Big Ass tomato trellis.

[gunslingor]

I'm looking for idea to build a big ass tomato trellis across this stone area. Renting, so needs to be deconstructable, and cheap. Can be with tomato hooks or better. Going to pull out the bushes... figure I can get like 30 or 40 plants going in this space, probably 10 gallon containers. Ideas examples etc. 12ft high would be ideal, gets afternoon sun front over the roof behind the higher it gets.

 

[Ruderunner]

2 things, if you're renting, better make sure it's OK to remove landscaping

Second, I don't think you're going to get that many plants in that space. I try to leave 3 ft between plants. Tomatoes have a pretty large root system.

For the trellises, I'm partial to 4x8 sheets of lattice, depending on what I'm growing they can be short and wide or tall and narrow. Frame them with 2x4 and develop some sort of footing and angle bracing. You'll have to stake them down.

 

[DirtMechanic]

I use cattle panel fencing, they are galvanized steel. 4x16 feet so I cut them in half to 8, half those into 2x8, fold them into a V shape for a two piece square trellis. The plants can grow up 8 feet and will, but then they can hang down 4 also. Remember you are not 12 feet tall and picking something like cherry toms is murder up that high. Oh+ I cut the bottoms so that it has spikes to insert into the ground.

I like that the V shape nests together well for off season storage and the 4 guage steel wire can be recoated with zinc paint for longevity. They last a long time already but a little off season maintaining really makes them cheap over the years.

People will bow the full pieces and use T stakes with raised beds on each side. Those are about 8 feet high Arches unless you raise the panel up the stakes or into the raised beds.

I also cut 4x4 squares for a roof when I run the panels sideways. Tomatoes have a magnificient ability to stain clothes late in the season so a tight area is not so fun..make sure you have room.

 

[MiniOrchardDude]

Second, I don't think you're going to get that many plants in that space. I try to leave 3 ft between plants. Tomatoes have a pretty large root system.

Spacing should be based on the type of tomato. Determinantes are short and bushy, 3 feet is good. Indeterminate are pretty much vines. Trim the suckers and keep 1 or 2 vines. I have 10 in a 24x3 bed. The trellis is 7 foot tall weaved from back to front. This increased the surface area to attach the tomatoes. Works good but I always run out of height.

MOD

 

[gunslingor]

Thanks for the tips guys... maybe I'll go 10 ft instead of 12... dont have to use it all but nice to have for some, not cherry.

I was considering using conduit. I could make basically a bus bar system. Line the entire fence in a square.

Wish they had a more modular trellis system. There are lots of parts online that are close, i bough an a frame trellis that worked well, could almost combine two of them to make it 8 feet.

One concern is the stone. Don't want to deal with stone and dirt mounting both, conduit may be rigid enough not to have to, might span the stone.

The arch idea is cool. I'll probably try that for sure. A square roofed labyrinth made from that cattle mesh would be incredible... ill look into that some more.

 

[Mr_Yan]

I was considering using conduit. I could make basically a bus bar system. Line the entire fence in a square.

I use 1/2 inch EMT conduit for many things around the garden but you'll find that this is too flimsy for a full size tomato plant. It will look fine for most of the season until you get a storm then it will look like a pile on the ground and the conduit will be kinked and ruined too.

I like a not-so-strict approach to the single vine trained up a cord for long tomato plants. For this maybe look to the pipes used for wire fences.

 

[gunslingor]

I use 1/2 inch EMT conduit for many things around the garden but you'll find that this is too flimsy for a full size tomato plant. It will look fine for most of the season until you get a storm then it will look like a pile on the ground and the conduit will be kinked and ruined too.

I like a not-so-strict approach to the single vine trained up a cord for long tomato plants. For this maybe look to the pipes used for wire fences.

Yeah, storms messed me up last year.had cheap green tomato cages... my mortgage lifters just kept growing, reached 12 feet, I keep adding layers. Jerry rigged bambo and aircraft wire to strengthen it. It sucked. Feel over many times.

I'm thinkin 1/2 would be fine if supported every 5 ft, did you do 10 foot spacing?

I am basically going for the single cord approach... but I need some kind of giant frame to build off of... I dont want to screw around, I can engineer something. Once I got everything framed and solid, options will be plentiful.

I could make something with pvc, but conduit would stronger. Wood is good but rots and sags. Need something I can unscrew and move.

I see what I need in the greenhouse farms, but they don't seem to sell it, or it's just conduit or part of the greenhouse.

Once I get a frame I can use the cattle wire, maybe even make a roof.

 

[Mr_Yan]

You wan't 1/2" EMT conduit for the top cross and to hang several support lines down from that? Maybe a line hanging every 300 mm (12 inch). Don't go more than a meter between vertical supports then. The EMT is weak like that. PVC will be even worse and degrade over time in the UV.

3/4" black iron plumbing pipe? Fence material? Someone's old swing set after kids out grew it?

 

[gunslingor]

You wan't 1/2" EMT conduit for the top cross and to hang several support lines down from that? Maybe a line hanging every 300 mm (12 inch). Don't go more than a meter between vertical supports then. The EMT is weak like that. PVC will be even worse and degrade over time in the UV.

3/4" black iron plumbing pipe? Fence material? Someone's old swing set after kids out grew it?

Well I need something constructable and destructible. Can't look like garbage. I really don't get it... they sell special tomato hooks, bit nothing adequate to mount them on?

 

[gunslingor]

Been lookin at shit like this, too expensive. Tipping hazard.

Amazon.com

 

[DirtMechanic]

I found some 20 foot long 2 inch square steel tube on a used stuff website. It will probably rust out there but I will see what I can do. I use metal studs for walls mounted sideways sometimes. Also those ceiling tile hangers can work and can be found from remodelers or repurposing thrift type stores.

Thin metal can be strong in its plane but not its thickness so bending or something to make a T or I helps. So will rivets and they are easy to deal with too.

The metal scrap I use has just outlasted all the wood posts and such. I do not see re purchasing something that fails in the weather and have found that metal paint like zinc and aluminum really weather well out there on metal pieces. I basically have a lot of silvery stuff out in the garden now. Even the post caps.