Best Cages for Trellising Tomatoes in the Garden
Indeterminate vs. Determinate Tomatoes
Depending on certain tomato varieties they can vary from indeterminate and determinate. When distinguishing between the two different tomatoes, indeterminate tomatoes have a longer growing period than determinate tomatoes that tend to ripen quickly. Determinate tomato varieties will stop growing once fruits set on the ends of the top bud. While indeterminate tomatoes will continue to form flowers up until weather conditions are not right. The overall difference between the different varieties is determinate tomatoes are typically smaller and they produce early on in the vegetable garden. The indeterminate tomatoes will have continuous growth and produce fruits throughout the entire growing season. If you want to harvest an early-season crop of tomatoes or have a continuous harvesting supply throughout the season, choosing between indeterminate and determinate tomatoes is all based on your preference in the garden area.
Best Cages for Trellising Tomatoes
On this week's episode, Travis explains cages for trellising indeterminate tomatoes in the garden. Due to all these varieties being either indeterminate or determinate tomatoes they are certain trellising techniques that work better for each crop. Overall, indeterminate tomatoes will grow a lot taller than determinate tomatoes in the vegetable garden. Instead of using the Florida Weave trellis technique we will use tomato cages because they work better for taller tomato plants that continue to grow much longer than determinate tomatoes. The best cages for trellising indeterminate varieties are our tomato cages that are made with a heavy-duty, 8 gauge galvanized steel so you don't have to worry about them rusting. They are 56 inches tall, but after placing them in the ground they are around 45 inches off the ground. The overall opening at the top is 14 x 14 inches to give you plenty of space for the tomatoes to grow. The tomato cages also have wide openings to allow plenty of space to harvest the tomatoes and prune the plants when needed. Travis's favorite thing about these tomato cages is the fact that they are collapsible to ensure you get many uses year after year. When the tomato plants are done, you can simply fold the cages up and store them away in your barn till the next time you need them in the garden. These tomato cages offer plenty of support for indeterminate tomatoes all throughout the growing season and will last for several future growing seasons.