[Market-farming] tomato cages
Krystle Chung
learning at selfmadefarmer.com
Tue Feb 5 11:01:56 EST 2008
I've worked with cages made from concrete mesh as well. They were 6 feet
tall and about 1.5 feet in diameter. There were 80-100 cages at work, with
two tomato plants per cage (and a few tomatillos in there as well). We lined
up the cages on the rows, being careful not to let the wire pierce the drip
tape, anchored the cages down tightly with three stakes (get strong winds
out here in the desert), put in the transplants, wrapped the cages with
remay fabric, and secured with clothespins. The fabric was removed when
temperatures started to hit 100 degrees F. Until then, it gave the tomatoes
a head start (protection from winds at night) and also hid the plants from
the leaf hoppers that take up residence in the wild mustard that grows
around here.
Here are some pictures of the process from the photo album:
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg29/mysterioushorizons/Prepping/DSC05195.jpg
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg29/mysterioushorizons/Prepping/DSC05193.jpg
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg29/mysterioushorizons/Prepping/DSC05254.jpg
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg29/mysterioushorizons/Planting/DSC05304.jpg
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg29/mysterioushorizons/Planting/DSC05351.jpg
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg29/mysterioushorizons/Growing/DSC05297.jpg
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg29/mysterioushorizons/Growing/DSC05298.jpg
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg29/mysterioushorizons/Growing/DSC05671.jpg
http://i244.photobucket.com/albums/gg29/mysterioushorizons/Growing/DSC05999.jpg
Hope this helps.
Best,
Krystle
http://www.SelfmadeFarmer.com
Mesilla Valley, NM
On Feb 5, 2008 8:46 AM, Sharon and Steve <shopkins at tdstelme.net> wrote:
> After about 10 minutes with one of those store bought inverted cone cages
> we
> decided they were several ntothes less than useless and proceeded to make
> our own.
>
> >From a roll of 6 x 6 #9 concrete re-wire we cut the center horizontal
> wire,
> the resulting strip was then cut at the 14th verticle wire and this was
> formed to a circle and hooked with the spikes left from cutting. This made
> the cage which is about 2 feet diameter and 2 feet high, with 13 - 6 inch
> spikes at the bottom which go into the soil as anchors.
>
> These cages were covered in spring with 3 wide poly attached using 6d
> nails
> as if they were straight pins, the extra left loose at the top. Early they
> were set over broccoli and cabbage, later they were moved to tomato and
> peppers, (2 plants per cage) and as the weather demanded, the top poly was
> adjusted closed or open. When true warm weather arrived the plastic covers
> were removed and stored.
>
> Worked well for us, I still have, and use, most of the cages after 20+
> years, but most of our tomato production has moved into the greenhouse,
> and
> if I needed more I would use the highly temporary type hoop house season
> extender.
>
> MAsteveINE
>
>
>
>
>
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>
>
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