Tomato Trellis

Growing tomatoes is a popular summer activity that could possibly be considered the American pastime, perhaps second only to baseball. Every spring, millions of home gardeners find at least a small space in their yard or garden, or even a spot on the deck or patio, the growth of a tomato plant or two. In this article we will explore the idea of growing tomatoes on trellises, and how this unique solution for staking or caging can lead to bigger and better harvests.

The question of whether the gardeners should provide support for the tomato plants is one that has been hotly debated in the world of gardening. Some purists believe that tomato plants should be left to sprawl on the ground naturally. While allowing the plants to sleep on the floor usually leads to more plants, it usually means that you will get a larger harvest. Because tomato plants in contact with soil are at much higher risk of burns and other diseases and pest infestations. In addition, when the fruit is in contact with the ground, it tends to rot readily and often become infested with bugs before the gardener has a chance to harvest. very mulching soil with wood mulch or straw can help to provide a protective barrier, but the tomato plants sprawl on the left still enjoy a much higher rate of fruit rot and blight.

Most typically, the gardeners use tomato cages as a means of staking their factories. These small cages can be round or square, and are installed at planting time, provide support to growing stems and heavy fruits that the plant grows. The main problem with cages is that plants often grow in mid to late summer, leaving gardeners covered with foliage that looks toward the ground. Another problem may be that the cages fall or begin to blow over because they are not strong enough to withstand the weight of a mature plant and all its fruits.

An interesting alternative to mesh cages is tomatoes. Lattice can provide excellent support for a large factory, because they allow it to grow continually, rather than outside. If the truss is supported at both the top and bottom (for example, if you can join up on the side of your house, garage or shed), it will easily hold the weight of a plant tomato at the end of the summer.

Tomato trellises also provide gardeners capacity to grow more plants in a confined space. Generally, a tomato plant would require a plot of three to four feet square, to allow sufficient space to walk around and reap the benefits all summer. With a lattice, each plant may require an area of one to two feet square, which means you can double, even triple the number of plants you grow in a small area.

Last but not least, for a trellis tomato preserves the stems and leaves greater scope, maintenance of plants and harvesting the fruit is much easier on the gardener, because less bending and flexing is required . Trellises are a great solution for most affected by arthritis or gardener disabled constrained to a wheelchair.

So, if you count you among the many gardeners who like to raise raw tomatoes in the summer months, consider mesh this year as an alternative to cages. You can see it leads to a gardening experience easier and more tomato crop that you've ever had in the past!