Posted by admin | Posted in Uncategorized | Posted on 27-04-2011
Tags: garden, gardening, heirloom, heirloom seeds michigan, organic, seeds
ATTN: Experienced Tomato Growers. Mine are out of control!?
I am in Michigan. I started seeds indoors and was successful transplanting in June. I have not gotten ONE ripe tomato yet (snuck a few green ones to fry), but they look huge and healthy. I have 3 tomato plants which are a large heirloom variety – Kosovo Tomatoes. the packaging said they’d be 1-2 lb fruits and they do look on target for that!!
The problem is that they have completely outgrown their cages. The weight of these huge tomatoes has taken the branches to the ground in some cases. I don’t even think I could remove the cages if I tried. I was looking around online for ideas. Some people suggested taking bamboo or metal stakes 1 ft deep in the ground and tying the branches with T-Shirts or twine?
Any clarity here? Has anyone done this? What supplies did you use and where did you get them.
Thank you!!
-1st time gardener
-There really isn’t Anything much You can DO about the Situation now, as your Tomato Plants are pretty much “SET” in their Places- & even ATTEMPTING to remove the cages- would probably destroy the Plants. 
NEXT Grow Season however, you should either consider growing a smaller, “Bush” type tomato variety- more suited to those Cages you have. OR,- Not using the Cages (or use them for some OTHER Vegetable- like string beans)- & using the tall metal or bamboo Stakes to tie the Tomato Vines to. Your local Nursery or Garden Center ( or most Plant & Seed Catalogues) should have Everything you need in that Regard. As a “Newbie Gardener”, it sounds like you’ve done VERY Well with your First Gardening Experience… -so you should be Pleased !! Next year, with a little “tweaking” to your technique- I’m sure you’ll do even Better !! So keep up the good work, & ENJOY all those Delicious Tomatoes !!! 