Tomatoes over flowing cages

[Ken Adams]

Hi guys
Due to a wet warm spring many of my tomatoes are exploding out of their cages. In your experience is it better to add stakes and or prune or let them hang down the sides?

This is a much better problem than last year's septoria outbreak. So far I've only almost lost one plant to a stalk borer. It got to my black Prince. I say almost because I caught it in time to replant shoots that survived.

 

[Ridgerunner]

I assume they are indeterminate varieties where pruning won't hurt them. Determinates normally don't explode like that and probably should not be pruned.

My cages are about 6' tall. When mine go over the top I just let them hang down. The way I build the cages it would be really difficult for me to add to them anyway at that point. But my summers are generally pretty dry. If it sets in wet, closely packed tomato plants might be susceptible to mold or some disease. Pruning them may be a good thing to do just so you can get air flow through there and they can dry out. That's not been a problem for me with my summers.

 

[Collector]

Last year I added sticks and stuff to the tops of the cages using twine. it was a very cheesey set up to say the least. it did more harm than good some of the plants broke off others hung down on the twine until they were nearly cut off. This year they have come out the top again, but I have already started pruning them back trying to keep them managable. It seems almost like a crime to try and get a plant to stop growing after you spend so much time getting it to grow. good luck

 

[Smart Red]

I use stakes rather than tomato cages because "overgrowing" is normal here. Very few of my tomato choices are determinates. While I may pinch a branch or two, I usually add height to the top of my stakes when necessary.

 

[baymule]

I use cages, stakes, T-posts and lots and lots of hay twine. They overgrow everything, fall down, grow back up and just generally make a tangled mess. but as long as I get tomatoes, I don't care!

 

[lesa]

Been through all that...finally gave in and purchased cattle panels. Keeps everything neat and tidy. I do have to tie up some of the plants to get them in the direction of the panel- but all in all, they work out great.

 

[Ken Adams]

I've devised a trellis system in between the cages that should hold the extra growth. Only time will tell. In the last few days I've gotten a lot of fruit set so it's going to get heavy...next year...bigger cages