Tomato cages are essential tools for controlling indeterminate tomato plants. They help balance heavy top growth while protecting them from disease.

These tomato cages are simple and straightforward to build. Not only will they support your tomatoes securely, but you only require various size boards and screws for this project.

Supporting Tomatoes

Tomato plants are vigorous growers that need a support system to stand up to wind, rain and the weight of ripening fruit. Although bush tomatoes may reach maturity without cages or caging, indeterminate vines and very large plants require caging for proper air circulation throughout their root zones and disease protection from insects; it also helps manage growth while channeling energy towards fruit development.

There are multiple approaches to building tomato cages. One easy option is using one of the ubiquitous cone-shaped, heavy gauge wire “tomato baskets” sold at nurseries and drugstores each spring. These 3-foot tall cages simply push into the soil around a seedling or transplant and can later be tucked back under as vines grow – however these cages may become unstable quickly when planted with indeterminate varieties or allowed to become too tall for their support structure.

Concrete reinforcing wire, which is typically used for fencing projects, is another viable option to create your own cages at home. Simply cut a length and count off 12 squares from one end; bend these toward each other to form a circle by bending their loose ends toward each other to form the cage; repeat this process for all 12 squares; stand up the cage once completed, and tuck vines as they mature into it.

A third approach involves creating a frame from 2″x 2″ boards that can be easily adjusted according to individual needs. This project can be accomplished quickly using just a saw and brad nails; and is especially suited for indeterminate tomatoes as its width and height can be customized easily; free plans from “Creating Mary’s Home” provide plans on building this type of cage made of cedar which naturally resists rot for extended garden use.

Wood staples provide an easier alternative to brad nails for quick, economical projects, as they’re easily available from hardware stores and can help beginners who may not feel confident using power tools or don’t have access to one.

Keeping Tomatoes Healthy

Tomato plants – particularly indeterminate varieties – benefit greatly from extra support, like that provided by cages. Without being trained, their roots tend to sprawl and flop across the floor; cages help ensure that fruit doesn’t drop as heavy harvests come on. Unfortunately, many premade tomato cages are either too small or fragile, while those big enough can often require multiple assembly steps before use.

Making your own tomato cages is an effective and efficient solution, even for beginners, and can save both time, money, and frustration. There are a number of methods you can use – from wooden stakes and twine to more elaborate trellises constructed of cattle panels, garden obelisks, Florida weaves pipes or any other material – but cages remain one of the simplest and most practical choices available to provide adequate support to healthy plants.

Concrete reinforcing mesh, commonly known as “remesh,” is the least costly choice, particularly if assembled yourself from rolls available at most garden centers and featuring 6-by-6 inch openings that make remesh perfect for tucking tomato vine branches in and reaching through to harvest ripe tomatoes. If using other wire rolls of various thicknesses instead, make sure they offer large openings that can support your weight without cracking easily.

Once you’ve assembled all your supplies, it’s time to start building cages. Put on some work gloves and bring out the bolt cutters (or hire someone local to assist). Remesh comes in various length rolls; the largest one (5-by-5 foot panel) should make 20+ cages easily.

Start by setting the cage over one tomato plant. It is easiest to do this when the plant is still relatively young as this allows you to tuck any stray branches that might otherwise fall outside of the cage more easily. Remember to follow recommended spacing between tomato plants and check on it periodically so you can tuck away any that have grown too long.

Harvesting Tomatoes

Once your tomato cages have been installed, their only required maintenance will be routine inspection. You should be able to easily spot ripe tomatoes when they appear, making harvesting them much simpler with your cages. Any branches which stray outside the cage should be gently pushed back into it instead of hanging outside where they may become heavy with fruit and break off from their plant altogether.

Tomatoes need extra support when grown indeterminate varieties, especially to maximize yield, reduce cracking, and avoid disease. There are numerous methods available for providing this support such as cages, trellises, stakes, twine, rebar, Florida weaves poles or garden obelisks; our favorite being this simple DIY cage!

These large tomato cages are constructed using cattle panels, which are both strong and easy to assemble. Not only are they long-lasting but rustproof too – our tomatoes and tomatillo plants have flourished under their support! We highly recommend these for garden use!

Cattle panels can be found in home improvement stores and some hardware chains in the building materials section, usually near the floor coverings section. Available in different lengths, their longest roll covers 5’x150′ and can make 20 or more cages with ease. You will also require sturdy bolt cutters to cut through wire.

Start by cutting a sample cage to see how well its size suits your planting area, before cutting the rest of the panel into sections based on its length: five foot panels will create an 18-inch cage and six foot panels will create a 23-inch cage. As you work, you may need to rearrange panels slightly as necessary; they’re heavy so don’t plan on moving them too frequently once completed!

Once your tomato cages have been assembled, the best course of action should be to stain them with stain or varnish to protect the wood against rotting or becoming overly damp, as well as from sun-damage from UV rays. Painting them may also be done, however; should this option be selected, use quality outdoor latex paint.

Keeping Tomatoes Safe

Keep tomatoes off of the ground to help them remain healthy by creating a barrier between diseases and pests as well as good air circulation to combat blossom end rot disease. However, using stakes or collapsible metal square cages can make reaching into them for checks or picking harder; plus if your area experiences strong winds your cages could even be blown over!

There are a few sturdy tomato cages on the market designed to be secure yet easy to use, but these tend to run about $25 each and often don’t last nearly as long as homemade cages. Luckily, it’s fairly straightforward and straightforward to make your own sturdy tomato cages out of cattle panels that measure 18″ square and 56″ tall; each panel is made of heavy gauge galvanized wire that’s both rustproof and sturdy enough for many seasons of gardening use in your yard.

For simple tomato cage creation, just lay a panel flat on the ground and use a heavy object (like a 4 x 4) as an assist to bend it into a cylinder shape. Donning some gloves, work by hand on it until all short ends of cylinder have been bent together – eventually you should have two identical tomato cages sturdy enough to support a determinate tomato plant.

Remesh fencing provides another advantage in creating tomato cages: its wide openings make it easier for you to reach inside and adjust branches or harvest fruit compared to other forms of fencing. Remesh is also strong yet flexible enough to form into cylindrical forms without breaking.

Galvanized wire, coated garden wire and soft plant ties will allow you to secure the remesh into a tomato cage, along with zip cutters (if you wish to break down its sections into smaller portions). Once completed, drive a stake through its bottom ring into the ground before placing it between its base and remesh at the base of your tomato plant.