Reinforce giant tomatoe cages.

[gunslingor]

Hello team, got another request for input.

my tomatoes plants are 9 feet tall, I wanna get them over the roof as high as they will go, lol.

Unfortunately I used the cheap green cages. I was trying to reinforce with bamboo and bar ties used in rubar concrete construction, and it certain helped they were falling apart before... but now I notice the bar ties are rusting, stupid. I need something very strong to hold the bamboo to the crossbars... basically doubling the verticals equidistant.

I have the idea, just starting to implement, to arrange each of 3 containers in a triangle, make sure sides align and then attach a bamboo triangle to it basically making a megatriangle between 3 plants... I'm an engineer I can't help myself, lol.

So, 1) what can I use instead of bar ties that's strong and lasting 2) what am I missing, any input or ideas appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Ruderunner]

There's some very stout zip ties available.

 

[gunslingor]

Yeah true but you cant get the same kinda torque with a zip tie. You can us pliers to tighten it back a bit, but its generally designed to slip past a certain pressure and then it gets bigger so torque won't maintain as it waffles in the breeze. I think it needs to be metal, I can kinda really control the lean if it's metal. Only thing I found that can be as strong is larger gage rope, but I'm not so good at nots apparently... why rectangular 6ft tall watermelon trellis constructed with rope and bamboo is almost a trapezoid, lol.

 

[gunslingor]

Next year I'll science the shit out of it better... thinking soldiered copper tubing or something... maybe buy so junk ham radio tower parts, built one once that went up 66ft. Wonder if there is a record? 65ft!!!

 

[YumYum]

Rebar is fairly cheap and bendable to a certain extent without cracking. A handheld torch and welder would do the job to make a rebar tomato cage.

 

[Ruderunner]

Don't underestimate zip ties.

As for next years structure, keep an eye open for discarded canopies and gazebos. The cheap quick setup ones usually get tossed out vs repaired

 

[redback]

I take it you are a high-rise engineer. You are right about some tomatoes wanting to grow to ten feet tall but, where are the fruit? Sky bridges? Triangulated horizontal trusses between triangular towers. Bravo Gunslinger.

 

[DirtMechanic]

Look to zinc plated steel of appropriate for you guages. Off season they can be maintained with cold galvanizing paint if they try to rust. Or de-rust and coat what you have. Zinc coating has become the surface of pretty much all the metal in my garden as all the others have failed. I use it like a primer under metal I paint out there like the gate and wooden post caps. I have found metallic paint holds up well on top of the zinc. More so than colored paints by quite a long time actually. Use a roller on fencing to save your sanity.

 

[Meadowlark]

Rebar is fairly cheap and bendable to a certain extent without cracking.

When used as a tool to test penetration of clay soil drenched for months with molasses, it is actually quite bendable.

 

[pepper]

When used as a tool to test penetration of clay soil drenched for months with molasses, it is actually quite bendable.

View attachment 98067

I want to start preparing my new garden area for next year. Usually I would just keep tilling it but I've been learning some new tricks on here. Would it make sense to plant clover and continually add a molasses mix without tilling at all until spring? Or till it in the fall before the snow comes so it's ready for the spring then I can put a layer of compost without tilling and plant it?