Viewing post #1247726 by ChefDebbie

RickCorey said:You're already head and shoulders better than my "sloppy floppy" first try. After they started growing fast, the supports I put in at the beginning were not even VISIBLE. I like your choice of uprights!

I was thinking that IF the taut string or weight of the tomatoes started pulling those stakes together, leaning too far into the center, you COULD add some cross-braces to keep the stakes upright. But don't bother unless it becomes necessary.

I'm picturing you telling neighbors that your very first crop grew SO well, I had to ADD more stakes, and cross-bracing and ...!" Maybe it's just me, but bragging seems like one of the benefits of gardening, like healthy exercise and fresh pesticide-FREE food.

I was thinking of Boy Scout-like lashing to attach cross-braces to the uprights, , but nails or big staples would probably work as well.
Google "lashing poles".

My first trellis was embarrassing: lots of thin bamboo poles with Rube Goldberg lashing holding them together. It was totally overwhelmed by the (? peas ?) that grew over it and crushed it towards the ground. I added more strings trying to hoist it back up, until it looked like Gulliver tied down by Lilliputans. If I took any photos, I hid them well enough that I can't find them now.

Compared to that trellis, this zany scheme is almost sensible, but these overwintered leaf broccoli plants had stems almost strong enough to keep them upright even after flowering.

I wad taking my morning walk today, and saw a lady walking a mini schnauzer. So, went to pet him & the lady had asked me what were all the branches for (that I had collected & was holding). So I told her I was trying to experiment in building a tomato cage with it. Of course, at that point, had to bust out my phone & show her my 'garden baby photos'- which made me recall what you had said yesterday, Rick... Had to have a little chuckle.