Forget Tomato Cages: There's A Better (And Easier) Way To Grow Them In Your Garden

Tomatoes are among the most commonly grown types of produce in home gardens across the United States. In fact, certain varieties are particularly suitable for beginners making their foray into growing their own fruits and vegetables. As you delve into the world of growing tomatoes, one of the first things you will need is a form of structural support. This is essential to keep the plant upright and prevent it from breaking. This support can come from any trellis, or even designated tomato cages. When we had an exclusive conversation with gardening expert, coach, and consultant, The Young Nonno (@theyoungnonno on Instagram), he pointed to a much better and easier way of growing tomatoes without cages.

He recommends a technique called the Florida weave. Unlike the single-stake method, in which every tomato plant receives a pole for support, the Florida weave requires only two stakes (such as Martha Stewart's go-to bamboo stakes). He explains, "This technique is a system of poles at either end of a row of tomatoes, which act as an anchor point for string or twine to be run along and back in successive loops of various heights to contain the tomato plants and branches." Also sometimes referred to as the basket weave, in this support system twine is tied to an initial stake then woven back and forth around the tomato plants in a row. It's then looped around the end stake and woven through the row of tomato plants again, bringing it back to the initial stake. This effectively sandwiches each tomato plant between the twine, keeping each plant's main stem and branches securely in place. As the plants grow, additional levels of twine are added to accommodate their height, providing continued support.

According to The Young Nonno, this method is ideal for tomato varieties that are shorter and with more outward branches, like those used for making tomato sauce or canning. He also recommends this method for some cherry and grape tomatoes, as well as other types of tomato plants that "don't benefit from regular pruning of branches and suckers."

Is there a point at all for having or using tomato cages in your garden? The answer is somewhat of a yes-and-no situation. Per the wise words of The Young Nonno, "Whether or not to use cages depends on factors such as the variety of tomato being grown, spacing of the plants, and the level of care a gardener wants to commit." Adding to that, he says that usually, cages are flimsy, lightweight, and are not tall enough to support some tomato plants that easily grow up to 4 to 8 feet tall. While the structure of the cage helps to contain outward branches, it also offers poor airflow, which can cause disease and make harvesting the tomatoes more challenging. 

That said, one of the benefits of cages is that they are relatively easier to install and don't require much additional material. It's a straightforward, one-time installation that is more conducive to a set-and-forget-until-it's-time-to-harvest style of gardening.

At the end of the day, he emphasizes that there are several methods that are used for supporting tomatoes as they grow, with some methods being more involved and complex than others. "Which to use depends on the variety of tomato and how one wants to prune and care for them," he says.