Omg, thank you! This is the simplest, shortest video explaining the technique and essential tips. I've watched many videos trying to learn and I have a short attention span. Lol. Gosh, thank you!
Just did this yesterday. Found your video today. I like how you used the string clamps on the base of the plant. I tied the strong to landscape nails/spikes.
Exactly. Old school home gardener here; I'v been growing toms 60 years and this is an idea I haven't tried yet. Something so simple yet ingenious at the same time; I almost feel stupid. Thanx for sharing.
Yeah, that's how I do it too. I have goat fencing around the veg garden and used a piece of that over the top to tie my strings to. I tried plastic clips to hold the vines but am going back to cloth because with the heavy winds we had, the stems broke off with clips. They didn't break with cloth. TFS
For a video on the trellis system, you mostly talked about suckers and not how you have those strings tied at the bottom and how you get the plants around the strings I.E how the trellis system needs to be set up with the plants and used.
I agree, this "trellis" video veered off a bit. looking for a trellis solution for a new garden and this might work. I already have the post and clips...but would like to see more details about the set-up.... how was the string anchored ,how were the poles set up,etc
She made a very quick comment about just wrapping the plant around the string. I didn't hear anything about the anchor, I'm guessing just some kind of spike?
From what I have seen of similar trellis systems here in the UK, the string is planted under the rootball when transplanting the tomato seedlings. As the plant and the roots grow, the string is anchored in the soil.
This has become my favorite tomato trellising system too, after trying three other methods of trellising indeterminate tomatoes. You mention this works great with your row gardening layout, but I also use this method with my raised beds. I've also used this method for my pole beans. For one thing, once you get it set up, it's the lowest maintenance trellising system I've used. And it's *very* strong. The vertical stakes get strapped onto the sides of the bed and anchored into the adjacent ground with rebar, and in the time I've used it, it has stood up to some very high winds and kept the plants firmly in place. They'll stand up to just about anything short of a tornado.
Hi! I'm also growing in mixed raised beds, so your success story caught my eye. Gonna give it a go - tomatoes just getting ready for support in New England - For string - jute twine or did you go with something stronger? You grow cherry toms this way too? On the fence whether to prune cherry tomatoes and grow up leaders vs cage and let 'em go. Best!
Using those PVC T's is a great idea for making these trellises. I've always bent the EMT so that I have a horizontal piece and two legs, to which I attach straight pieces of EMT so that I have the appropriate height. The legs are inserted into 3/4 inch PVC attached to the sides of my 4 foot-square wooden beds. Bending the EMT has always been problematic - it can be challenge to bend it so that it is close to the correct width. However, once it's done, these types of trellises last forever. Your method is much simpler and it looks like it would work just as well for me. In addition, removing and storing these trellises looks easier and more efficient. Thanks for posting.
Thank you so much for this video. I haven’t had a garden in a long time and had forgotten a lot. Your video is a Very helpful insight to what needs to be done to tomato plants as they grow. Thank you so much again!
Issues: 1)When I tried a similar system in Albuquerque, the tomato vines grew so long that I had no place to train them to once they reached the conduit. Today, I'm thinking cattle panel arches or tunnels. That would give each vine 16 feet - up, over, and down the other side. 2) Thanks to the type of pruning you suggest, I had lots of plants & lots of heavy tomatoes! My conduit sagged in the middle under the load. However, I may have used only half inch whereas you suggest 3/4". I cudda tried that the following year, but I got crazy & used plumbing pipe. Super strong enough but way more expensive and still had the length issue. 3) I used what appear to be the same white clips you're using. NM sun so brutal, the plastic clips grew brittle and many of them broke, especially any that I tried to move or re-use. Many didn't last the season & none lasted more than one. 4) Same for the white string. Many simply snapped under the weight as my vines grew heavier and heavier with tomatoes. Brightly colored nylon(?) boat rope f/WalMart worked better. It's way thicker than I'd have liked, but I was able to poke 6-10" strips of old t-shirts in between the fibers of the rope. I used them to loosely tie the vines to the rope. Now I've moved 3 states over, I've gotta start from scratch. I'm thinking that with cattle panel arches, I'd still need the cloth strips, but not the string or rope, yes? I'm also thinking, whoa, buddy, cattle panels are expensive!!! Plus, a real challenge to transport. So, I dunno. Maybe your system, but with two rows, 10' apart, and connected (like clotheslines) across their tops by boat rope?!?! AIEEE!! Makes me wanna give up gardening. Lol. I guess the obvious solution is cut the vines and don't allow them to grow past the conduit. But then, why grow indeterminants? Sorry. Too long. Bye now.
The tomahook allows you to unravel, so the stalk will coil down on the ground. This gives you "infinite" height in a way. The plastic clips definitely don't last too long. Unfortunately, the compostable kind break even faster. For really heavy tomato varieties, I wouldn't recommend this method. For indeterminates, you could use a cattle panel trellis or arch since it's stronger. For determinates, a cattle panel cage like this works well: ua-cam.com/video/4WnEGT70fQw/v-deo.html But yes they're tricky to transport even with a truck. Most important part is to keep learning and experimenting which you're doing! :) Maybe even try two or three methods with the same variety and find what works best for you.
I used cattle panels, vertical 4x8. I had to use the panles to fence around my little garden. I will try vertical trellis with PVC structure (I know it sounds flimsy but I did a 8W x 5H with a post in the middle, I am thinking either use a trellis mesh or vertical I havent decide yet. Cattle panel was good, I am 5'11 but still wants something I can reach with my hands without a ladder, just because ergonomics, I dont have a big ladder or it will be difficult to move one around in my little garden
If you use hooks at the top of the trellis, you just unhook them when they reach the top and move one space over. Repeat as needed. Then all your tomato vines can grow at a diagonal, looping around the trellis as needed.
thank you just saw your video today saw another one a month earlier with tstakes and conduit with string but not those little clips in Canada though so won't be planting for another 4 weeks cheers
I keep seeing numerous folks stating to plant Marigolds near the tomatoes, but I also read that Marigolds are magnets for red spider mites? Have you had issues with spider mites? I maybe be off the road here so I would greatly appreciate any insights you can offer, Thank You
This year I am going to grow Lavender & marigolds around my tomatoes. I recently read that the lavender keeps away what the marigolds don't. We will see. Last we only did the marigolds & didn't have but 2 hornworms. Got rid of them while they were quite small & that was it.
you can stick the suckers in the ground and they will root. It helps to clip off most of the top growth before sticking it in the ground. If you have the space you can easily plant a second bed with them. They are already mature plants, even if they are suckers so they produce quickly.
@@SanDiegoSeedCompany Might have to put them in a plastic pot for people to take them. Most gardeners i show it to dont believe it will root and produce.
First time gardener and i trellised my San Diego seed co. Large cherry tomatoes the same way and there 5ft tall already with 4-5 fruit sets growing on each already. 👍 works great for sure. Thanks for the quality seeds.
This is the best system for tomato supports I've seen yet. This will work for containers as well if you set the T post inside a piece of PVC that's been cemented inside a 5-gallon bucket . That way you can move your T post easily when you move your containers of tomatoes.
Thks for trellis idea. I’m making several wide teepees….and laying a long lightweight yard branch across all those horizontally for strings. I used a long deck railing one year. That worked great too. Ahna usa
Been doing that for several years now. 1 inch PVC in the greenhouse, homemade thing outside. Works awesome. 2 main differences: 1 I wind the plant around the string. It supports the plant without rubbing AND 2. figured this out finally this year. I usually drive the string into the ground but sometimes it pulls out easily. I ran a line between stakes at ground level and tied the vertical line to it. Only had to anchor it in a few spots. Doesn't pull out if it catches on my clothes or something. Interesting that you can run 2 leaders. Gonna try that with a few. I have done that with grafted plants which grow fantastic but are expensive. Great if you don't have a lot of room. Glad I watched this.
We shot another video because so many questions came out of the first one. Check it out. ua-cam.com/video/tDL3McRkPbg/v-deo.html Love to hear your feedback.
It would have been helpful if you showed us how you weave the tomato plant into the twine? Do you do a vertical Florida weave style within the two threads, or do you just use the two threads as if it was one thread, and clip the main stem to it as it grows?
Hi Ken! We have some new videos coming out about pruning coming out next month (when my tomatoes are larger), but it can still be hard to see on video sometimes. Check out our new ebook for some great info on suckers and all things tomatoes. sandiegoseedcompany.com/gardening-guide-ebooks-to-help-you-grow/
You look like a model for gardening. Beautiful in that outfit. Gorgeous garden as well. This is the good life. Your living the dream. Thanks for share. I'm hooked on gardening at age 52 now. Life's a garden DIG IT. Guru Joe dirtai
I found some clothes-drying racks, stainless for outdoor (duh) that are like an X on each end with two upper poles about 4' high. They are perfect for this system, and after the season you just fold them up and put them away. I use a trampoline anchor to keep them from tipping over in the wind.
Not much info here about how the string is attached at the bottom and what you use to clip the 0lant to the string. I'll figure something out. Thanks for the idea.
What I need to know is...where did you get your hat. I love it!! Thank you for the tomato growing tips also, will definitely try this next tomato season.
Excellent trellis tips and just in time as I was just about to invest in a similar method but using much more expensive materials. Also liked the 2-leader method and will try it on a few of my sets this year.
Forgive my ignorance. Do you root the string to the ground in some fashion or to the plant’s base? If on the ground, how do you do this? If tethered to the plant, will the plant get damaged? Lastly, will this technique work for other climbing plants such as cucumbers?
Great questions! I like to use a stake in the ground just next to the plant. It's secure and doesn't harm the plant. As it grows, I use plant clips to keep the main stalk in line with the string. Yes, this can also work for cucumbers.
What a brilliant idea. I'm in Australia, so we're just about at the end of Winter (shame we're not almost to the end of Covid too), so I'm going to give this a try. I have a large family, so I grow lots of tomatoes every year and I get so tired of banging wooden stakes in. And once the warm weather comes it's so easy to miss suckers and have your plants wasting precious grow time on them. Particularly if you grow a lot of tomato plants, their management can be quite time consuming.
I grew tomatoes on a trellis this year and I'll never go back. I still put a few plants in pots, but they're hybrids and are early producers that don't get very big. Next year I'm going to let 2 leaders grow, because this year production wasn't as good as I hoped. No problems with bugs or diseases
For hornworms use a determinate tomato as a decoy. I had one ate the entire determiate tomato. The leaves are likely richer due to the short grow span.
Great vid. After picking off the Sucker, can it be put into some seed and cutting mix to grow a new tomato plant? Regards, Jas. vk4fjgs Rockhampton Queensland Australia
Is this trellis method feasible in Kansas, it is very windy here and I am afraid that. Hanging them would not be so good but I love the idea. I also fear that I won't get as many tomatoes if I don't let them bush out.
@@SanDiegoSeedCompany For some the limiting factor may be water (if you dry-farm, the sucker won't have enough water unless you irrigate or you get a fortuitous rain), but yeah.
The plant clips are here: sandiegoseedcompany.com/product-category/tools-and-merchandise/crop-supports/ We tie the string to a stake that's in the ground next to the plant
Great video, thanks. I think the only flaw in this system is that the vines of indeterminate tomatoes (especially cherry type) will outgrow the height of the trellis. Green house growers (myself included) use a lower and lean system to accommodate the vine growth. Having a solid top bar in your system isn't compatible with the lower and lean devices I've seen since they are designed to hook over a 9 gauge wire. You could use a wire in your system instead of EMT conduit if you somehow braced the end poles. Just an idea. I plan to use your system this year to trellis melons and train them to a single leader.
Hi! We use low and lean too- on the same system. Just hook tomahooks to a zip tie that is moveable on the conduit. It’s an improvement over this system for sure! Thanks for the great info. Here is an updated video : ua-cam.com/video/tDL3McRkPbg/v-deo.html
I've found it easier to just terminate the growth when the vine reaches the top and then graft a sucker back into the base (or just force one to grow from a lower growth point) to reset the vine from the bottom.
great video! I watched Satin Farms video on this topic. I noted he stated 1/2' conduit & that you chose 3/4". I'm just interested if you feel the 3/4" is the way to go and why?? Thank you
I miss the San Diego climate so much! Folks back in AL are shocked when I tell them I had tomatoe plants that lived for years, having blooms, green and red tomatoes on them at the same time.
If you live in San Diego you drink filtered toilet water. Not so appetizing when you think about. I mean my own toilet water might be okay, but the rest of you maybe not.
I did the same thing with an old trampoline safety frame . I knew it would be of use sometime . I drove four foot long wooden stakes into the ground then simply slipped the arch shape post over them . Total cost, zero. Eight foot high .
Great questions! I recommend 8 or 10 foot posts. Your PVC should be just large enough but not too loose (it still works but not as snug) to fit your posts. 3/4" should be about right depend on your system
yup i take my suckers off and then plant the suckers in a small planter extends more fruit place in container and very wet soil and just stick that sucker in it will make roots and more tomatoes
Loved the video, I have a question. Where does the string start on the tomato? Does it hook to the ground or do you start it 3 or 6 in on the tomatoes?
Additional tip that I plan on trying with a system like this....just bury the string under the tomato plant when you plant it. Then you don't need those plastic clips. Charles Dowding does this;)
We use compostable garden clips to link the string and the plant. They cinch down nicely on the string and have a gap around the stalk, so it gives the plant wiggle room. As for the ground, you can tie a knot around a stake.
That's when you get to the "lean" part of the process! You can let the plant droop outward, slide them all down the line, or let the bottom (if it's been pruned to just the stalk) coil on the ground. You can easily get more plant height than the plant. However, I would go longer than 8 feet because about 2 of that will be in the ground. Your trellis should be somewhere around 7-ish feet depending on your height. Tall enough but still within reach.
Hi. love your video. However, I am confused about the lower and lean methods that you describe in another video (yes, I watched that as well. It was well explained.). In this video though, you don't use the tomahook, only a rope around the conduit?
I used this system last year for the first time and yeah it was great but i see that you have doubled your string? can you tell me why you went with two lines? and did you tie it off on the vine base?
We have played around with several different version stringing up tomatoes. In the end, we liked the tomahawk system. We JUST shot a video yesterday with some in-depth information on the stringing up of the tomatoes. I will post it here once it is finished.
@@SanDiegoSeedCompany I do the same in my polytunnel and wind and rain aren't a factor. If anything, trellised tomatoes and cukes act as a slight anchor by exerting downward pressure on the purlin.
If by leaving suckers ( laterals ) or some of them and only getting a few tomatoes then you are doing something wrong. I have the main stem to about 1 ft and clean everything off below that, choose the best suckers out of several and remove the rest , leave a gap before again picking the best ( 1 or 2 ) suckers. Every flower becomes a tomato by gently shaking them every day. I have always tied the tomatoes and growing suckers too an overhead point. I am 72. I prefer an elastic type string which is kinder on the plants and allows the stem to grow without being strangled. and wind the string around the plant, or vice versa, as the plant grows.
The clips have little teeth that grab the string, and the larger circle goes around the stalk without actually clamping on it. The string will run all the way up alongside the plant to guide it, and it's tied to a stake in the ground. sandiegoseedcompany.com/product-category/tools-and-merchandise/crop-supports/
Hi. Wonderful video. what are the clips you use and what is the purpose of them? Do you need them? Also, do you just wine the plant around the string and that is enough to support an indeterminate tomato plant?
We use compostable plant clips (out of stock at the moment, but this gives an idea of what to look for - sandiegoseedcompany.com/product/tools-and-merchandise/compostable-plant-clips/). The clips keep your main stalk close to your string as a guide and don't really hold any weight. The clasp keeps it from slipping down, and it will just hold your plant in place.
The clips I used with a similar trellis system can be found on Amazon: "Tomato, Garden, and Vine Clips, 250 Count, Paskal Quick Clips". They are a reusable clip and are a little less than 1" in diameter when closed. On the opposite side of the clip is a trough with a dull barb that when the clip is closed, the trellis twine gets pinched and secured to the chosen height on the twine. The clip is able to hold up significant weight of the vine loaded with tomatoes. They work great! Just look for plastic circular clips that will trap the twine well when the clip is closed, with the tomato stem within the circular clip.
Barely talked on the specifics of the trellis... How tall are the T-posts, how long are the conduits, and if the conduits are 10' how many plants can it handle without compromising it's strength?
Those are all things that can be adjusted to fit your situation and growing area. I recommend 8 or 10 foot t-posts. Conduit probably shouldn't span more than about 10 feet either.
@@SanDiegoSeedCompany k, ty! I've been hearing mixed results about spanning it 10' without a center brace, so I'm trying to get as many opinions on that before I build mine in spring.
We use these: sandiegoseedcompany.com/product/tools-and-merchandise/garden-plant-clips/ Also, a more in-depth video was just shot. Check it out. ua-cam.com/video/tDL3McRkPbg/v-deo.html
Here in Minnesota I grow heirloom tomatoes and just let them grow. I get gallons and gallons of tomatoes off of them but a trellis system for someone who doesn’t prune is what I’m looking for.
I'm going to try getting rid of the suckers next year. My plants this year were way too bulky and fell over. @San Diego Seed Company: Should I start training only 2 main vines from when the plant is a seedling, or wait until some stage of growth?
You should start it fairly early on (with determinate varieties) and maybe even before you transplant it. Suckers might not show up right away, but they'll pop up quickly.
Have you ever used tomato hooks where as the plant reaches the top of the trellis/string, you can then unwind the string in order to lower the plant and continue upward growth? What do you do when the plant reaches the top? Do you top it off?
Do you control the height at some point? My indeterminate tomatoes got so tall last year it was hard to reach...amd if so, what does that process or decision look like?
You can, they get so long! Because they get so long, using a system like at the Tomahooks are nice to allow them to be lowered and leaned. We JUST shot a video yesterday giving in depth explanation of how you use the tomahawk system. I will post it here when it's ready! But to answer your question, if you are not using a tomahook system, we would eventually top the plants because we had gotten so many tomatoes and the plants were out of control. Stay tuned as we post a more in-depth video for you.
I came here to learn about a cool trellis, I left understanding suckers and proper pruning. And a cool trellis. Great video!
Really good of you to give credit for where you got this idea. Josh wasn't the first, but at least you're giving credit to your source.
The only video I found explaining suckers and pruning that made sense without 20 minutes of filler!
It helps when doing this outside to run a string horizontally to stop the wind from blowing them around.
Omg, thank you! This is the simplest, shortest video explaining the technique and essential tips. I've watched many videos trying to learn and I have a short attention span. Lol. Gosh, thank you!
Just did this yesterday. Found your video today. I like how you used the string clamps on the base of the plant. I tied the strong to landscape nails/spikes.
Simple, cheap and effective. Great system. Thank you for sharing this.
Thanks for watching! If you use a system like this, we'd love to see it. You can tag us on Instagram or Facebook :)
Exactly. Old school home gardener here; I'v been growing toms 60 years and this is an idea I haven't tried yet. Something so simple yet ingenious at the same time; I almost feel stupid. Thanx for sharing.
Always fun to try new techniques! Let me know how it goes
Yeah, that's how I do it too. I have goat fencing around the veg garden and used a piece of that over the top to tie my strings to. I tried plastic clips to hold the vines but am going back to cloth because with the heavy winds we had, the stems broke off with clips. They didn't break with cloth. TFS
For a video on the trellis system, you mostly talked about suckers and not how you have those strings tied at the bottom and how you get the plants around the strings I.E how the trellis system needs to be set up with the plants and used.
I agree, this "trellis" video veered off a bit. looking for a trellis solution for a new garden and this might work. I already have the post and clips...but would like to see more details about the set-up.... how was the string anchored ,how were the poles set up,etc
She made a very quick comment about just wrapping the plant around the string. I didn't hear anything about the anchor, I'm guessing just some kind of spike?
@@jrow84 Yes all left to people guessing
From what I have seen of similar trellis systems here in the UK, the string is planted under the rootball when transplanting the tomato seedlings. As the plant and the roots grow, the string is anchored in the soil.
@@SueSeacooks Yes had to go to another video to get information that this video should have provided
This has become my favorite tomato trellising system too, after trying three other methods of trellising indeterminate tomatoes. You mention this works great with your row gardening layout, but I also use this method with my raised beds. I've also used this method for my pole beans. For one thing, once you get it set up, it's the lowest maintenance trellising system I've used. And it's *very* strong. The vertical stakes get strapped onto the sides of the bed and anchored into the adjacent ground with rebar, and in the time I've used it, it has stood up to some very high winds and kept the plants firmly in place. They'll stand up to just about anything short of a tornado.
Love that! Raised beds deserve love too
Hi! I'm also growing in mixed raised beds, so your success story caught my eye. Gonna give it a go - tomatoes just getting ready for support in New England - For string - jute twine or did you go with something stronger? You grow cherry toms this way too? On the fence whether to prune cherry tomatoes and grow up leaders vs cage and let 'em go. Best!
Using those PVC T's is a great idea for making these trellises. I've always bent the EMT so that I have a horizontal piece and two legs, to which I attach straight pieces of EMT so that I have the appropriate height. The legs are inserted into 3/4 inch PVC attached to the sides of my 4 foot-square wooden beds.
Bending the EMT has always been problematic - it can be challenge to bend it so that it is close to the correct width. However, once it's done, these types of trellises last forever.
Your method is much simpler and it looks like it would work just as well for me. In addition, removing and storing these trellises looks easier and more efficient.
Thanks for posting.
Thank you so much for this video. I haven’t had a garden in a long time and had forgotten a lot. Your video is a Very helpful insight to what needs to be done to tomato plants as they grow. Thank you so much again!
Interesting method of trellising. We may have to give that a try next year. Thanks for sharing!
You should’ve shown us HOW to tie the tomato and set you the trellis. Will be much more helpful
We clip it with a plant clip. We have a more detailed video here. Check it out! ua-cam.com/video/tDL3McRkPbg/v-deo.html
Advice just in the nick of time!
@@SanDiegoSeedCompany the system you describe in that video looks nothing like whats in this video minus maybe the clip
Yeah, but you could figure it out, right? I mean, how hard could it be..
Imagine being a toddler and demanding someone explaining how to tie shoes in a demonstration about running
Issues: 1)When I tried a similar system in Albuquerque, the tomato vines grew so long that I had no place to train them to once they reached the conduit. Today, I'm thinking cattle panel arches or tunnels. That would give each vine 16 feet - up, over, and down the other side. 2) Thanks to the type of pruning you suggest, I had lots of plants & lots of heavy tomatoes! My conduit sagged in the middle under the load. However, I may have used only half inch whereas you suggest 3/4". I cudda tried that the following year, but I got crazy & used plumbing pipe. Super strong enough but way more expensive and still had the length issue. 3) I used what appear to be the same white clips you're using. NM sun so brutal, the plastic clips grew brittle and many of them broke, especially any that I tried to move or re-use. Many didn't last the season & none lasted more than one. 4) Same for the white string. Many simply snapped under the weight as my vines grew heavier and heavier with tomatoes. Brightly colored nylon(?) boat rope f/WalMart worked better. It's way thicker than I'd have liked, but I was able to poke 6-10" strips of old t-shirts in between the fibers of the rope. I used them to loosely tie the vines to the rope. Now I've moved 3 states over, I've gotta start from scratch. I'm thinking that with cattle panel arches, I'd still need the cloth strips, but not the string or rope, yes? I'm also thinking, whoa, buddy, cattle panels are expensive!!! Plus, a real challenge to transport. So, I dunno. Maybe your system, but with two rows, 10' apart, and connected (like clotheslines) across their tops by boat rope?!?! AIEEE!! Makes me wanna give up gardening. Lol. I guess the obvious solution is cut the vines and don't allow them to grow past the conduit. But then, why grow indeterminants? Sorry. Too long. Bye now.
The tomahook allows you to unravel, so the stalk will coil down on the ground. This gives you "infinite" height in a way.
The plastic clips definitely don't last too long. Unfortunately, the compostable kind break even faster.
For really heavy tomato varieties, I wouldn't recommend this method. For indeterminates, you could use a cattle panel trellis or arch since it's stronger. For determinates, a cattle panel cage like this works well: ua-cam.com/video/4WnEGT70fQw/v-deo.html But yes they're tricky to transport even with a truck.
Most important part is to keep learning and experimenting which you're doing! :) Maybe even try two or three methods with the same variety and find what works best for you.
I used cattle panels, vertical 4x8. I had to use the panles to fence around my little garden. I will try vertical trellis with PVC structure (I know it sounds flimsy but I did a 8W x 5H with a post in the middle, I am thinking either use a trellis mesh or vertical I havent decide yet. Cattle panel was good, I am 5'11 but still wants something I can reach with my hands without a ladder, just because ergonomics, I dont have a big ladder or it will be difficult to move one around in my little garden
If you use hooks at the top of the trellis, you just unhook them when they reach the top and move one space over. Repeat as needed. Then all your tomato vines can grow at a diagonal, looping around the trellis as needed.
Awesome system.. l learnt this system 20 years ago from a farmer in Ireland.. we did the same for the cucumbers..Thanks for sharing
Your welcome!
Wow I had the wrong idea about suckers - I was taking off the leaf below the sucker and leaving the sucker! This is great all around cheers
Happy we could help!
thank you just saw your video today saw another one a month earlier with tstakes and conduit with string but not those little clips in Canada though so won't be planting for another 4 weeks cheers
Perfect explanation of why the suckers need to be removed. 👍 I use a similar system, and just tweak it a little every season. Works well..
I’d plant marigolds between the tomatoes to keep the hornworms away. I always plant marigolds with my tomatoes and never get hornworms. (zone 10)
Good call. Hornworms are something else!
I keep seeing numerous folks stating to plant Marigolds near the tomatoes, but I also read that Marigolds are magnets for red spider mites? Have you had issues with spider mites? I maybe be off the road here so I would greatly appreciate any insights you can offer, Thank You
This year I am going to grow Lavender & marigolds around my tomatoes. I recently read that the lavender keeps away what the marigolds don't. We will see. Last we only did the marigolds & didn't have but 2 hornworms. Got rid of them while they were quite small & that was it.
you can stick the suckers in the ground and they will root. It helps to clip off most of the top growth before sticking it in the ground. If you have the space you can easily plant a second bed with them. They are already mature plants, even if they are suckers so they produce quickly.
Yes, love using suckers! If you don't have the space, share with friends!
@@SanDiegoSeedCompany Might have to put them in a plastic pot for people to take them. Most gardeners i show it to dont believe it will root and produce.
First time gardener and i trellised my San Diego seed co. Large cherry tomatoes the same way and there 5ft tall already with 4-5 fruit sets growing on each already. 👍 works great for sure. Thanks for the quality seeds.
topkinginer thank you for being a valued grower! Post photos of your cherries. We want to see them!
I was tying tomatoes up back in the late 60's for my friends greenhouse
I use that system and love it. Last year I had tomato plants over 7 feet high.
love the pvc parts on this! Super easy!
It really is!
I root suckers occasionally; however, I enjoy adding tomato suckers and leaves to salads or dehydrate them for teas.
Looks good. I wish you had described how you attached the string to the bottom of the plant though.
Thanks for the feed back. We have another video coming!
Here ya go! ua-cam.com/video/tDL3McRkPbg/v-deo.html
Bury the string under the root ball. It will anchor itself as the plant grows.
This is the best system for tomato supports I've seen yet. This will work for containers as well if you set the T post inside a piece of PVC that's been cemented inside a 5-gallon bucket . That way you can move your T post easily when you move your containers of tomatoes.
I like that idea!
Thks for trellis idea. I’m making several wide teepees….and laying a long lightweight yard branch across all those horizontally for strings. I used a long deck railing one year. That worked great too. Ahna usa
Oooo I like how that sounds too!
Been doing that for several years now. 1 inch PVC in the greenhouse, homemade thing outside. Works awesome. 2 main differences: 1 I wind the plant around the string. It supports the plant without rubbing AND 2. figured this out finally this year. I usually drive the string into the ground but sometimes it pulls out easily. I ran a line between stakes at ground level and tied the vertical line to it. Only had to anchor it in a few spots. Doesn't pull out if it catches on my clothes or something.
Interesting that you can run 2 leaders. Gonna try that with a few. I have done that with grafted plants which grow fantastic but are expensive. Great if you don't have a lot of room. Glad I watched this.
We shot another video because so many questions came out of the first one. Check it out. ua-cam.com/video/tDL3McRkPbg/v-deo.html Love to hear your feedback.
We really like this system and will implement it from now on.
It would have been helpful if you showed us how you weave the tomato plant into the twine? Do you do a vertical Florida weave style within the two threads, or do you just use the two threads as if it was one thread, and clip the main stem to it as it grows?
Hey, there! You don't weave in this method. You use clips every foot or so up the main stalk to keep it growing upright along the line.
Hello
Loved the video but, can you please focus on a sucker. What it looks like so I’m not clipping off the wrong ones! Thx
Ken from N Cal.
Hi Ken!
We have some new videos coming out about pruning coming out next month (when my tomatoes are larger), but it can still be hard to see on video sometimes.
Check out our new ebook for some great info on suckers and all things tomatoes.
sandiegoseedcompany.com/gardening-guide-ebooks-to-help-you-grow/
I like that trellis looks like a really good idea. I may give it a go this year!
Like…subbed. Just setting my no weed garden up now and I like your set up. Thanks.
That's a good idea I live in San Diego to. You could probably use that system but run some lines horizontal for string beans. 😎👍
Yes, that's a great idea
You look like a model for gardening. Beautiful in that outfit. Gorgeous garden as well. This is the good life. Your living the dream. Thanks for share. I'm hooked on gardening at age 52 now. Life's a garden DIG IT. Guru Joe dirtai
Nice concept for a system and very helpful!
I found some clothes-drying racks, stainless for outdoor (duh) that are like an X on each end with two upper poles about 4' high. They are perfect for this system, and after the season you just fold them up and put them away. I use a trampoline anchor to keep them from tipping over in the wind.
Such a good idea! Love it
I wish I would have seen this video a few months ago! Will definitely have to try it out in the spring.
Let us know what you think!
Not much info here about how the string is attached at the bottom and what you use to clip the 0lant to the string.
I'll figure something out. Thanks for the idea.
Others use stakes or other heavy objects like washers. Vinyl garden tape is great for tying up tomatoes.
What I need to know is...where did you get your hat. I love it!!
Thank you for the tomato growing tips also, will definitely try this next tomato season.
Don't judge me, but it's from Disneyland. Lol
Love it even more...thank you. LOVE YOUR VIDEOS.
Will give it a shot might make it easier to spray for root rot
Excellent trellis tips and just in time as I was just about to invest in a similar method but using much more expensive materials. Also liked the 2-leader method and will try it on a few of my sets this year.
Here is an in-depth long video of the system. ua-cam.com/video/tDL3McRkPbg/v-deo.html
LOVE THIS VIDEO,How far apart do you place your stakes?
It depends on your space and how many plants you are growing but about 9 feet is good (10 foot conduit with a little extra to hang over)
Forgive my ignorance. Do you root the string to the ground in some fashion or to the plant’s base? If on the ground, how do you do this? If tethered to the plant, will the plant get damaged? Lastly, will this technique work for other climbing plants such as cucumbers?
Great questions! I like to use a stake in the ground just next to the plant. It's secure and doesn't harm the plant. As it grows, I use plant clips to keep the main stalk in line with the string.
Yes, this can also work for cucumbers.
What a brilliant idea. I'm in Australia, so we're just about at the end of Winter (shame we're not almost to the end of Covid too), so I'm going to give this a try. I have a large family, so I grow lots of tomatoes every year and I get so tired of banging wooden stakes in. And once the warm weather comes it's so easy to miss suckers and have your plants wasting precious grow time on them. Particularly if you grow a lot of tomato plants, their management can be quite time consuming.
Hi from Texas. Hope ur ok in Australia 🙏
Helpful video thanks! Can you please tell me where you got your hat ?! Or the brand? It’s beautiful! 🌻
I grew tomatoes on a trellis this year and I'll never go back. I still put a few plants in pots, but they're hybrids and are early producers that don't get very big. Next year I'm going to let 2 leaders grow, because this year production wasn't as good as I hoped. No problems with bugs or diseases
For hornworms use a determinate tomato as a decoy. I had one ate the entire determiate tomato. The leaves are likely richer due to the short grow span.
Sometimes we have heavy dry winds in Ramona, as you know? Wondering how this works at your Ramona farm? My area is exposed at present.
Great vid.
After picking off the Sucker, can it be put into some seed and cutting mix to grow a new tomato plant?
Regards, Jas.
vk4fjgs
Rockhampton Queensland Australia
Yes, but is it worth it? I did that last year and got TWO whole tomatoes from it.
After trying the Florida weave two years now and struggling with it each time, I’m trying this method next year.
All about trying out new things and finding what works for you :)
Is this trellis method feasible in Kansas, it is very windy here and I am afraid that.
Hanging them would not be so good but I love the idea. I also fear that I won't get as many tomatoes if I don't let them bush out.
Suckers are cuttings that can grow into a whole new plant if you put them into water to grow some roots.
You are correct!
Great info, I think. Why not propagate the suckers, tho? Just no space?
Yeah, that's usually the limiting factor for most people. Using those suckers is a great idea if you can though!
@@SanDiegoSeedCompany For some the limiting factor may be water (if you dry-farm, the sucker won't have enough water unless you irrigate or you get a fortuitous rain), but yeah.
One. Please provide a link for the plastic clips that you use. Two. How do you secure the string down at the soil level?
The plant clips are here: sandiegoseedcompany.com/product-category/tools-and-merchandise/crop-supports/
We tie the string to a stake that's in the ground next to the plant
Great video, thanks. I think the only flaw in this system is that the vines of indeterminate tomatoes (especially cherry type) will outgrow the height of the trellis. Green house growers (myself included) use a lower and lean system to accommodate the vine growth. Having a solid top bar in your system isn't compatible with the lower and lean devices I've seen since they are designed to hook over a 9 gauge wire. You could use a wire in your system instead of EMT conduit if you somehow braced the end poles. Just an idea. I plan to use your system this year to trellis melons and train them to a single leader.
Hi! We use low and lean too- on the same system. Just hook tomahooks to a zip tie that is moveable on the conduit. It’s an improvement over this system for sure! Thanks for the great info. Here is an updated video : ua-cam.com/video/tDL3McRkPbg/v-deo.html
I've found it easier to just terminate the growth when the vine reaches the top and then graft a sucker back into the base (or just force one to grow from a lower growth point) to reset the vine from the bottom.
I e never seen a double string used. Time to modify mine. Question; Are both strings adjustable in length?
very nice , what do you do when the plant grows taller than your trellis?
At that point, the bottom of the stalk won't have foliage anymore so we let it coil which allows the top to stay the same height.
great video! I watched Satin Farms video on this topic. I noted he stated 1/2' conduit & that you chose 3/4". I'm just interested if you feel the 3/4" is the way to go and why?? Thank you
We chose to go a little bigger in this case because of the distance between the t posts. It bends a little but it's not going to break or anything
I did the same...the tomatoes were sooooo heavy it bent the conduit pretty bad. Still the best trellis system yet for me as it is movable
Wow! Those must have been some hefty tomatoes! What do you do for fertilizing?
Outstanding information!!!! Plus,,,
Cool idea and cool hat ❤
I miss the San Diego climate so much! Folks back in AL are shocked when I tell them I had tomatoe plants that lived for years, having blooms, green and red tomatoes on them at the same time.
It is amazing huh?
If you live in San Diego you drink filtered toilet water. Not so appetizing when you think about. I mean my own toilet water might be okay, but the rest of you maybe not.
Thank you for such valuable information!!!
Thanks for watching!
I did the same thing with an old trampoline safety frame . I knew it would be of use sometime . I drove four foot long wooden stakes into the ground then simply slipped the arch shape post over them . Total cost, zero. Eight foot high .
Heck yes! Love the creativity & reuse of materials
Questions: what length t posts & what size pvc t's did you use please?
Great questions! I recommend 8 or 10 foot posts. Your PVC should be just large enough but not too loose (it still works but not as snug) to fit your posts. 3/4" should be about right depend on your system
Love the calendar
I like it, very neat and tidy.
Easy and best trellis system I have seen!!
Thank you! We can't take credit. It came from our friend Josh Sattin.
This is a really clever idea.
If I may, what kind of plastic clips are you using and where can I get them.?
How does the ‘conduit’ stay rigid without sagging under any weight....???? Larry.... Australia
Yes but I suggest 3/4 “ over 1/2”
yup i take my suckers off and then plant the suckers in a small planter extends more fruit place in container and very wet soil and just stick that sucker in it will make roots and more tomatoes
Love it! Endless tomatoes :)
Loved the video, I have a question. Where does the string start on the tomato? Does it hook to the ground or do you start it 3 or 6 in on the tomatoes?
We clip it with a plant clip. We have a more detailed video here. ua-cam.com/video/tDL3McRkPbg/v-deo.html
Ok I want this hat❣️ Can you tell me where I can find it? Kind of garden related
Additional tip that I plan on trying with a system like this....just bury the string under the tomato plant when you plant it. Then you don't need those plastic clips. Charles Dowding does this;)
Very cool
How does the string attach? I'm confused about how to attach the plant and how the string is anchored.
We use compostable garden clips to link the string and the plant. They cinch down nicely on the string and have a gap around the stalk, so it gives the plant wiggle room.
As for the ground, you can tie a knot around a stake.
Since indeterminant plants grow 10ft tall, do you think 8foot t-post is sufficient? Any tips on what to do when it outgrows?
That's when you get to the "lean" part of the process! You can let the plant droop outward, slide them all down the line, or let the bottom (if it's been pruned to just the stalk) coil on the ground. You can easily get more plant height than the plant.
However, I would go longer than 8 feet because about 2 of that will be in the ground. Your trellis should be somewhere around 7-ish feet depending on your height. Tall enough but still within reach.
Hi. love your video. However, I am confused about the lower and lean methods that you describe in another video (yes, I watched that as well. It was well explained.). In this video though, you don't use the tomahook, only a rope around the conduit?
This was life pre Tomahook, and it wasn't nearly as easy. The string slides easily enough, but I'd have to adjust the length with knots
@@SanDiegoSeedCompany ohh.. make sense. Lol thank you for clarifying
awesome video!!! I am going to try this method for my tomatoes this year!! as the old staking methos isn't doing so great hahahaha 😆
I posted an update video about it too just this month so be sure to check it out.
I used this system last year for the first time and yeah it was great but i see that you have doubled your string? can you tell me why you went with two lines? and did you tie it off on the vine base?
We have played around with several different version stringing up tomatoes. In the end, we liked the tomahawk system. We JUST shot a video yesterday with some in-depth information on the stringing up of the tomatoes. I will post it here once it is finished.
I just discovered you so I will definitely will be checking the seed company. I am northern CA so somewhat alike weather
That's fantastic! We hope you can help!
Here is a video we just shot that is more in-depth. ua-cam.com/video/tDL3McRkPbg/v-deo.html
i came for a tomato vid. left all twisted with funny naughty ideas hahaha.
Great video, I have been using a version of this system in my polytunnel for over 20 years, the bars of the frame are ideal for this sort of system.
That's great. Do you find it holds up in heavy rain and wind?
@@SanDiegoSeedCompany I do the same in my polytunnel and wind and rain aren't a factor. If anything, trellised tomatoes and cukes act as a slight anchor by exerting downward pressure on the purlin.
If by leaving suckers ( laterals ) or some of them and only getting a few tomatoes then you are doing something wrong. I have the main stem to about 1 ft and clean everything off below that, choose the best suckers out of several and remove the rest , leave a gap before again picking the best ( 1 or 2 ) suckers. Every flower becomes a tomato by gently shaking them every day. I have always tied the tomatoes and growing suckers too an overhead point. I am 72. I prefer an elastic type string which is kinder on the plants and allows the stem to grow without being strangled. and wind the string around the plant, or vice versa, as the plant grows.
what are the little white circular clips?
Do you attach that near the base ?
The clips have little teeth that grab the string, and the larger circle goes around the stalk without actually clamping on it. The string will run all the way up alongside the plant to guide it, and it's tied to a stake in the ground.
sandiegoseedcompany.com/product-category/tools-and-merchandise/crop-supports/
Hi. Wonderful video. what are the clips you use and what is the purpose of them? Do you need them? Also, do you just wine the plant around the string and that is enough to support an indeterminate tomato plant?
We use compostable plant clips (out of stock at the moment, but this gives an idea of what to look for - sandiegoseedcompany.com/product/tools-and-merchandise/compostable-plant-clips/). The clips keep your main stalk close to your string as a guide and don't really hold any weight. The clasp keeps it from slipping down, and it will just hold your plant in place.
What kind of string do you use? Also, do you tie your string to anything on the ground?
Also curious what sort of clips they use to attach the strings
The clips I used with a similar trellis system can be found on Amazon: "Tomato, Garden, and Vine Clips, 250 Count, Paskal Quick Clips".
They are a reusable clip and are a little less than 1" in diameter when closed. On the opposite side of the clip is a trough with a dull barb that when the clip is closed, the trellis twine gets pinched and secured to the chosen height on the twine. The clip is able to hold up significant weight of the vine loaded with tomatoes. They work great! Just look for plastic circular clips that will trap the twine well when the clip is closed, with the tomato stem within the circular clip.
Barely talked on the specifics of the trellis... How tall are the T-posts, how long are the conduits, and if the conduits are 10' how many plants can it handle without compromising it's strength?
Those are all things that can be adjusted to fit your situation and growing area. I recommend 8 or 10 foot t-posts. Conduit probably shouldn't span more than about 10 feet either.
@@SanDiegoSeedCompany k, ty! I've been hearing mixed results about spanning it 10' without a center brace, so I'm trying to get as many opinions on that before I build mine in spring.
Did you know....
By the time you have your 7th truss of flowers, is when your first truss is ready for harvest 😁
Love that! Thanks for sharing
Where do you tie the string to on the bottom? Did you use something to keep the plant growing up the string? What did you use?
Google “tomato clips”; they are what she used and are a great/inexpensive way to provide support/attachment to the string.
We use these: sandiegoseedcompany.com/product/tools-and-merchandise/garden-plant-clips/
Also, a more in-depth video was just shot. Check it out. ua-cam.com/video/tDL3McRkPbg/v-deo.html
She's a keeper!
Here in Minnesota I grow heirloom tomatoes and just let them grow. I get gallons and gallons of tomatoes off of them but a trellis system for someone who doesn’t prune is what I’m looking for.
Determinate varieties are perfect if you don't want to have to prune!
I'm going to try getting rid of the suckers next year. My plants this year were way too bulky and fell over. @San Diego Seed Company: Should I start training only 2 main vines from when the plant is a seedling, or wait until some stage of growth?
You should start it fairly early on (with determinate varieties) and maybe even before you transplant it. Suckers might not show up right away, but they'll pop up quickly.
@SanDiegoSeedCompany thank you!
I plan on doing this same system!
Have you ever used tomato hooks where as the plant reaches the top of the trellis/string, you can then unwind the string in order to lower the plant and continue upward growth? What do you do when the plant reaches the top? Do you top it off?
Here is our latest video where I really dig in deep into the low and lean method. ua-cam.com/video/tDL3McRkPbg/v-deo.html
Do you control the height at some point? My indeterminate tomatoes got so tall last year it was hard to reach...amd if so, what does that process or decision look like?
You can, they get so long! Because they get so long, using a system like at the Tomahooks are nice to allow them to be lowered and leaned. We JUST shot a video yesterday giving in depth explanation of how you use the tomahawk system. I will post it here when it's ready! But to answer your question, if you are not using a tomahook system, we would eventually top the plants because we had gotten so many tomatoes and the plants were out of control. Stay tuned as we post a more in-depth video for you.
@@SanDiegoSeedCompany excited to hear about the "tomahook"