string trellis for tomato

1airdoc 2/20/2012, 2:16 pm

I've seen some photos of tomatoes trellised from an overhead frame using string, but I haven't seen a good description of how that works. I have seen a couple, but they don't describe what keeps the vine from sliding down the string as it gets laden with fruit. Can anyone provide me with a better description of how to do this?

**llama momma** 2/20/2012, 2:48 pm

Hi there

1- the plants just grab on and take off!
2- it is completely described in the book how to make a trellis
3- or you can type in trellis in the white search box above Very Happy

1airdoc 2/20/2012, 4:07 pm

I'm talking about the kind of trellis with a single string for each vine rather than the netting type of trellis described by Mel. You prune to a single (or perhaps 2) vine(s) and train each one up a single vertical string. Here's a photo of an example I found below online. I could use the frame for my current trellis but use string instead of netting. I know that if I don't anchor the vines to the string somehow that they will slide down and collapse, breaking the vine.

string trellis for tomato String10

UnderTheBlackWalnut 2/20/2012, 4:23 pm

Many of us did this last season and they don't slip. The plant itself is growing upward and you just twist the string around it as it grows. The key is that you want a solid taut string of nylon or cotton. Some posters have found that the natural twine doesn't weather a whole season as well. You want a secure anchor at the top and bottom. I've seen posters use pvc, conduit, or wood along the top frame, and wire from one side post to the other for the bottom frame. Then it's just a matter of stringing the vertical lines taut. The tomatoes are stiff enough they will hug the string if you twist them around it as they go. Here is a video on how to do that part - it might give you a better visual. Smile

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qJgA4n-sCE8

Squat_Johnson 2/20/2012, 4:34 pm

Squat_Johnson wrote:

I did this for the first time last year, works great. Sometimes I had to loosen the twine a bit but that is the only issue I had.

**camprn** 2/20/2012, 4:38 pm

Squat, those are so pretty, visually appealing, lovely. Very nice!!!
I did an overhead trellis system for my indeterminate tomatoes last year. When I set it up. I looped sisal twine over the supports and allowed an extra 18 inches at the bottom, assuming this would be taken up over the season as I wound it 'round the vine.. I used sisal because I thought it would be grabby on the vine. I transplanted the tomatoes and just did a simple half hitch at the base of the plant with the line slack. As the plant grew I wound the top of the plant around the string and increased the tension keeping the plants mostly vertical. There was some slouching but not much.
string trellis for tomato 01211

UnderTheBlackWalnut 2/20/2012, 4:48 pm

Wow guys - those are some pretty tomatoes! Squat's tomato structures are nicer than most of my outdoor furniture... Smile

Beautiful! Smile

PeonyLover 2/20/2012, 7:54 pm

Camprn~ what kind of tomatoes are in the top pic (large oblong?) just curious.

**camprn** 2/20/2012, 7:56 pm

PeonyLover wrote:Camprn~ what kind of tomatoes are in the top pic (large oblong?) just curious.

Those are the fabulous heirloom Gilbertie paste tomato, but they are so juicy, like a beefsteak type, that we eat them fresh too.

PeonyLover 2/20/2012, 7:58 pm

Those look nice! I'm trying San Marazano & Romanesco from Baker Creek. *crossing fingers* hoping for the best.

shannon1 2/21/2012, 3:37 am

I love growing my tomatoes up the string last year I used cages. I have up my string trellis up already if tells you anything string trellis for tomato 3759993749

PeonyLover 2/21/2012, 3:47 am

Yeah-same here! My cages lasted until mid summer when some high winds toppled them over onto my peppers. Ugh! Whole different set up this year. And definately more pruning (single stem) really hoping for a good tomato year. But, like who isn't. Lol

shannon1 2/21/2012, 4:56 am

PeonyLover wrote:Yeah-same here! My cages lasted until mid summer when some high winds toppled them over onto my peppers. Ugh! Whole different set up this year. And definately more pruning (single stem) really hoping for a good tomato year. But, like who isn't. Lol

You are in my zone so here is a little tip from your uncle Mel. If you let a couple of suckers grow a little you can then snip them off and root them in water to get more tom plants free for your garden.

**llama momma** 2/21/2012, 5:20 am

SquatJ
Those are gorgeous structures with such a visually pleasant way to conquer the slope issue too. Wowee. Very Impressive. Love it.

quiltbea 2/21/2012, 8:30 am

Tomatoes aren't clinging vines (no tendrils like peas) so you need to do the twisting. I don't loosen my twine, just keep it straight from bottom to top. I gently twist the tomato around a full circle of the twine as it grows and it just keeps growing up very straight. Cotton twine wears out in the weather and sisal is too rough so I now use nylon tomato twine (got mine from johnnyseeds) to keep for a whole season.

**camprn** 2/21/2012, 8:51 am

I had very good success with the sisal twine and it lasted all season.

1airdoc 2/21/2012, 9:20 am

Great details and suggestions. I have used a "Texas tomato cage" for the last couple of years, but want to try this method. My tomatoes are not currently in my SFG, and I need to rework the entire tomato garden this year, so I hope to implement some of these ideas. Thanks! I really appreciate the photos - keep'em comin'!

Squat_Johnson 2/21/2012, 12:50 pm

BTW, I used this info to make the Trellis A- frames. Mine were only 8' each.
http://images.taunton.com/enewsletters/vg/a-frame-tomato-trellis.pdf

1airdoc 2/21/2012, 2:07 pm

Looking back at the images, I see that squat anchors his string to a crosspiece at the base of his trellis, but it appear that others do not. If you do not use a base crosspiece, do you tie the string directly to the vine?

quiltbea 2/21/2012, 8:14 pm

airdoc.....Maybe you just can't see it. I use a wire strung from left to right close to the soil and it's not even noticed. I string from that bottom wire to the top of the frame.

**RoOsTeR** 2/21/2012, 8:23 pm

Squat_Johnson wrote:BTW, I used this info to make the Trellis A- frames. Mine were only 8' each.
http://images.taunton.com/enewsletters/vg/a-frame-tomato-trellis.pdf

Hey Squat, excellent link. Thank you string trellis for tomato 3170584802

Squat_Johnson 2/22/2012, 12:43 pm

On those trellis frames, by the end of the year, my indeterminate tomatoes were 6' up and over the top, almost back down to the ground. They can hold a lot of weight.

My favorite part is by using the string, it's easier to keep pruned back to one stem. One string, one stem...

Sponsored content

string trellis for tomato

string trellis for tomato

Re: string trellis for tomato

Re: string trellis for tomato

Re: string trellis for tomato

Re: string trellis for tomato

Re: string trellis for tomato

Re: string trellis for tomato

Re: string trellis for tomato

Re: string trellis for tomato

Re: string trellis for tomato

Re: string trellis for tomato

Re: string trellis for tomato

Re: string trellis for tomato

Re: string trellis for tomato

Re: string trellis for tomato

Re: string trellis for tomato

Re: string trellis for tomato

Re: string trellis for tomato

Re: string trellis for tomato

Re: string trellis for tomato

Re: string trellis for tomato

Re: string trellis for tomato

Re: string trellis for tomato


	Hello Guest! Welcome to the official Square Foot Gardening Forum. There's lots to learn here by reading as a guest. However, if you become a member (it's free, ad free and spam-free) you'll have access to our large vermiculite databases, our seed exchange spreadsheets, Mel's Mix calculator, and many more members' pictures in the Gallery. Enjoy.