Big Box Store cage repair

Tomato Cages

A quick note on Tomato Cages, I have always despised tomato cages and many years ago built some heavy cages out of copper pipe.
I tried Florida weaves, vertical growing with string, cables, tried tomato spikes, and have come full circle with cages, But this time I figured I would go overboard and buy a set of Texas tomato cages for my tomatoes and use the lighter duty cages for eggplants and peppers.
I ll follow up on the Texas Tomato cages later.

As far as the tomato cages from Lowe's and Home depot goes, those cages are not very good for the types of tomatoes I grow but they do have their place in the garden, they work fairly well with Peppers and eggplants.
Here are a few observations on these cages.

• Lowes
  

• Home depot
  

A few tips when purchasing and using these.

• Place your order online and pick them up, inspect the cages before you sign for them and if any are broken have them replace them while you wait, Why do this? Because the way the cages are shipped to the store you will end up with a broken finger trying to separate them from one another.
  

• Beware of bulk pricing, do the math, sometimes a pack of 6 cost more than 6 singles.
  

• When you purchase the Colored cages, swing by the paint aisle and grab a can of similar colored spray paint for yearly maintenance.
  

• If you purchase these cages knowing they may require yearly maintenance, you will not regret your purchase.
  
  

• These are no good for your larger beefsteak variety tomatoes but are fine for peppers and eggplants as well as smaller plants.
  

• Bend the tines (legs) straight (carefully) when pushing into the soil See (Fig. a)
  

• Use rebar, pipe or stakes if cage is being overpowered.
  

Tomato Cage Repair

• Quick tip on inserting cages in the soil, make sure the legs are bent out slightly so they are straight up and down, note the one on the left [size=16](Fig. a) is wrong.[/size]
  

(Fig. a)

• Cut a section of copper tubing and ream both sides.
  

• Form the tubing to the radius of the cage ring.
  

•  slip over one end.
  

• Then slip on the other end, no glue needed.
  

• Another option for fixing the rings is a piece of 1/4" drip line tubing. If the tubing is too tight just stick the ends in hot water before inserting. Pictured below is a Big Orange cage.
  

• Here is how I fixed a broken weld, where the ring separated from the legs on a Big Orange cage.
  

• Mix some epoxy.
  

• Dab some epoxy on the weld.
  

• Cut a piece of galvanized wire or picture wire.
  

• Wrap securely and snip off the ends.
  

• Coat wire in epoxy, both sides.
  

• If you have a ton of paint like I do, you may luck out and find a close match.
  

• Paint after epoxy is semi-cured. This joint will never break!
  

OhioGardener wrote:I find those tomato cages sold by the big box stores good only for small plants like peppers and eggplants. They are not strong enough to hold my tomatoes, which grow 6' to 8' tall.

SQWIB wrote:I may have to get some more Texas Tomato Cages for my peppers lol.

OhioGardener wrote:

SQWIB wrote:I may have to get some more Texas Tomato Cages for my peppers lol.

Those are some big pepper plants!   

I love the Texas Tomato Cages, and have thought about ordering some of the 3' extensions for the cherry tomatoes - they always outgrow the cages by 2 or 3 feet. Ha!

yolos wrote:I bought the Texas Tomato Cage extensions and I love them.  And yes, I do need a ladder to harvest the tomatoes at the top.