CRW Tomato Cages

[jcm05]

I just wanted to show my method for supporting my tomato plants. I use Concrete Reinforcing Wire(CRW) cages that I build. Rolls of it are commonly sold in lengths of 50 and 150 feet. Eight 21" diameter cages can be made from the 50 foot rolls and 24 from the larger rolls. I've tried a few cage widths and the 21 inch work best for me. Any larger than that and I've noticed an tendency for fruit-laden plants to collapse inside the cage later in the season. I have roughly 95 of these. They will probably outlast me before they deteriorate. For dwarf plants I use the cheapo cages you can purchase at walmart.

[bammer]

Jcms got a good plan. When I used cages I put them in rows 4' apart and bumped them together in the row. and would slide a long piece of re-bar thru the base and then drive a stake to hold the re-bar which would hold the cages from blowing over when they get top heavy. The pic is a bit small I don't know how to enlarge. also mulch the rows with pinestraw and inside the cage I use grass clippings or shredded leaves

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[jcm05]

You need to link to the photo....not attach it. Nice lookin cages though. Whats the diameter on them? How many squares?

[bammer]

Jan 1, 2011 0:20:31 GMT -5 @mulio said:

interesting anchor

I am not sure that would hold some of the top heavy indet here in a July storm though.

I'll put 3 or 4 stakes per 30' row of cages

JT, I don't know how to link pics directly.
I think I have 11 or 12 squares per cage.

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[kevin1962]

Hey JCM, how tall are those cages? They look to be 6ft.

Regards,
Kevin

[jcm05]

Only 5 feet.

[willyswoodpile]

These are the same cages as I have. Although mine are a bit larger.

Putting them on early and anchoring them properly [doing it right the first time] will save you from loads of trouble later on.
They will fall over; especially if they catch wind like a sail.

[veggie maker]

My system is just like described and the rebar system works well for me even in high winds.. I do plant the shortest ones 4ft tall on the side that catches the storm winds and use two 20ft rebar pieces on that row and once in a while get a wind that will lean a few, but not lost one yet... just push it straight and staple it to the ground with a u-shaped rebar.
jcm, I see where you bent the wire to hold together.... my hands give out too quick and I started using hog rings ..... they work great and much easier.. one about every two squares.

[jcm05]

Apr 28, 2011 20:54:05 GMT -5 veggie maker said:

jcm, I see where you bent the wire to hold together.... my hands give out too quick and I started using hog rings ..... they work great and much easier.. one about every two squares.

That would also make for an extra cage or two per roll because you wont be wasting one extra square per cage to use to tie the ends together.

[darthslater]

What is the cost and how many cages do you get per roll?

[jcm05]

I haven't priced the rolls lately. I recall them being roughly $4-5 per cage, but I got much of it free here and there. Good investment considering they will last forever.

[veggie maker]

I've been messing around with all types of support that I could think of for the last few years, since I finally have a space large enough to grow about 40 plants each year and finally settled on crw cages... I only had about 8 or 9 cages from salvaged wire and broke down and bought the 150 ft roll that is 5ft wide. for 150.00 at home depot.. it was the cheapest I could find... My first cages are about 24in diameter and that equals a 6ft length.... these are more stable and they were 4ft tall, but they tend to let smaller varieties lay over till tall enough to go up... so I concluded smaller was better so I made a couple out of the salvage that was about 14in diameter, but these proved to be too small for me... too unstable unless you use rebar pins on each cage... so I have finally made cages 18in or 20in diameter... do a few different sizes first before cutting up all your wire... I have found for my needs I like having different sizes depending on the tomato variety.... another thing is that 24in diameter cages take up a lot of room and I finally settled on 5ft between rows and 2ft between plants... this gives me plenty of room between rows to carry a basket and not damage the plants while harvesting. So the number of cages depends on the diameter you cut.. www.csgnetwork.com/circlecalc.html
I also used a fence post at each end of the 20ft row about 2.5ft deep which is very solid and threaded a strong poly cord through the top square of each cage tied to the two posts with a large turnbuckle at one end to keep it taught. this works well, but I had to move the posts each year for rotation or have posts all over my garden so settled on on the 20ft rebar through the bottom and held down with rebar u shaped staples about 3ft long .. I use three staples on each one. These are easier and faster to move each year .... also have easier access to get the tractor in with the rototiller attachment each spring to turn in the horse manure a couple months before planting. Always willing to change... I am basically lazy and easier is better so I keep searching... LOL. ;D

[willyswoodpile]

Excellent VM.