My support system

[dcarch]

There are many support and staking systems for tomatoes.

Here is a system I am using. This system is not a modified Florida Weave system which mostly provide lateral support for mostly determinate plants. This system is to provide lateral as well as vertical support to the plants, including indeterminate varieties.

One of the problem with FW system, as well as some other similar systems is that you only give the plants one layer of vertical space to grow.

My sytem will give substantially more room for the branches and leaves to grow and therefore better air circulation and exposure to sun.

I have my Unistrut posts about 40 feet apart. The posts are 10 feet tall. I can handle really tall inderterminate tomatoe varieties. Last year the system survived many wind storms. Every single component in my system is reusable and removable.

I developed this system because I, as well as my neighbors, don't like the looks of a forest of stakes and cages in my yard. You can hardly see my system a short distance away.

I will post some pictures some other time. A friend has borrowed my camera for their vacation.

dcarch

[harleysilo]

What are the red lines, strings, cable?

[dcarch]

Those are very thin very strong dark brown nylon ropes I bought from eBay.

dcarch

[rzr]

Here is my system. Also had to put netting as you can see to repel birds.

[Warren]

how do you get to the maters?

[harleysilo]

He's got 4 foot arms!

[dcarch]

Originally Posted by Warren

how do you get to the maters?

Good question.
Here is the answer:

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...ighlight=picky

dcarch

[tomatoguy]

I thought about doing something very similar when I was using trellis. I considered putting up two trellises about a foot apart and putting plants in between. Your idea looks good. Will be interested to see the final results.

mater

[dcarch]

The horizontal strings are hooked (not tied) to the posts. Because the Unistrut posts have pre-punched holes from top to bottom, you can re-adjust the string positions up and down anytime to accomodate growing conditions of the plants. The plant ties are also adjustable easily. I use Velcro plant ties.

I will take some pictures when I get my camera back.

dcarch

[Bryan24]

It's a clothes line for tomatoes. Excellent idea. I don't really like the look of cages, and about all the cheapies from HD are good for are keeping the dogs out of the beds.

laurel-tx

[rzr]

Originally Posted by Warren

how do you get to the maters?

If your asking me, I have it set to wear I can pull the netting back easily to water and pick tomatoes.

[seymour_man]

Hi,

I have some questions about your support system.

1) Do you pound the Unistruts into the ground? And how far do you sink them?

2) How wide are the spacer bars?

3) What height intervals do you place the string?

4) Do you have a problem with the nylon rope stretching? I thought about using dacron.

5) Do you know the diameter of the rope and SS cable you use?

I have been using the home made EB and have always made bamboo cages which only last a season.

I want something I can take down at the end of season and reuse and I really like your idea. I have to use a side yard because my back is way to shady.

Thanks

[dcarch]

Originally Posted by seymour_man

I have some questions about your support system.
------------------------------
Thanks

1) Do you pound the Unistruts into the ground? And how far do you sink them?
I don’t. I use one bag of concrete to make a footing in ground. I cast a 12” sleeve in the footing which is a little bigger than the size of the Unistrut. This way the posts can be pulled out of the footing easily when they are not used. There is no need for the posts to be in the footings too deep because the SS cables stabilize the posts.

2) How wide are the spacer bars?
16”.

3) What height intervals do you place the string?
10”; it doesn't matter because they are adjustable.

4) Do you have a problem with the nylon rope stretching? I thought about using dacron.
A little stretching is OK. In another post (about Florida weave) I discussed that it’s OK for the strings to sag like a suspension bridge.

5) Do you know the diameter of the rope and SS cable you use?
I don’t know. They are thin. 1/16”?

I have been using the home made EB and have always made bamboo cages which only last a season.
My system can last many seasons.

I want something I can take down at the end of season and reuse and I really like your idea. I have to use a side yard because my back is way to shady.
That’s an important aspect of my system. The entire thing can be removed and reinstalled easily.

I will post some pictures this weekend.

dcarch

[seymour_man]

Thanks for the info.

What do you use for the sleeve. My first thought is to use PVC pipe but i havent measured the Unistrut and see if the pipe would be applicable. The pipe occurred to me since it would be easy to cap off when not in use.

[dcarch]

Originally Posted by seymour_man

Thanks for the info.

What do you use for the sleeve. My first thought is to use PVC pipe but i havent measured the Unistrut and see if the pipe would be applicable. The pipe occurred to me since it would be easy to cap off when not in use.

Don't make life too complicated .

1. Dig a deep hole. Deep enough for one bag (80 lbs $4.50?) concrete. Water hole to settle loose soil.

2. Wrap one end (12") of Unistrut ($12.00?) with kitchen wax paper (many layers).

3. Pour the concrete(dry) in hole and bury the wax paper end of pole in concrete. Brace pole so that it will be vertical.

4. Water concrete (No need to mix concrete, too much work).

5. Pole will be ready for use in 10 days.

Of course the pole can be pulled out when you are done using it because it is sleeved in wax paper. Plug the hole up to prevent soil from falling into hole with cloth or paper.

Important: Unistrut should be turned sideways for max strength. (In other words, Facing one way it is more flexible, facing 90 degrees the other way it is more rigid.)

dcarch