Donald is Dead

[Jolly]

Has been, for a year or two. He used to live about twenty-five miles from me. Anyway, his stuff is still up on YouTube and you might find a gem or two there...

Most of y'all know this, but for those who don't like to weave their tomatoes, bite the bullet, spend $160 and buy a roll of remesh. You'll most likely die before your tomato cage wears out.

[Ozarks Tom]

I made out tomato cages out of field fence, bit mistake, the stuff is too flexible and the cages have to be tied together with a T-post about every 3rd cage. I'd much rather they were remesh, but too late now.

I also watched the video on his "irrigation pipe", neat.

[Jolly]

Speaking of field fence...There is a ton of old used field fence (what we call web wire around here), usually around 40" tall. It makes for decent cages for pepper plants, if you set a t-post around every 12 feet and run a string through them from one post to the next.

The bigger tomato cages also work and are reusable, but they cost money.

[woolybear]

I've decided that for next year I'm going to go with cattle panels for the tomatoes. I used the regular cages this year and no way am I going to fight with those rascals next time.
In fact I'm thinking of using panels in most of the garden, I have plenty of used T posts here and a young man to pound them into the ground for me.

[Jolly]

Jun 11, 2020 13:44:59 GMT woolybear said:

I've decided that for next year I'm going to go with cattle panels for the tomatoes. I used the regular cages this year and no way am I going to fight with those rascals next time.
In fact I'm thinking of using panels in most of the garden, I have plenty of used T posts here and a young man to pound them into the ground for me.

If you're like me, those durn cattle panels seem to get longer and heavier, every year. A couple of years ago, I took a pair of bolt cutters and cut mine in half. I now use more t-posts, but the panels got a lot easier to use.

[woolybear]

Jun 11, 2020 13:53:01 GMT Jolly said:

Jun 11, 2020 13:44:59 GMT woolybear said:

I've decided that for next year I'm going to go with cattle panels for the tomatoes. I used the regular cages this year and no way am I going to fight with those rascals next time.
In fact I'm thinking of using panels in most of the garden, I have plenty of used T posts here and a young man to pound them into the ground for me.

If you're like me, those durn cattle panels seem to get longer and heavier, every year. A couple of years ago, I took a pair of bolt cutters and cut mine in half. I now use more t-posts, but the panels got a lot easier to use.

 If my plan works I want the panels to stay in their places and rotate the crops around them. The garden is about 50 foot wide x 60-75 foot long.  Actual plot used to be 60 x 100, but I had to cut it down in size to what I could manage for this year.

 I'm thinking a row of panels for pole beans, 2 rows for the tomatoes, a panel for cantaloupe/cucumbers, a row for squash/zucchini, peppers and odds and ends. Would like to do a row or two for corn but I couldn't keep the coons out of any patch we tried to plant in the past 5 years.

 The part of the garden that we didn't work up we planted pumpkins and watermelon in. Also have 2 1/2 rows of potatoes and a row of onions that only half came up (DD helped to plant those and I think she put them in upside down)

 

[Tim Horton]

I made a number of reinforcing mesh cages about 2' in diameter for our raised beds.. Mostly used for beans and peas.. Works well, durable, reuseable, heavy.

The thing I like most is the mesh is big enough you can reach through to get pods deep in the plant.

[Ozarks Tom]

Our first tomato cages were made from welded 2"x4" welded wire. Mainly because that's what I had on hand after putting up the first fence around the place. I cut access holes 6"x8" to reach through. Found out real soon that picking tomatoes required the kind of gaunlet gloves you'd prune roses with, otherwise your hands and wrists looked like you'd been fighting with a cat.

For the few number of tomato plants we have each year, around 25, I can't justify the cost of a roll of remesh. Well, maybe when I get the check from the Nigerian Prince.

[Deleted]

My Dad has chosen to use cattle panels. He sets them along the row and ties the tomatoes to them. Easy to pick and good air flow too. I’m still using stakes that I’ve cut when clearing ground.

[tabitha]

One long row of cattle panels. Last year the tomatoes were on that side, and this year they are on this side. have not moved a thing. so this year on that side I have a double row of carrots and onions.

[Mari]

Jun 11, 2020 18:11:16 GMT Ozarks Tom said:

Our first tomato cages were made from welded 2"x4" welded wire. Mainly because that's what I had on hand after putting up the first fence around the place. I cut access holes 6"x8" to reach through. Found out real soon that picking tomatoes required the kind of gaunlet gloves you'd prune roses with, otherwise your hands and wrists looked like you'd been fighting with a cat.

For the few number of tomato plants we have each year, around 25, I can't justify the cost of a roll of remesh. Well, maybe when I get the check from the Nigerian Prince.

Actually Tom, that is what I use here on our little homestead.  My hands are small enough I can reach through to weed and such if need be.  And, I primarily grow First Lady tomatoes, so, most of the time I can just kind of widen the "holes" a bit by pulling left and right - ya know what I mean?  And most of the tomatoes slip right through.  
I do pound in a t-post to secure them to.  My cages are only 4 foot tall - 6' to 8' would be a dream come true!

I do hope that check comes sooner than later from the Prince to you!
Take care,
~Moi

[my3boys]

Jun 11, 2020 13:44:59 GMT woolybear said:

I've decided that for next year I'm going to go with cattle panels for the tomatoes. I used the regular cages this year and no way am I going to fight with those rascals next time.
In fact I'm thinking of using panels in most of the garden, I have plenty of used T posts here and a young man to pound them into the ground for me.

We’ve got raised beds and this year dh set up three cattle panel arched trellises, bed to bed. They’re working out so well we’ve decided to go ahead and put two more up. I’ve still got plenty of time to plant more pole beans for freezing.

Cheap, too. $15 apiece plus 4 t posts, and they’ll last longer than dh or I will.