The Green Pinky: How to Stake/String Tomatoes

Well my friends, its about that time when your tomatoes should be at medium growth and now need a little bit of support to properly grow. Today I’m going to show you an easy way to prop up your tomatoes with out using tomato cages… this method is called Stringing/Staking tomatoes.

Why not just cage them?

Cages can start to become expensive when you plan to have a large garden. They also take up more space when you go to store them during the colder months.

What you need:

• Post or garden stakes
• Twine

Steps:

1. Begin by placing the garden stakes every third or forth tomato plant.
2. Determine the height of where to tie your string on by assessing your plants height. Find the spot on the post that is about 2/3rds the height of the plant.
3. Tie or knot on the string on the post at the height determined in step 2.
4. Run the string down to the next post and at the same height wrap the string around the post. Pull tight for tension so that the string does not sag
5. Continue running string to each post wrapping the string at each point. Once you get to the last stake/post pull tight and continue running the string back to each post. Again wrapping onto the post each time.
6. IMPORTANT: When running the string back towards the first post make sure to wrap the string around the post in the opposite direction as the first time you tied on. This allows your strings to cross over each other which will be vital in holding your tomatoes up.

  

7. Once you have run your string on both sides you will want to knot off at the beginning post and cut the string.

8. Now it’s time to prop your tomatoes up using the string.

9. As you see above the strings have formed an X. Before you pull the tomatoes up through the two strings I like to continue to twist the strings with will add more tension.

10. Be careful not to snap the tomatoes stem

11. As you move down the string to each tomato twist the strings to add the tension.

Your tomato plants should nestle in between the strings allowing stability.

As your tomatoes continue to grow you are going to want to add additional string working your way up the post.

I just went outside on Monday and added an addition tier which puts me at 3 strings in height. The Tomatoes are looking nice and healthy and have started to flower!

I Can’t wait to be able to use them for all these yummy summer recipes I see posted everywhere!

My next post in the “Green Pinky” series will be on Weed Control