Online Tomato Cages?

[greenthumbomaha]

Unless I score used concrete mesh cages on Craigslist, I will need to order large sized cages online.They seem to sell out early in the season, so I am shopping now. I don't have the physical ability to construct anything or pound in tall staking. My existing cages are bending and rusting.

The usual suspects:
Texas Tomato Cages with extenders
Gurneys cages (excellent but short)
Gardeners Supply
Burpee XL Pro

These are new to me:
Panacea 89741 72 inch
Growers Edge 72 inch

The Gurneys cages are a steal with their coupons. They've lasted many years and are sturdy enough not to bend when going into hard clay soil.

I am not impressed with the quality of red cages I purchased after the first year of use. I can't remember which brand they are. They don't want to unfold easily and are hard to poke into the ground.

Red cages that are smallish from lowes are crappy at $10 each.

Opinions?

- Lisa

[Worth1]

The Texas Tomato cages have one big drawback.
The tube socket connector needs to be on the top section not the bottom sections of each one.
Water gets in them and rusts/sticks the sections together and almost impossible to get apart.

Next the rods that go in the soil can and will rust in time.
The alkalinity of the soil makes it worse.

They need to be taken care of and some sort of grease put in those connecting tubes before each use.

Next if you aren't careful the things can fold up on your fingers and break a bone or hurt real bad.

Just a few tips and warnings if you get them.

[My Foot Smells]

i have a plethora of TTC and agree w/ W1. I have had a couple of legs rust off possibly due to yanking them out of the ground at an angle as opposed to lifting st8 up - but out of 30+ cages, maybe only 2 legs.

I haven't had a huge problem with the connector rusting solid, yes, it can get sticky but a squirt of wd40 usually cures.

the extenders may be overly optimistic, but I use them as "needed."

I store my TTC cages outside due to space and haven't had many issues, whereas, concrete wire rusts up in one season.

Price is the biggest draw back on the TTC, in my opinion - but work well.

I also have the burpee cages which are pleasantly durable with the powder coating. The square is only 18" on mine, which is a little stuffy; but overall no complaints. I don't like the screw on clamp for the extension, but I just leave it on once applied.

I only use the "cones" for other things, too much long term maintenance issues for growing tomatoes.

The coolest things I saw for cage was here on TVille. The guy had a metal brake and crimped galvanized wire into a square (you can control size opening). So if you know someone who does siding work of metal fab - an option worth exploring.

Obviously there are many methods, but if time is a factor (as it is for me), I like the one and done approach, stick it & forget it.

Good Luck!

p.s. if you plan on ordering a 6 pack of the TTC, do so now. their delivery can be sketchy - esp during peak season.

1. The Trellis Raised Bed Combo



other ideas here:

https://morningchores.com/tomato-trellis-cage/

[Ricky Shaw]

The good and bad of the TTC's have been well covered, but I'll add you're buying a structure as well as a cage, and that I prefer the smaller 20" over the 24".

With the extender to 8ft, in rows anchored to t-posts, they provide scaffolding for hail netting or shade cloth. Depending on climate, this may or may not be handy.

[Cole_Robbie]

I bought some concrete-reinforcing wire, but mine are in panels that are 8' x 16' and the squares are 8" I think. I got a nearly-free delivery on them from my local building supply store, and paid $15 per panel. I don't make tomato cages, but my step-dad is excited about making cages out of these panels, because they are bigger and thicker than the wire he has used before.

[greenthumbomaha]

I really like the lean to system in the link above. I think it would make picking easier than reaching into a square cage. Good info on the rusting of the ttc. The rusting off and bending of spikes on my concrete mesh cases is what is prompting this purchase. I have to wiggle them out of hard clay at the end of the season. They were all bought used, and have seen many good years.

Seeing the ttc in a garden setting really is an eye opener. Is that 3 rows of 10, wow! I don't know if I have that many plants that would grow up and over 8 ft. I'm down here at 5'4", or shorter since I hit 55. They are taller than even the tallest of the concrete mesh that I own.

Moving on to the new to me options (both around $40), they are 3/16 inch galvanized. How does this compare to a cattle panel?

I am fairly certain my red powder coated folding square cages are from Burpee, and the cages are very hard to open and close, as I buy accessories from them when they run a sale. They are permanently attached in a folding square. The red coating may make this worse. I believe the new galvanized options discussed above unfold completely and you have to secure the square if that makes any sense. My beef with the red Panacea cages from Lowes(which fully unfold) is that they are flimsy and the feet don't have points on the bottom. Its a struggle to estimate where to make slits in the weed fabric and get the foot in.

[rhines81]

Originally Posted by greenthumbomaha

Moving on to the new to me options (both around $40), they are 3/16 inch galvanized. How does this compare to a cattle panel?

Cattle panel or hog wire is usually made with 4 - 8 gauge wire which is far better then any of commercial tomato cage which run from 10 to 14 gauge.
You can use something like this and make 24 inch x 50 inch high cages for $15 each:
https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/pr...ft-l-x-50-in-h

But to answer your question, the 3/16 inch galvanized is equivalent to 7 gauge.(diameter of 0.1875 inches).

The TTC is very hard to beat anywhere from a value point of view when compare with any other commercial cage. Most of the top cages are around $30 or so and are usually only 42-50 inches tall, 60 tops. The TTCs are $28 per if you buy the 7 pack medium and that includes shipping. Also most cages are 14-16 inches square, the TTC medium is 20 inches (large at the same price is 24 inches) and 6 foot tall .... Hard to beat unless you make them yourself.
Just my opinion