After buying the supplies and building these myself, I have updated instructions on how to build tomato cages. The old way I suggested used zip ties, and required much less cutting. However, it required flattening out the remesh and rolling it the other direction, which was also a lot of work. In the end, I decided to go with the roll and cut, cut, cut.
Supplies:
Steel remesh–I found a roll of 5′x100′ for $100 at Home Depot
Bolt cutters–$14 (smaller is better)
It’s pretty expensive to tackle this on your own, especially if you don’t need 20 tomato cages. Find some friends and neighbors who are interested in buying some and share the cost! It ends up being about $6.60 each, including the bolt cutters. Not bad for 5′ tomato cages!
Step 1–Unroll the remesh.
Remesh is divided into 6″ squares, which is great because you can reach right through to pick your tomatoes. It also makes it easy to measure! Realistically, I did not unroll this all the way–just enough to cut a 5′ section.
Step 2–Cut to 5′ lengths using bolt cutters.
They don’t need to be huge, heavy duty cutters. I got the smallest pair and they were perfect!
Step 3–Wrap the remesh into a cylinder and use the “pokey” ends to keep it closed.
Step 4–Secure the tomato cage.
I found an easy way to do this using the “pokey” end that sticks out. I grabbed it with my hand. . .
. . . pulled it down. . .
. . . and pulled it forward until it snapped into place.
Step 5–Roll, push, and pull to get the cage into a circle.
Step 6–Cut off the bottom ring.
Step 7–Place in 2′x2′ section to support one indeterminate tomato plant.
Step 8–(optional) For deeper garden beds, cut off an additional ring.
Thanks for the tips! I have some fencing like this that my dad gave me to put up when I watch their dog. I think I may need to use it around my propane tanks for the three grape vines I just planted. We have a lot of wind here so I think the extra support of putting part of it in the ground by cutting off the ends like you show here is just what we’ll need. Still not sure what to place on each end – maybe two 4x4s with the fencing in between.
Great tutorial! I wanted to share that when cutting the second layer…if you’d just trim from the right and leave the left on and bend it down so it looks like a pair of legs that it’d be more stable/sturdy.
We use the same stuff to make trellis and “seasonal shade screens” by letting it arch over walkways and making a “gazebo roof”. Talk about easy pickin’….tomatoes, melons and cucs just danglin. It made it really easy to eat fresh picked tomatoes in the garden as all you had to do was raise your arm up over your head, twist/pull, drop to lap, lick, shake on some salt, bite, chew, swallow and repeat the various steps!
Hi Emily! Thank you so much for your website. It is truly a blessing to be able to access an abundance of gardening information in one organized place! I love the tomato cages and I was wandering if a shorter version would work to support cucumbers. I don’t have a trellis and I already have the materials for the cages. Thanks in advance!
Telisha
Telisha–for cucumbers I would suggest a trellis with nylon netting, or another type of trellis. I’ve never seen them grown in a round cage like this, but it might work. You would not want it shorter, if anything taller! They tend to grow longer than my tomatoes!
I just have a question it is my first SFG this year and i read in Mel’s book that the tomato takes one square foot while here you are saying in takes 4 squares which is right ?
Yes, you can grow them in one square foot, but it requires a trellis and CONSTANT pruning. So much work–this way you just “let them grow” and the tomato cages provide adequate support.
My sister has cages like that, her tomatoes do great.
We bought these from Gurneys: http://gurneys.com/product.asp_Q_pn_E_81512
In the spring they often have a sale where you get $25 free if you buy $25.
Thanks for the tips! I have some fencing like this that my dad gave me to put up when I watch their dog. I think I may need to use it around my propane tanks for the three grape vines I just planted. We have a lot of wind here so I think the extra support of putting part of it in the ground by cutting off the ends like you show here is just what we’ll need. Still not sure what to place on each end – maybe two 4x4s with the fencing in between.
Also, I just saw this inspiration on another site and thought you might love it. http://asoftplace.net/2010/07/the-inspiration-garden/
I love the little fence!
I love my new tomato cages!
I actually wrapped the mesh so that the pointy ends were on the bottom. I didn’t have to cut anything off and it went into the ground just great.
With these cages, how many squares do you find you take up with an indeterminate tomato bush?
With the cages you can grow one indeterminate plant in 4 square feet.
Great tutorial! I wanted to share that when cutting the second layer…if you’d just trim from the right and leave the left on and bend it down so it looks like a pair of legs that it’d be more stable/sturdy.
We use the same stuff to make trellis and “seasonal shade screens” by letting it arch over walkways and making a “gazebo roof”. Talk about easy pickin’….tomatoes, melons and cucs just danglin. It made it really easy to eat fresh picked tomatoes in the garden as all you had to do was raise your arm up over your head, twist/pull, drop to lap, lick, shake on some salt, bite, chew, swallow and repeat the various steps!
Honey
http://www.mondorfment.blogspot.com
Honey
Hi Emily! Thank you so much for your website. It is truly a blessing to be able to access an abundance of gardening information in one organized place! I love the tomato cages and I was wandering if a shorter version would work to support cucumbers. I don’t have a trellis and I already have the materials for the cages. Thanks in advance!
Telisha
Telisha–for cucumbers I would suggest a trellis with nylon netting, or another type of trellis. I’ve never seen them grown in a round cage like this, but it might work. You would not want it shorter, if anything taller! They tend to grow longer than my tomatoes!
I just have a question it is my first SFG this year and i read in Mel’s book that the tomato takes one square foot while here you are saying in takes 4 squares which is right ?
Yes, you can grow them in one square foot, but it requires a trellis and CONSTANT pruning. So much work–this way you just “let them grow” and the tomato cages provide adequate support.
Love the video!