Tuesday, January 27, 2015

Step By Step Methods Of Constructing The Best Homemade Tomato Cage

By Janine Hughes


The tomatoes are the most common vegetables that are never missing in our kitchens, and are also easy to grow. This explains why they are the most common kitchen garden crops today. Whether for subsistence use or for commercial purpose, they require support system of one type or the other. The longer growing types in particular cannot survive without support. Normally, cage is used as the preferred mode of support. They prevent the plant from breaking off, the fruits from falling off or being in contact with surfaces like the ground that make them rot. It is easy to come up with the best homemade tomato cage, rather having to buy them.

Smaller cages easily available in the garden centers are recommended for smaller bush like tomato plants which can also be stacked and just perform as well. When it comes to larger and longer growing types, the story is different. Some serious, and in most cases, the homemade support system is necessary in order to get the best from the plant.

Having the plant properly supported is the sure way of getting the highest quality fruits. This is ideal due to the fact that the fruits are prevented from being in contact with the ground that is known to make them rot. It also prevents the stems from shaking which can drop some fruits or make them to break off.

If starting from scratch, buying an inexpensive 2 by 2 by 8 framing lumber from the lumber store and then cut into two equal halves is a better option. The steps and procedure are also simple. First, the appropriate length is measured off. It is then spread on the ground, cut with appropriate tools and then roll up again into the appropriate columns. The next step is to weak a correct size of a wooden stake through the wire. This can also be done using a short pipe. This is done for anchoring the cage firmly to the ground. Then hammer the wire mesh to the ground next to the plant.

Another option is to use the wire cutter to roll out the galvanized wire and then snip off an 18" size of the mesh. Then center the wire grid into the cage, allowing 16" wire bottom from the lower end of the stake. Then hammer the mesh to the stake using nails to secure it and the cage is done.

Spread the wire mesh on the ground and cut off an appropriate length, then roll it into a column like shape. Stake a wooden frame into the wire-mesh to anchor it firmly into the ground and then nail it firmly around the crop.

The homemade support systems come with several advantages over the commercial versions. First, they are much stronger and longer lasting. The wooden parts give them the necessary strength required. If the wood is treated, they can last for over five years.

This support system guarantees that the fruits that are obtained are cleaner and of higher quality than any other regular fruits. Even though it is a little laborious particularly when there are many plants involved, the economic benefits of this system are just overwhelming.




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