Move over tomato cages and meet the tomato trellis tower. I can’t believe I bumbled around with tomato cages for years before creating a tomato tower with the string method. Creating this kind of tomato trellis requires a little more effort upfront, but it pays dividends in the long run. This tower trellis would be great for cucumbers and beans as well.
What is a tomato trellis tower?
It’s basically one big tall support that has some sort of string or cord running down for each plant. This way of growing tomatoes is sometimes called the string method. There are two key things that make this tomato trellis superior: 1. The height. You can make it as tall as you want. 2. The stability. This thing is built tough.
Why are tomato cages a problem?
A tomato cage is not sturdy or tall enough for tomato plants. The plant quickly outgrows and overpowers a simple tomato cage and then you have a jungle with your plant stem at risk of snapping. However, tomato cages are great for peppers and eggplant. Years ago when I used tomato cages, the tomato plants became too tall and too heavy, so I had to supplement that with a huge, thick, tall stake to support the cage. Then that was tipping, too, so I had to use another stake several feet away and tie the whole thing to that one. It was a never-ending battle.
How to make a tomato trellis tower using the string method
I made a tomato trellis tower by using 4x4s and 2x4s. For the vertical pieces, 4x4s work nicely and you can make the tomato tower however tall you want. I got 12 footers. (I actually used a 2×4 on the side with the garden gate since it had more support.) For the horizontal pieces, the 2x4s should be the length of your garden bed. You will need eye bolts for the top and bottom. I used a turnbuckle for my bottom piece to be able to get good tension on the line. For the “strings,” you could use rope or something like that, but it wouldn’t hold up as well. You could easily replace it each year. For something more sturdy, use steel wire.
You need a set of hardware for each plant you plan on having. To know how many pieces of hardware you need, you will have to decide how close together you want to plant. My tomato plants are 18″ apart.
I dug a hole about 16″ deep to bury the vertical 4×4 post and did not use concrete for this, instead just packed dirt back around the post. Then you will screw in the 2×4 on top to both vertical supports. Finally, you will screw in another 2×4 on the bottom just a few inches up from the surface of the soil. The last step is to install the hardware and the steel wire.
Top detail with eye bolts holding the wire:
Bottom detail of hook and eye turnbuckle hardware:
Tomato Trellis Materials List
- Two vertical supports – treated 4×4 -12′ (whatever height you choose – I recommend 12′)
- Two horizontal pieces – treated 2×4 – ____’ (length of your bed) 2×4-8′
- Four small 2x4s to use as braces for the vertical supports. You might have to buy an 8′ piece for this or you might have overage with the horizontal pieces.
- Exterior 3 1/2″ screws – Philips head option | Star head option
- Hardware for the “strings”
- Bottom – Hook and Eye Turnbuckle bolts (one for each plant)
- Top – Eye bolts (one for each plant)
- “Strings” – steel wire rope kit
- Ties for tomatoes – Green stretch tie tape
How to use the tomato trellis tower?
It’s simple. All of the set-up is done initially, so year after year, you plant and go. You will want to plant the tomato plants as close to your bottom support and as close to each string as possible so that when it grows, it is right beside the string.
As the plant grows and gets taller, you will tie the plant to the wire for every 9-12″ of growth. You can use various types of materials to attach the vine to the string, but I highly recommend the green stretch tape. It’s easy to work with whether you have a vine 1″ away from the string or a rogue branch that will need a much bigger piece of the “tape.” This material will not damage the stem of the plant. I do not recommend the twist ties because sometimes they dig into the stem and can damage the plant.
Final Thoughts
This has been the best time and money investment in my garden. It has made growing and pruning tomatoes so much easier. I’m much more likely to prune my plants properly knowing that they can grow to 12′ tall if they want. I’m so happy that I don’t have to fight with tomato plants any longer.
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