Tomato support advice please - planning ahead

[veggiechicken]

I tie a string to the GH roof with a heavy weight on the end (big metal nut) and bury it in the pot before I plant the tomato alongside it. As the plant grows I twist it around the string. The weight of the compost keeps it in place.

I bury a string under the tomato root ball when I plant it too, then tie that to a long piece of bamboo that runs the depth of the greenhouse as high as possible over the toms.

As the tomatoes grow, I just twist them around the string. Works very well!

String.

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I just wrap it round the stem - I don't bother burying the end. Once you've got a couple of turns round the stem it rarely moves.

I prefer this to canes as it allows the plant to blow around a bit more, and is very difficult to poke your eye out with.

Without reading all the replies I'm sure someone will have mentioned this but just in case they haven't try using string. The the string to your container and the roof of your greenhouse and just wrap the plant around it as it grows.

String has been mentioned a few times, Scoot.

[veggiechicken]

I use bailing twine tied to the frame of my polytunnel. When the plants are a couple of feet high i just tie the twine loosely around the stem below the first set of leaves and then twist it round the stem a couple of times. As the plant gets taller I keep twisting it around the twine.

Oops, missed Bario's String - sorry

[jackarmy]

Are you stringing us along Chicken ?

[mrbadexample]

Do you mean the big ones launching themselves across the roof? They're Black Icicle. Always grow these - very productive and tasty. Always look as if they're wilting though!

Yes, those. I like the look of them. Have you tried growing them outside?

Got a spare seed please?

[veggiechicken]

They'll be in the VSP for sure - https://www.growfruitandveg.co.uk/gr...ml#post1503929

....and No , never grown them outside.

[Chrissyteacup]

I may just have to give string a try this year last year I was rubbish at tying up but that looks so good and quick to do as long as you’ve prepped in the first place! Can’t have them collapsing before I tie them up again!! (went away last year left them with the OH ended up on a heap on the floor I was cross with myself!)

[bario1]

Make sure it’s polyurethane string, as someone already mentioned, the organic strings aren’t strong enough once the plants get heavy.

[PlotOfPossibilities]

Thank you all so much for taking the time and trouble to reply. I'm going to give the string a whirl in the GH and the tripod outside. Cheers

[Bacchus]

I second (or is that seventh) the string option.

String is an inadequate term though. As previously mentioned "fine rope" is probably nearer to it, especially when growing those large beef varieties.

I find that I have to additionally the up individual trusses if they are particularly weighty. I tie the rope to building lathes that rest on the pollytunnel crop bars.

Nice problems to have though...

[Mark_Riga]

I'll second 'string' as well but again twine is not generally strong enough and this year I had a bumper crop with melons and some polypropylene I had run along the top of the greenhouse with each melon plant tied to it at 18" intervals snapped. It took a fair bit of time to tie them all back up and I was worried about the tomato plants as they looked even heavier. This year I'm going to use clothes-line along the top to be on the safe side with string to each plant tied about 1' from their bottom before they fall over. Its wrapped round the plants as they grow. Bailing twine would be good enough but don't have any and I spied a spare line in a cupboard.
Not sure when or why I took this picture but you can just see the green string with a plant tied to it below the open vent.

[veggiechicken]

I have wires along the eaves and at various intervals along the roof and sides so there's always somewhere to attach the "string" which is that polyprop stuff really.

[Jungle Jane]

I use canes but the weight of a few tomato varieties pulls them down at an angle,then I add more canes. Ive got an old swing frame here that’s strong enough for the biggest plants I’ve grown-black icicle,excellent support & then when they reach the top they grow along the frame at the top.

[MarkPelican]

I usually use string (as do lots of others apparently). I grow in pots and so I tie the string in a loop through the holes in the bottom of the pot. This means that you can set it all up before starting to plant. Last year I didn't bother to take off the sideshoots and added extra strings to support the additional growth.

The bush tomatoes I grow on the bench in the polytunnel/greenhouse so they've go space to cascade without dragging on the floor for the slugs & snails.

[taff]

I usually tie a bamboo pole along the length of each side about head height and I use galvanised twisty metal poles and wrap the plant around them as they go.
I got them from ebay for an excellent price about ten years ago and they're still going strong. I also use them for french climbing beans [ they're too short for runners]