----- Original Message -----
Sent: Wednesday, April 26, 2006 7:25
AM
Subject: Re: [Market-farming] Tomato
cages
David
When we make them for determinate tomatoes, we roll out the
wire about 15-20' at a time, then carefully bend the wire back, just a
little, to take the strong curl out. We then cut it down the middle to make
twice as many short cages. This works really well for the very determinate
varieties, just about anything but really indeterminate varieties, like Early
girl or Brandywine.
For indeterminates, we don't split the roll down the middle.
We just cut it across at 10 square (60") intervals. We hook the cut edges and
connect the hooks to the opposite square, which makes a 5' tall cage, as
opposed to the 30" short cages. Snip the cross wire between the verticals at
the bottom and you have small spikes to push into the ground. Watch out for
drip tubing though when you set them in the field.
One problem with them is that they are top-heavy, especially
as the plants grow up into them, set fruit and a storm comes along. To address
that, we plant the tomatoes in pairs about 30" apart, then skip about 4' to
the next pair. We set a tomato stake between the two in each pair, then place
the cages over the plants but against the stake. Then we use a cable-tie
(cheap plastic but strong) to bind the cages near the top of the stake.
They are all bound together and lend each other back-up strength during high
winds. In three years of doing this we've had only a couple blow over, even
during strong storms with 50 mph winds.
I'm pretty happy with this system for indeterminates. It's
easy to set up, the fruit are pretty easy to reach, the plants get good
aeration for disease management, break-down and storage go pretty quick and
it's not too difficult to move them, especially if you unhook each cage and
nest about 5-6 together. Un-nesting them is a little tricky but if you watch
what you're doing carefully, it's not too bad.
----- Original Message -----
Sent: Tuesday, April 25, 2006 6:49
AM
Subject: [Market-farming] Tomato
cages
I just purchased a roll of concrete wire to
make tomato cages. The roll is 5' by 150'. What length of wire
do I need to use for each cage?
Thanks.
David
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