think I'm doing this. Thank you
I love my lower and lean string trellis!!! I space my plants 12" apart and single stem them!
I use a green metal temporary fence post and tie a 8ft furring strip to it so I can tie tomato plants to it with some twine. Works well, sturdy, supports the plants well past the top of the structure. When your season is over easy clean up. Cut it down, jerk the posts out of the ground, run what’s left of the plants through the chipper and back into the garden soil. Easy peasy
Built a frame out of emt conduit over my raised bed. I included cross bars. That way I can easily use the string method for all tomatoe plants
Good idea. I don't have a drill though but I am working on an arch trellis. I may need PVC pipe for that because I was not able to get cattle panel delivered so I used welded wire fencing which sags in the middle so will need some pipe to arch underneath to hold it up. I have seen people grow tomatoes on an arch trellis and it works beautifully!
I have some like it I've been using them for about 15 to 20 yrs. I've had good look with them we have hard wins here up to 55 mile on any day your looking at 35 mine have held up really good. Good luck
I think I am going to try this but incorporate copper and have it also function as an electriculture antenna. Love the simplicity.
I have tried many types of tomato trellises. But 4 or 5 years ago I found the one I've had the most success with. I have 20 foot rows. I place T-Posts 5 feet apart. I place PVC T's on top of each T post. I then use metal electric conduit pipes (10 foot with a connector) and run it through the PVC T's on top of the T-Posts. To trellis the tomatoes, I tie a string around the metal conduit above the tomato plant and use tomato clips to attach the plant. There is an initial investment, but most of it is metal. I expect the PVC T's will eventually crack in the sun, but it hasn't happened yet. I've already gotten 4-5 year and I expect I will get many more years out of it.
I have just sprayed my pvc pipes with gray primer paint. Hopefully that will help with the uv rays.
Luke, what's your favorite tomato variety to plant on this? I've never trelised tomatoes before.
Great video thanks for posting. On Sweet Tomato Vine Homestea channel she's using her whole property as well growing food every way possible. It would be amazing to share her garden and tips of another style with your viewers. Look forward to the next video.
My planting beds are 4 x8. I have a 2x4 x 4ft x 8ft tee post at either end. I join the tees with a length of 2x2 on either side. I run rwo cables to each Tee. My san marsano tomatoes are suspended by green house suspenders . The tomatoes are spaced 18 " apart so that I can have 2 rows of 6 plants each. The "tees" have minor bracing . I will use your PVC supports in my individaul tomato cages
I love this idea.
PVC will become brittle after a couple of years of sun exposure, but I’m sure that you will come up with a solution for that!
You have a Great channel, I love the content!
Would have been nice to see pictures of the cherry tomato plant you had grown this way. Maybe a rod inside of your pic pipe that would go into the ground and the outer pipe overlays it so it’s not in the ground?
Keep watching
Luke, what I am doing this year is putting up T fence posts. I used a post hole digger PHD, and it took no time at all. So I have a tomato “plantation”. I did spray paint the white tops. One thing I think I will like about this is that the “lobes” on the posts will prevent any ties from slipping down.
I used to use furring strips as well and ran into the same issue. So you can imagine how thrilled I was when I moved to my new house and found a stack of metal conduit right next to where I was planning to build my raised bed garden. No ladder rungs, but they're indefinitely re-usable and more than sturdy enough for my double-leader staked oxheart tomatoes.
This is a awesome idea
I like this concept but I've already purchased a bunch of u posts. I think I'll just get 1/4 inch rebar to fit into the existing holes to help the tomatoes climb. Thanks for the idea :)
I tried using furling straps a few years ago, it was bad. Between the weight of the plants, and our frequent high winds, they were always breaking. Now I use the 8-10 ft long green stakes I can get from tractor supply. Very, very sturdy.
Neat idea. I'll stick to driving in a cheap metal stake (5-7') and attaching the firring strip to it. Makes it more rigid and helps extend the life of the wood by not inserting that into the ground.
Right now I grow my toms along the backyard fence, anchored by a green fence that is anchored to the fence posts. My long term plan is to replace the green fence with a hog panel, as budgets allow. The green fence is doing very well so far! I have simple garden trellis clips I use to support as many tomato branches as I like, so I don't have to prune down to a single stem. I like that feature.
Thank You!
It looks like an interesting support for one or two plants. i like using "A trellis to make you jealous".
If you’re going to be building a fair amount of those trellises , you may want to use schedule 40 PVC electrical conduit as it has UV resistance and not get brittle. Gray in color
Came here to say the same thing. 😊
As far as the cost, check around for people getting rid of used materials. PVC gets tossed a LOT because it's easier to install new than try to cut, glue and refit old pieces.
Every benefit you mentioned over the furring strips I use sounds great, but I worry that PVC piping may contain "forever chemicals" that I would not want in my garden soil taken up by tomato plant roots.
PVC pipes are what is used in plumbing. You already use them all the time without even knowing.
@MIgardener have you tried the lower and lean trellising method? What did you think of that method? I'm curious how your firing strips and pvc compare with a lower and lean trellising experience.
What a great idea!
Good idea but I grow too many tomato plants for this to make sense. I think it would be great for a small garden but I'll stick with good old T post and a Florida weave with basic tomato twine.
Luke...the Gray PVC conduit (for electrical projects) is the same price as the White (plumbing projects) and has the benefit of U.V. stabilizers built-in to the chemistry of the material. The white stuff will turn yellow and then brown over a few years outdoors in the sun. Just sayin....
I still like using cattle panels best. I bought some 10 years ago and they still look like they are brand new. Easy to put up, easy to store, and they will outlast me.
Is it not a pain to remove the plants from the grid at the end of the season? I hate removing beans from fencing.
@@charinabottae Its not a pain because I dont bother removing them. By next spring they all have dried up and fallen off.
very fortuitous. I was wondering why some of my tomato plants kept wilting. In checking more closely I found that the weight of the fruit had caused the base of the plant to collapse on itself, bending in a way that must be preventing the uptake of water and nutrients. Strings dont work for me as we get very heavy winds and the plants go flying. Stakes, which I usually use, are limited for the reasons you give. Cattle panels are pretty good, But this might be better. Will try it next Spring.
Have tried lots of different things. Ended up with using field fence on 6' T-posts. Branches can be clipped to the fence in appropriate places to give support and the plant can pretty easily grow on both sides of the fence. It's quite secure even with very large plants and I've never had a wind or storm take a fence down. I do the same with my cucumbers.
I have used PVC pipes for several years now, but not for individual poles (which I find too flimsy), but for more sturdy structures where neighboring poles are connected by PVC cross-braces using PVC tees as connectors (similar to a ladder), which can also be arranged in a rectangular cage-like structure. You can then grow vines not only up the poles, but also in between poles where the vines are supported by the cross braces. It is also a good idea to spray-paint the PVC for protection from the sun.
Always looking for new innovative ideas in the garden this one's a winner
Love the wall behind you.
You might hammer a piece of rebar in the ground and slip your PVC over it. It would give it some more stability and you wouldn’t have to bury the PVC so deep.
I tried something very similar with pvc, did not have all that trellising which I am now doing, yes the flexible nature lets the wind move it without snapping so curious as to how long it will last. Last year I was removing the last of my tomatoes mid November and needed a ladder, they did great and well over 10 ft :)
I've done this before using rebar as the in ground support. I didn't use crossbars, but wound the vine around the PVC and tied it off every foot or so. It did slide down the pole, but I prune lower branches off, so no fruit was low enough to get damaged. It worked great, and I will probably do it again this year.
Ohhh, really good idea! And, I loved your opening! So funny! 🤣😝🥰
That’s awesome. I love it. If you want to make it stronger use schedule 80 PVC. Not 40
Looking forward to the follow up
At every point where you have drilled through your pvc pipe you have compromised its structural integrity. Like the knots in the wood it's a weak spot. As the pvc ages and becomes brittle the drilled spots will become break off points. A strong wind or a storm could bring your plants crashing down just like a weak wood product.
The first thing that I will say is that this is an interesting video. Second is power tool safety. You scared me drilling the way you did. The third thing is that there is the potential for the PVC to off gas under very warm weather conditions. PVC is made for cold water applications only or to buried in the ground. It can not be used for hot water/warm applications or it can off gas. I use CPVC to make low tunnels for my beds. I use lengths of PVC to stabilize the central arch. I can place CPVC in the ground and not worry about off gassing because it can be used for both cold and warm applications. Still, this can be a great idea. I still use tomato cages for my tomatoes. I set up a honeycomb pattern during planting and then attach all the cages together with zip ties. I live in Southern Ohio, where we get the occasional tornado, straight line winds, and severe thunderstorms. My method has not failed me yet. Keep us updated and let us know how it works out.
Luke, You can use pvc electrical conduit. It's UV resistant, so it'll last longer & is cheaper than plumbing pvc.
I use Maker pipe fittings and metal conduit then hang twine off it and clip to twine with tomato clips the twine gives the tomato plant the ability to sway and will last for many years.
If you're using metal to make "rungs" you can probably skip the drill and just use a propane torch to heat it and push it through the plastic and get a nice snug fit.
Also, if you wanted to reduce the wobble of the pipe some but not completely, filling it with sand would probably work. Cheap, and you'll have some on hand anyway.
I have a show that's only so big in the fall when you take those up where do you store them
I’m glad you made this video. I just saw tomatoes growing on a pole in the background of one of James Prigioni’s videos. It was the first time I had seen this done. It looks like it doesn’t take up much space and is much more affordable. Let us know how it goes.
I like the idea alot. Maybe so you don't lose much length find something like rebar to be pound into the ground and then put PVC pipe over top but in the soil a couple inches.. BTW I like the art work on the back wall!
You can use rebar or 1/2” or 3/4” EMT(in 5’ sections) as a base anchor
I’m with everyone else. Please don’t drill that way. You are needed to much Luke. I use a cattle panel 4x16 with 5 t-posts in center of the bed or arched so things grow up and over. Also allows for plants that can’t take the heat here in Florida to be planted under
Little tip for growers in hot areas to the south from Plumbers and pool equipment installers in AZ. PVC exposed to sunlight in hot desert areas gets brittle and discolored. They protect it by covering in either spray paint or latex based paint. Otherwise it's longevity is cut dramatically.