Supporting toms

[piskieinboots]

This is my first year at greenhouse grown toms - they will be planted (this year) directly into the greenhouse borders.

What is the best method of supporting them?
Are canes strong enough?
I am growing interdeterminate type

[crichmond]

Canes are definately stong enough, but I use greenhouse channel eyes and put wire from one end of the roof to the other then tie string to this which dangles down and as the tomato vine grows just wrap the string around the new growth. If there is heavy trusses such as on beefsteak varieties then you may have to support individual trusses as well.

[Flummery]

I just use bamboo canes. Old ones. Keep them till they rot! Just remember that if they come to eye level you need to stick a cork or something on. You can do yourself a lot of damage else!

[piskieinboots]

Thanks Chris, I am favouring twine

[crichmond]

Hi Suzie

Using twine is great, not only is it cheap but its very effective and you dont even need to tie it to the plant you just wrap it round and the same works perfectly with cucumbers and melons as well.

PS. I first got the info from an rhs book and decided to try it as it is so easy and cheapand after 3 years using this method I cant fualt it.

And at the end of the season as there is no plant ties to remove just cut the twine where it fastens to the cross wire and compost the plants and the twine together.

[piskieinboots]

thanks again Chris - I have had my 'engineer' (Snowdrop) look at it and he say he will do twine for me

[BarleySugar]

Make sure the twine you use is strong enough. My green garden twine gave way last year, and the plants ended up on the floor. Some of the stems broke so I had a lot of green tomatoes.

[SarzWix]

Make sure the twine you use is strong enough. My green garden twine gave way last year, and the plants ended up on the floor. Some of the stems broke so I had a lot of green tomatoes.

I had that problem 2 years ago. Last year I used white string (parcel tying/butchery type) and it didn't break I have strong wires running crossways now too like Chris.
I find this system much easier & quicker to keep all the toms supported, you just twine it round as it grows rather than having to remember where your twine is and fiddly tying into canes. Not that I'm lazy, I just often mislay the twine and scissors

[piskieinboots]

ah good point about the twine - I had it in mind to use the green garden twine - I'll chat up me butcher

[HeyWayne]

At the risk of being predictable, could I just suggest you by yourself a scarf, one of those twirly/clacky things and stand at the sidelines cheering them on.

One thing I've thought about before is cutting short lengths of hosepipe to use where the plant comes into contact with the string/twine. My plants got "chafed" last year, and some actually folded where they touched the string.

[lainey lou]

ah good point about the twine - I had it in mind to use the green garden twine - I'll chat up me butcher

Go and chat up the chefs in the cook house.

Or get SD to. (always keep on the good side of the chefs and the cops!)

[Flummery]

At the risk of being predictable, could I just suggest you by yourself a scarf, one of those twirly/clacky things and stand at the sidelines cheering them on.

One thing I've thought about before is cutting short lengths of hosepipe to use where the plant comes into contact with the string/twine. My plants got "chafed" last year, and some actually folded where they touched the string.

Tie it in a loose figure of 8. Once around the cane, twist in the middle and then once around the stem. This cushions the plant a bit. You don't really need it dead tight either. Just enough to keep it upright.

[Victoria26]

Everytime I buy sandwich bags I keep the white plastic ties in them. I find these great for tying plants onto canes and training climbers.

[TEB]

I found the sandwich ties would bite into the plant with the weight of the fruit

[kentvegplot]

If you can get the twine to go under a leaf, rather than round the stem (if you see what I mean!) then the twine doesn't bite into the stems. You only risk damaging the odd leaf.

(I think I got this from Bob Flowerdew...)