The Problems with Tomato Cages

Every season is the same: tomatoes are planted out, and about a month later, the tomato cages go in. As you look out over your garden, ugly metal cages mar the view of the lush plants below and clutter up the garden space. Not great for that Instagram photo!

This year I tried something different. Instead of those tomato cages being an eyesore in the garden, they're collecting dust in my garage, where they belong. As it turns out, tomato cages are actually terrible!

There are several reasons why tomato cages are actually terrible. 

Not only are they unpleasant to look at, they do not provide the proper support your tomatoes need. The circular style of tomato cages may help to support smaller fruits, but if you're growing anything larger than cherry tomatoes, the weight of the fruit will pull down on the flimsy, collapsible tomato cages and drag them down, leaning and bending the plant to the ground in the process.

You might think, Okay, then I'll only grow cherry tomatoes in tomato cages. And to that, I say good luck! Cherry tomatoes like to grow tall and long, and tomato cages just aren't tall enough to support this growth habit.

Let's look more at the two different types of growth of tomatoes, before exploring other techniques to support your tomatoes so that you can have a successful harvest, all without bringing one tomato cage into the garden space!

A Quick Recap on Determinate vs Indeterminate Tomatoes

It's important to know what type of tomato you're growing so you can provide the best method of support.

Determinate Tomatoes

Determinate tomatoes are smaller, bushier types of plants, and they will produce in a shorter period of time with one large production. Beefsteak tomatoes and larger varieties fall in the determinate category. Tomato cages are often too flimsy to support the weight of determinate tomatoes.

Indeterminate Tomatoes

Indeterminate tomatoes are smaller cherry and grape tomato varieties, and these plants will vine and grow very tall if allowed to. Tomato cages are usually only a couple feet tall and will not support the vigorous vines of indeterminate tomatoes.

Tomato Cages Make Tending and Harvesting Difficult

Tomato cages require the plant be grown on the inside of a too-small structure, making things a bit overcrowded and overgrown. Tending and harvesting tomato fruits near the center of the plant is often difficult.

When it comes to growing tomatoes, the health and success of the plant depends on your ability to support the stems, prune the leaves, and tend the plant as it grows. Tomato plants need lots of room to breathe and good airflow around the leaves to prevent disease. Being able to access the main stem of the plant and focus the plant's growth from that source is key to the production and health of the plant. 

The Best Alternatives to Tomato Cages

So if you're not using a tomato cage, then how can you guarantee a happy, healthy, and productive plant? 

There are several alternative techniques to using tomato cages. Keep in mind that the best way to support your tomatoes is to support the main stem—no matter which strategy you're using. 

Rope System

My favorite way to support the main stem is to use some rope and a small piece of wood (or anything with two holes in it large enough for the rope to glide through). The rope will weave up and around the main stem as the plant grows. This is done by securing a loop to the top of a structure above the plant and then tying one side of the rope to the base of the plant, below the first strong branch. Feed the rope up through the first hole, through the loop, and then down through the second hole. Tie a knot at the end of the rope to secure it there. (See my pictures below.)

As the plant grows, you can slide the wood piece up and down to tighten or loosen the rope as needed. If using this method, be sure and prune off all of the suckers as your tomato plant grows in order to focus the energy on the main stem. This will keep your plant neat and tidy, only producing along the main stem and providing you with focused energy toward your tomato fruit production.

Wooden or Metal Garden Trellis

If you're someone who likes to leave the suckers on your tomato plant, a wooden or metal trellis may be a better option for you.

Using a panel trellis is a great option if you like your plants to branch out, and an arch trellis gives tomato vines all the vertical space they need to grow.

Cattle panels are a great metal trellis option, as the spacing of the wire rungs is great for tomatoes. As the tomatoes grow, you can secure the branches horizontally along the trellis and the main stem vertically to maintain space for airflow and also allow for a larger production.

If you are letting those suckers grow, make sure you check regularly and continue to secure them to the trellis because those suckers will grow fast and get out of control very quickly!

But What About Determinate Tomato Varieties? 

Focusing support to the main stem of the tomato plant is also important for shorter and bushier types of tomatoes. Using a single pole or stake to support the main stem is the best way to keep these plants upright, maintain airflow, and allow for easy access when harvesting.

A piece of rebar, a metal stake, or a strong pole will work as vertical support. Make sure that about a foot of your support is inserted below the soil near the base of the main stem. Do this while the plant is still fairly young so no damage is done to the roots when inserting it in the soil.

To attach the main stem to the support, use something soft like fabric, nylon, or plant ties. There are many options out there, including soft plastic ribbon-type ties sold in a roll, and you can cut pieces to use to tie around the stem and support. However, these will only last for one use. Another option is a velcro strip, also sold in rolls. The velcro strips are very nice because they can be cleaned and reused over and over, and there isn't the hassle of trying to make knots like with the ribbon style. Even using old pieces of cut-up tights or fabric will work, but these tend to get moldy and retain disease over time. As long as the material you use is soft and will not cause any damage to the tomato stems, you can certainly get creative. 

What to Do with All Those Extra Tomato Cages You Have Now?

No doubt you have some cages lying around now. Don't throw them out quite yet!

There are other vegetables in the garden that can benefit from flimsier support and grow on cages. Any type of shorter plant that likes to vine or that has tendrils will love to climb up those tomato cages. You can use tomato cages for cucumbers, pole beans, peas, or sweet potato vines.

When starting pole beans, peas, or cucumbers from seed, place your tomato cage in a container or raised bed and plant your seeds in a circle around the base of the cage. As the beans, peas, or cucumbers begin to produce tendrils, guide them to the cage, and they will grow and attach themselves to the structure. 

Now that you know how terrible tomato cages are… for tomatoes… you can begin to try different techniques to provide the best support for your tomatoes based on their variety and growing habit, and save those cages for anything other than tomatoes!

Kylie Gilliam of Blue Ribbon Garden

Kylie has always loved gardening, but her passion for growing food really took off in 2015, when she won her first blue ribbon at the Orange County Fair for a watermelon she'd grown on her small apartment patio. She still can't believe she's working at her dream job every day by helping other people set up and grow their own gardens. She wants all her clients and followers to feel the same "blue-ribbon pride" in the vegetables they're growing.

Follow Kylie on Instagram to see what's she growing next!

Thanks to Kylie for providing the pictures of her rope system and tomato suckers.