If you've been relying on a cage to keep your tomatoes healthy and supported, you might be holding back the plant's growth.

The best tomato cage is made of heavy-duty metal wire with 4-to-6-inch openings for easy harvest. Wooden or plastic cages can work, but aren't as strong or long-lasting as metal ones.

Q: The great debate - cage or stake the tomatoes? My immigrant Italian grandfather used a stake and old, cotton T-shirt pieces to keep his tomato plants up. His garden was spectacular. But my ...

Tomatoes also can be supported along wire fencing, stretched out in a straight line and fastened to sturdy posts every 3 or 4 feet. The tomato plants can be tied onto this fence with stretchy ties.

Supplies: One 16-foot livestock panel; Steel T-posts (use one for about every 4 to 6 feet of panel) Estimated cost: about $2 per tomato plant (assumes four T-posts, plus $20 for a 16-foot panel ...

You tie your string to the stake, and then weave it back and forth around every other plant, going up the row, and then tie it to the metal stake at the end of the row. You usually do this every ...

Tomato Talk: Stake plants to keep fruit off ground, reduce risk of disease. By K-State Research and Extension news service. May 16, 2025. K-State horticulture expert outlines options for giving ...

Find out if it's better to stake or cage your tomato plants to keep them standing tall through harvest. Stake vs. Cage: What’s the Best Method for Your Tomato Plants? Skip to main content ...