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How to tie up tall tomatoes. How to properly tie tomatoes in open ground? Tomato garter in open ground

This is not surprising, because growing these fruits yourself is extremely interesting. There are very different ones - both short and tall. In our area, the predominant plantings are tall tomato crops, which produce large fruits. Although they require a certain amount of time to take care of themselves, the result will always be worth it. Not the least important is their importance. Further in the article we will learn how to properly tie up tall tomatoes planted in open ground, and we will also figure out why, in fact, they need to be tied up.

Why do they do this?

No matter how strong the stem of this plant may be, experienced gardeners still strongly recommend tying up tomatoes. Almost all tomato varieties require such manipulations, and A garter is especially important for tall tomatoes, which often reach a height of 2 m.

As for low-growing tomato varieties, they, by and large, do not need a garter. But gardeners are using such varieties less and less often, because everyone is trying to make the most of the area of ​​their plot, and tall tomatoes are more profitable compared to short varieties.

Gartering tomatoes is an extremely important procedure. It performs many useful functions:

  1. Tomato stems do not break during the growth period, or under the weight of juicy fruits. The forces of culture are spent not on survival, but on ensuring good yields.
  2. A bush that is positioned vertically is open to the sun and fresh air, which has a beneficial effect on its development and fertility.
  3. Rains will not harm a crop that is planted in the open air. If the tomato plant is located vertically, then the green part and fruits will not rot in waterlogged conditions.
  4. It is easier to spray a plant that has undergone garter.
  5. It is also easier to carry out other maintenance procedures, in particular, weeding the soil.
  6. It is known that it is recommended to avoid getting moisture on the foliage part of the plant. Thanks to the garter, fulfilling this requirement will not be difficult at all.
  7. Thanks to the garter, the fruits are located high enough above the soil, which will protect them from damage and.


Based on all of the above, there should be no doubt about the need to garter tomatoes. It is recommended to construct garter devices approximately 15–20 days after it is planted in its place of permanent growth. Methods for gartering tomatoes planted in open ground vary. Next, we will consider the most common of them.

Methods

The development of gardening does not stand still. Breeders regularly present new varieties of vegetable crops to the general attention. Farmers also know many ways of tying tomatoes on a plot. The effectiveness of many has been confirmed by practice, so a novice gardener can choose almost any of them.

On the pegs

This is the most popular method to help maintain the vertical position of tomato stems. To implement it, you should drive a peg into the soil next to the plant, and then carefully tie the stem itself to it. If necessary, the garter should be done in several places. The height of the stakes should be approximately 20 cm above the tomato stem.
You can tie the stem to a peg using any pieces of fabric. But it is better to choose a synthetic material, since natural fabric will rot and thereby damage the plant.

The garter itself should be made as high as possible; the tourniquet should not be tightened too much, as the tomatoes may simply die. As the tomato crop grows, the garter can be gradually moved up or removed and tied again.


On the trellis

If a lot of tomatoes were planted in open ground, then garter using the peg method may be inconvenient to use. In this case, it is better to tie the plants to.

You will need strong stakes and a thin long beam. The pegs will need to be driven in in different directions, and the wire will need to be stretched and secured between the stakes. Plants should be tied directly to the wire. This method can be used in several variations:

  1. Stretch a strong wire between high beams at a height of about 2 m and use long strings that will reach both the stem and the wire. The tomato stems will grow and wrap around these twines as they develop.
  2. Stretch several rows of wire, also securing them to pegs. In this case, each individual tomato bush will need to be tied to a stretcher several times, or the lashes will need to be passed through horizontal strips as they grow, forming a kind of braided line of tomatoes.
Regardless of the option chosen, you need to remember not to tighten the strings on the stems of the plant too tightly. Also, the method in question is perfect for gartering individual fruits, which are often too heavy.

Important! On a long bed, the structure can be improved by making it more durable. To do this, drive a few additional pegs between the two main ones. In this case, even a strong wind will not be able to damage the garter.

Vegetable cages

Gardeners can also build cages for their tomatoes. Such structures will take more than one season to complete. You will need to make cells separately for each tomato bush.

Using dense and rigid wire, you need to form several circles of the same size. Next, they should be fastened together, maintaining a distance, using a vertical stand, which can also be made of wire. The result should be some cylindrical cells. Such structures need to be installed in the garden bed on top of the tomato bushes and tied up as the plant grows.

If it is not possible to find the required density of wire, then you can build a cage from. You can also make the structure wider, then it can cover not one bush, but several at once. This device will be much more reliable than conventional pegs.

Did you know?Like many other crops that were new to the American colonists, the tomato was long considered deadly. This opinion was maintained until 1820. The attitude towards this culture changed only after Colonel R. G. Johnson publicly consumed a bucket of tomatoes on the square near the courthouse in Salem, New Jersey. The crowd watched this process in amazement and became convinced that it was clearly impossible to die from eating tomatoes.

Caps

To garter tomatoes planted in open ground, you can also use unique caps. This method, by the way, is suitable for garter and other plant crops.

​Similar articles​

What does a garter give?

​I tie it in the greenhouse like this: quickly, conveniently, for the whole season at once. As they grow, I twist the stems around the rope clockwise.​

  • When the fourth or fifth leaves form on the cucumbers and they begin to droop towards the ground, ladders are installed near each plant. To do this, one ring is tied above the plant to the trellis with twine or thin soft wire and the upper end of the ladder rail is inserted into it. The lower end of the ladder is simply placed on the ground next to the plant and the plant is attached to its lower steps using rings. To do this, the ends of the ring are separated.
  • ​To attach the stem to a loop of twine, a short piece of twine can be used instead of a wire hook and elastic band. In this case, the tomato stem is tied to a loop of twine, like wooden stakes, using short pieces of twine. When using this method, the bottom end of the looped twine can be tied to a small stake driven into the soil next to the plant stem.​
  • ​The ends of the wire are best tied to steel U-shaped studs driven into the wooden frame elements. Hairpins are pieces of steel wire bent into staples and sharpened at both ends, or nails with a head previously bitten off or cut off with a chisel.​
  • ​The main stem must be tied with a soft fabric strip, and everything else can be done with simple twine folded into 2-3 threads.​
  • ​to a wire stretched at the top of the greenhouse or a rail nailed to the racks;​
  • - wire for trellis.
  • ​If the bed is long, then you will need to strengthen the structure by driving in additional intermediate stakes, then your garter will not be afraid of any wind. And if you plant 2 beds parallel to each other at a short distance, then the structure will be useful for gartering tomatoes from both at once: you will get a kind of tomato hut.
  • ​Natural fabrics are good, but they are not entirely acceptable for open ground, because... They can rot and fall off, but what’s even worse is that they can become an incubator for a pathogenic infection. Therefore, we will choose something synthetic, but not too thin to tie the stem. By the way, you can use materials for gartering grapes. In any case, the rule applies: you choose the garter material for one year, and then throw it away, so as not to transfer possible infection or disease to the new seedlings of the next year.​

​Tying the stem will remove the fruit some distance from the ground, so your crop will not become a dining room for slugs or mice.​

No matter how strong the stem, all gardeners recommend staking tomatoes in open ground. Any variety of tomatoes requires timely gartering, especially tall ones - those that reach 2 meters in height. Low-growing varieties are often not tied up at all, but the share of their cultivation in comparison with tall varieties that give a more abundant harvest is constantly decreasing, because everyone strives for the expedient use of every square meter of land on the site. Therefore, with the same care, labor costs and planting area, tall varieties are more rational and profitable than their short counterparts.​

Methods

​After cleaning the bushes, I put the ropes in a bucket and fill them with copper sulfate solution for disinfection.​


​A ladder strip and a cucumber lash are inserted inside the ring, the separated ends of the ring are connected and the ring is lowered onto the nearest lower step (match) of the ladder. Subsequently, as the plant grows, the lashes themselves are fixed with their mustaches on the steps of the ladder or attached to it by the vegetable grower using rings in the same way as described. When using aluminum or copper wire with loops instead of twine with loops, steel hooks are not required. In this case, the stem of the plant can be attached with a rubber ring directly to a loop made on the wire. To tie the plants, you must use strong twine, tape, cord and other materials that can withstand significant loads throughout the season. These materials must be wide enough, as thin materials can cut the plant stem. A good material for tying plants is old used tape from a reel-to-reel tape recorder. It does not get wet, does not rot, is durable, can withstand heavy mechanical loads, is easy to clean and disinfect.​

​If the structure of the greenhouse itself is strong, then it is more rational to use it for gartering tomatoes.​

With stakes

​to the peg and wire (rail).​

​First of all, you need to properly plant tall tomatoes in the greenhouse. To prevent them from shading each other, plant seedlings in one row on each side or in a checkerboard pattern at a distance of 50-60 cm.​

​If you try a little, you can design entire structures for garters that will serve you for more than a year. These will be kind of cages for vegetables. They are built separately for each bush. First, several circles of the same diameter are made from dense reinforcing wire, then they are secured at intervals from each other to vertical posts made of the same wire. It turns out to be a cylindrical wire cage, which is installed at the same time as the pegs, and then as the bush grows, you just need to tie up the stem in time.

On the trellis

​The first, and also the most common method for open ground is the use of high pegs. The stakes can be metal or wood, their material does not matter, the main thing is to use them on time and correctly. The height of each peg should correspond to the “growth” of the tomato bush.​

  1. ​Excessive soil moisture will not harm the ripening of fruits if they are not located on the ground, thus the garter will save vegetables from rotting on the branches.​
  2. ​Tomato garter is not a tribute to gardening traditions, but a “production necessity.” This simple procedure has many benefits for your future harvest, namely:​

​One of the most common ways to tie tomatoes is to use support stakes, which can be wooden sticks or metal fittings. The stakes are stuck into the ground at a distance of 5-10 cm from the shoots, preferably on the north side. The stake needs to be driven into the ground to a depth of about 20-30 cm so that it holds tightly and does not fall under the weight of the bush with fruits. The height of the stakes depends on what varieties of tomatoes you grow: low-growing or tall.​

​Making ladders and rings requires quite a lot of time and effort, but once made, they last for many years and when used, the time required to care for plants is greatly reduced. In addition, when attaching cucumber vines with rings to ladders, the plants are not damaged and the rings do not interfere with their growth and development. The yield of cucumbers increases when using ladders.​

Cells

​When growing tomatoes, you can tie them to stakes. The stakes are slats 1.2-1.5 m long with a cross-section of 20x20 or 20x25 mm, pointed at the bottom. To increase the service life of the slats, it is recommended to cover them with drying oil and paint them with oil paint. The tomato stems are tied to the stakes with a figure eight, strong waterproof twine or other materials, as described above. Tall and medium-growing varieties of tomatoes are tied in two or three places as the plant grows.

The twine is tied to the bottom of the plants under the bottom leaf with a loose loop so as not to interfere with the stem growing and thickening, and then the twine is wrapped around the plant around the stem.

Caps

​You can use nylon clamps of various sizes instead of fabric strips. They are freely sold in stores.​
​The greenhouse itself can play a significant role in choosing the garter method. Or rather, its frame. It is very often used as a place for tying transverse twines, eliminating the need to install top slats and stretch the wire.​

Video “Tomato Garter”

​After the tomatoes take root and grow a little, they already require garter, otherwise the stems will lie on the ground and begin to deform. You need to tie up the tomatoes as follows. Stick a stake into the ground next to each plant. It can be wooden or made of reinforcement. Take a small piece of soft twine and tie it around the stem, and then secure it to the stake with a figure of eight.​

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​If you can’t find wire, then you can build a similar frame from wood by fastening stakes together like a stool, only without a seat. If you make such a cage wide enough, then it can cover 4 tomato bushes - for each “leg” of the structure. This is much safer than driving in individual pegs.​

You will need

  1. For low and medium-growing varieties, you can choose materials 20-30 cm higher than the seedlings, but tall ones will require longer stakes - up to 2-2.5 m.
  2. ​It is precisely based on the above positive aspects of gartering a tomato that experienced gardeners never forget about this stage of growing a vegetable.​
  3. ​The stem will not bend or break as it grows and under the weight of the fruit, so its vital forces will not be used to fight for survival, but will be aimed only at a good harvest.​

Instructions

  • ​The rope needs to be loosely wrapped around the trunk of the tomato, twist the ends a couple of times and tie to the support. Please note that you will have to tie up tomatoes two to four times a season, because the bushes will stretch upward. As the bush grows, you can move the harness higher or add more. Particularly large and heavy brushes can also be tied to a support. This is quite labor-intensive and painstaking work, but the result is worth it.​
  • ​Did you like the material?​
  • ​When tied to stakes, the plants are less well ventilated and are shaded by the stakes, however, because of the convenience and simplicity, tying to stakes is used by many vegetable growers.​
  • ​Insufficient size of the loop in the lower part of the plant can lead to constrictions when the stem thickens, making it difficult for nutrients to reach the roots and water to the leaves and fruits, which ultimately causes the death of the plant. As the plant grows and thickens, the tight knot needs to be loosened.​
  • ​If desired, you can plant the tomatoes under the roof of the greenhouse by tilting the tops and directing them along the greenhouse. But to do this, you should foresee this possibility in advance and take the necessary measures. Namely, when planting tomato seedlings, alternate tall varieties with short ones. This will make it possible to create additional free space at the top.​
  • KakProsto.ru

​This operation is carried out throughout the summer as needed. How to tie tomatoes in a greenhouse? The first garter is done when the seedlings are planted in the greenhouse or when they reach a height of 40–50 cm (if small seedlings were planted). To do this, hammer in pegs of the required length and tie them to them. As garters, it would be correct to use strips of soft fabric (gauze, bandage) 3–5 cm wide. When the tomatoes begin to grow, the procedure is repeated. And so several times over the summer.​

Garter methods

​The seedlings grow, stretch in height, and soon the height of the stake is no longer enough. Therefore, next you need to tie the tomatoes to the trellis. Stretch a wire along the greenhouse over the rows of tomatoes at the very top. Tie a long piece of twine above each bush. Secure each plant with slight tension to prevent the stem from swaying from side to side. Please note that the knot should not be tightened tightly, otherwise the stem will become pinched as it grows.​

  • ​Unusual designs and convenient designs of a different kind - caps. They are suitable for tying up not only tomatoes. The point is that you need to build a tall, narrow “wigwam” or pyramid from available materials.​
  • ​Each of the pegs should be strengthened in the ground so that it holds tightly, usually buried by 20-25 cm, retreating from the tomato stem by approximately 10 cm, so that the root system is not inadvertently damaged. You need to tie the tomato loosely; the correct way is to first secure the twine to the peg, then wrap the stem and tie it. As the vegetable grows, we perform this process several times.
  • ​The construction of devices for garter should begin 2 or 3 weeks after planting the seedlings in open ground. In total, you will need to strengthen the stem 3-6 times during the season by tying it to a support. The quantity will depend on the high-growing variety you choose to grow.​

​If the tomato bush is positioned vertically, it will be as open as possible to sunlight and fresh air, so it will develop sufficiently, because the plant loves the sun and will give an excellent harvest.​

When to garter tomatoes

​on top of the rope​

Tying tomatoes to wooden stakes

Garter to the trellis

A combined garter method can also be used, in which the lower part of the stem is tied to a stake, and the upper part is attached with twine to a thick wire (trellis).

Tying to wire or rail

​The upper end of the twine (it should have an allowance of 15-20 cm) is thrown over the wire and tied with a sliding loop in a figure eight, bow or tie knot.​

The most effective way to garter tomatoes

​For more comfortable work, it would be a good idea to buy a special tool for quick and convenient work. It is called a garter.​

It is necessary to firmly drive strong stakes into the ground for each tomato. Tie the plants to them so that the bush stands straight and is stable. The length of the stakes must correspond to the variety. If the bush is already large, then make several ties. In the middle you need to tie the stem itself to a stake (use a strip of fabric), above, clasping the entire bush, tie it again to a wooden support. Since the consumption of binding material will be large, it is better to use ordinary twine with several threads.​

To prevent tomatoes in the greenhouse from growing in all directions and forming a jungle, promptly cut off the shoots that appear above each leaf. For tall tomatoes, you need to leave only the main stem; remove all the stepsons when they reach 4-8 cm in length. If you see that the stepson is already large and has flower buds on it, you don’t have to pick it off, just pinch the top so that it doesn’t grow further.​

​It can be wire, vines or stakes at the base with a cross knitting in the form of a cage. Such caps are installed together with planting seedlings, and they are useful for gartering several bushes at once. Such pyramids should be placed at a certain distance from each other to avoid crowding of plants, usually 1 meter or a little more if the area allows.​

​If you have a tomato plantation, it would be more rational to use a different method of gartering. It will require a thin beam or strong pegs, and their number is significantly less than in the method described above. We drive the posts at the beginning and end of the tomato bed, and stretch the wire between them. Using this method, you will need to tie the tomato stem to a stretched wire. You can tie the plant this way if you planted a tall variety of tomato, and using a stretched wire is available in several options:

With the development of gardening, the development of new crops by breeders and the invention of modern materials, several methods of gartering tomatoes when grown in open ground appeared and took root in vegetable growing. Each of them has proven its effectiveness in practice, so you can safely choose any one that is convenient for you and your summer cottage. Perhaps you can even invent something of your own based on them, so let’s look at each option in detail on how to properly tie up tomatoes.​

​Inevitable rains and downpours will not be able to damage the tomato in the open ground if it is securely fastened to an additional support.​

​to any support (place sticks nearby or to the roof of the greenhouse) with ropes or twine. I usually do 8 (figure eight), it turns out like a free loop

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How to tie cucumbers and tomatoes in a greenhouse - All about Seedlings and Greenhouses

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​When growing cucumbers on wire trellises, instead of twine, wooden ladders are also used to tie up plants. To make ladders, wooden slats with a cross section of 15x15 or 20x15 mm are used. The length of the slats should be 10-15 cm greater than the distance from the wire to the surface of the bed. Along the entire length of the slats, holes with a diameter of 2-3 mm are drilled every 10-15 cm so that ordinary matches fit into them with little effort. Burnt or removed gray matches are inserted into the resulting holes. To increase the service life of the ladder, it is advisable to paint it with oil paint.​

1st method of tying cucumbers and tomatoes

​When tying up plants, do not pull the twine too tightly, as when the trellis wire vibrates, this can lead to the plants being torn out of the soil.​

​Tall varieties of tomatoes are usually grown in greenhouses, as they are more productive. This is beneficial for limited greenhouse space. That is why it is so important to carry out correct and timely gartering of tall varieties of tomatoes.​

​This device is not entirely convenient for a greenhouse, as it will impede free access, but still some gardeners use this method and tie tomatoes to it, which in itself is very convenient. But we must remember - greenhouse space is very limited. It's better to use another method.​

​Also remove shoots from the root. There is no need for you to thicken the plantings. These shoots have roots, so they can be planted elsewhere.​

​A post about how to simply tie up tomatoes using a thick thread without harming the plant.​

​pull a strong wire onto a high beam at a level of about 2 m - then the strings for the garter should be long enough to reach both the support (wire) and the stem. The tomato vines will wrap around these ropes as they grow;​

​To begin with, we note that any of the methods listed below uses materials that do not harm the plant, so follow the advice and you will never have problems growing tomatoes.​

​Tied tomatoes are easier to spray, and the effectiveness of the procedure will be higher, so such bushes will be less susceptible to diseases characteristic of growing these vegetables.​

2nd method of tying tomatoes

Stick a rod or stick next to it, wrap the stem between the shoots with a ribbon, not tightly, loosely, and tie it to the rod or stick. Choose the location of the garter between the shoots based on the growth of the stem.​

​, please let us know: highlight it and click:​

​You will need one or two of these ladders for each plant.​

​As the plants grow, approximately once or twice a week, their stem (top) is twisted (twisted) around the twine clockwise, on average one turn per internode.​

Garter of tomatoes to stakes

​When growing vegetables in protected ground structures, it is necessary to use various devices and devices that make it easier to care for plants and allow you to obtain high yields per unit area of ​​the structure. The main vegetable crops grown in the greenhouse are cucumbers and tomatoes. These plants are usually tied up in a greenhouse.

​These methods are used most often, as they are reliable and do not limit the space of the greenhouse. A strong cord is tied to a wire stretched tightly at the top or a nailed rail and lowered to the tomato bush. The bush is tied to this cord (it will be the main one). As the crop grows, it should be tied up again. To do this, you need to wrap the entire bush around with a cord (twine) of several threads), then wrap it around the main cord, pull it so that the bush becomes more compact, and tie a knot.​

​All gardeners need to be able to tie tomatoes in a greenhouse. This is an indispensable condition for growing tomatoes and getting a good harvest.​

Garter of cucumbers to a wooden ladder

​It is more profitable to grow tall tomatoes in a greenhouse. Stretching out to 1.5-2 m, they produce a lot of bunches of fruit. But to get a really good harvest, you need to know how to tie up tomatoes in a greenhouse and how to shape them.​

​stretch several rows of wire, securing them to the beam. Then each bush will need to be tied separately several times to the formed stretch, or the stem will need to be passed through horizontal stripes as it grows to create a braided tomato.

​The twine that you will use as a means of tying up tomato bushes should not be pulled tight so that it does not cut into the stem of the plant.​

​It is also much easier to carry out other procedures for caring for seedlings in the open ground: mulching, hilling, weeding, pinching​

​Next to the tomato trunk, drive a wooden peg about a meter long to a depth of 15-20 cm and tie the tomato trunk to it with a cloth. The cloth is better than cotton and not very tight. Prepare a peg for each piece and keep it in reserve. You may have to prop up the tomato bush from the other side after pinching.​

After planting tomatoes in a permanent place in a greenhouse or open ground, it is necessary to tie up bushes of both tall and short varieties. This procedure is not always applied to the southern regions, but in the rest it is considered an integral part of the necessary care, on which the quality of the future harvest largely depends.

As the plants grow and the fruits form, the tomato bushes begin to bend to the ground under the weight of the harvest. And their excessive contact with the ground can cause the development of fungal diseases or damage by slugs and worms.

There are other advantages of gartering tomatoes that confirm the need for it:

  • Good air ventilation between bushes. This helps reduce the risk of developing late blight and improves oxygen access to the roots.
  • Convenience when watering bushes. Since it is recommended to irrigate tomatoes at the root, staking the plants makes this procedure easier by preventing moisture from getting on the leaves.
  • It is easy to carry out pinching. Staking tomatoes improves access to them from different sides, which makes it much easier to remove shoots as the plants grow.
  • Prevents damage to the main stem. Under the weight of fruits, especially large-fruited varieties, the shoots of the plant are not able to withstand such a load and may break off. Therefore, the garter helps to redistribute the forces of the bushes and direct them to the development of a strong root system and the formation of a new ovary.
  • Improves harvesting. It is much easier to remove fruits from tied bushes, since they are all in plain sight.
  • Allows high-quality treatment of plants against pests and diseases.
  • Helps free up space and get more fruits in a limited area, which is especially important when growing tall tomatoes in a greenhouse.

In the southern regions, tying tomatoes is sometimes not carried out, since during the growth process the plants form shoots that take root and are additional sources of food for the bushes.

Important! It is necessary to garter tomatoes at the initial stage of plant development so as not to damage the bush.

  1. To prevent the development of fungal diseases, it is necessary to use disposable garters, which should be destroyed at the end of the season.
  2. All stakes and rods for support must be pre-treated and disinfected with a strong solution of potassium permanganate at the rate of 0.02 g per 1 liter of water.
  3. Twine or rope should not be tied close to the stem, as this will damage its integrity. Experts recommend that there be a distance of 1-2 cm between the support and the shoot.
  4. Tomato tying is necessary at a time when the bushes begin to lean towards the soil.
  5. The more complex the design of the support, the more securely it will hold the bush, which will greatly facilitate the entire growing process.
  6. You should not skimp on the garter, because the main thing is that the bush is securely fastened and can withstand the load when the fruits ripen.

Video: how to tie tomatoes

What to use for gartering tomatoes

When carrying out the tomato garter procedure, it is very important to use the right materials that cannot harm the plant, but at the same time can reliably fix and support it.

To garter tomatoes you will need tall stakes and strips of fabric or ropes for fastening. Specialists not recommended use wire, fishing line and thin rope, since this material can cut the main stem when exposed to wind.

Optimal considered an option cotton strips at least 4-5 cm wide. You can also use nylon garters from old tights, which do not lose their qualities throughout the season, since they do not absorb water.

Can be purchased for repeated use special plastic clothespins or clips in a specialty store. The convenience of their use is that they are fastened with an easy movement and do not require additional skills. The clips are made of durable plastic and therefore securely fix the stem, and are also easy to clean, which allows them to be used for many years. They help securely fix not only the main stem and side shoots, but also branches with fruits.

When growing tomatoes in large quantities it is very convenient to use a special device equipped with adhesive tape and a cutter. It helps to fix the shoots at the required height to the support, and shoots of tall tomatoes especially need this. If necessary, the tape can be removed without causing any harm to the plant.

Methods and options for gartering tomatoes

There are several options for tying tomatoes in a greenhouse or open ground, each of which has its own characteristics. The gardener decides which one to choose, based on his capabilities and preferences.

The fastening scheme and the material used should be thought out in advance in order to further reduce the time for gartering and prevent damage to the stems and roots of tomato seedlings.

Individual support

This method is considered the most common and is used both in greenhouses and in open ground. Wooden stakes, thick metal rods, and plastic pipes can be used as support for plants. They are driven into the soil to a depth of 25 cm directly next to each bush. The height of each support should correspond to the variety of tomatoes being grown.

With the help of garter material, the plant is securely fixed, but the stem should not be pinched so as not to disrupt the flow of nutrients to the top. In addition to the main shoot, it is necessary to fix the large brushes of the plant, which will make the fastening more secure.

Horizontal trellises

This method is labor-intensive, but reliable. To secure the tomatoes, rods are driven in on both sides of the bed at a distance of 1.5-2 m from each other. At a height of 30-40 cm from the soil surface, a horizontal string or wire is stretched and attached to the supports.

As the plants grow, rows of rope are added. Plants for fixation are wound by a stretched twine on one side and then on the other. In this case, large brushes are also tied or hung with hooks. This method of tying tomatoes allows you to fix the main shoot of the plant and 2-3 stepsons, which significantly increases the amount of harvest.

Note! Instead of rope, you can use ready-made structures consisting of wooden or plastic rods. But at the same time, the support must be dug deep and reliably strengthened so that it does not fall during the period of formation and ripening of the fruit.

Vertical trellises

This method is a variation of the previous one. For it, you also need to drive supports into the ground on both sides of the bed and pull strong wire over them from above. The tomatoes are tied to it using a rope, one edge of which is fixed at the top, and the other secures the plant.

Over time, the garter must be pulled up or tied around the stem, which will prevent the plants from sinking to the ground.

mesh fence

It is considered a more practical option, but requires preliminary installation. To tie up the tomatoes in this case, a net is used, which needs to be stretched along the row of tomatoes.

To secure it, you should use at least 3-4 supports: along the edges and in the middle of the bed, which must be dug into the soil 30-40 cm. This will help the support to withstand the load during the period of massive fruit ripening.

The bushes are attached to it using clothespins or twine. The convenience of the design is that plants can be gradually fixed as they grow.

wire frame

The essence of the method is that a frame of reinforcement is installed around the tomato bush, which thoroughly fixes the plant on all sides. To do this, you need to wrap it with a metal mesh like a pipe and dig it into the soil to a depth of 30 cm. This type of fastening is most effective for bushes that produce a lot of fruits with compact shapes.

It is convenient to attach both stems and fruit clusters to the frame. The structure is easy to dismantle and move to another location. Its main disadvantage is the difficulty of harvesting.

This method of gartering is not acceptable when growing tomatoes at a professional level, as it requires significant costs.

Pyramid caps

This method of gartering tomatoes involves creating a support in the form of a wigwam from reinforcement and wire. The pyramid must be installed when planting. It is necessary to stretch the wire between the stakes at a distance of 30-40 cm from each other. One bush is planted in the corners of this structure, which makes it possible to fix four plants at the same time.

The stem of the plant is wrapped around the wire, first on one side and then on the other, which allows the bush to be firmly fixed and not dependent on external negative factors.

The distance between the caps on the garden bed should be within 1 meter, which ensures full passage of light and air.

Video: garter of tomatoes

Features of gartering tomatoes in a greenhouse and in open ground

There is a misconception that the methods of gartering tomatoes differ depending on the method of cultivation: in a greenhouse or in open ground. But that's not true!

Experts say that when gartering tomatoes in a greenhouse and in open ground, the same methods and materials are used. Therefore, the gardener can choose his own method of gartering, which is most suitable for him.

In the process of growing tomatoes, the gardener has to devote a lot of effort and attention to the plants in order to get a good harvest. But without tying up the bushes, these efforts can be wasted, since contact with the ground in most cases causes the development of late blight.

Video: 5 ways to garter tomatoes

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A garter is needed for the following reasons:

  • Without it, there is a high chance that the plant stem will break, especially after the appearance of juicy fruits.
  • Tethered tomatoes are much easier to spray and process in other ways: weed the soil around them, hill up or mulch.
  • Tethered plants receive much more sunlight and are better ventilated. This increases fertility and promotes development.
  • Positioning high above the soil helps protect leaves and fruits from mice, slugs and other pests.
  • Watering tied plants is easier because you can avoid the unwanted contact of a large amount of moisture on the foliage part.
  • The likelihood that precipitation will harm your crop is minimized.

You may not need to tie up only low-growing varieties of tomatoes, but often this will not be superfluous for them either. Well, if we are talking about those varieties that can reach two meters or more, it is absolutely impossible to do without this procedure.

Garter methods

Typically, garter options are divided depending on what base is used to secure the trunk:

  • pegs;
  • caps;
  • wire frame (cage);
  • horizontal/vertical trellis;
  • net.

The choice of base may depend on what variety you are dealing with, how much free space is available on the site, and so on, so we will consider each option separately.

Pegs

Perhaps the simplest version of the base for staking plants. Used when you want to minimize your efforts. but still keep the tomatoes healthy. The reliability of the pegs is comparatively lower than that of other options.

A peg is driven in next to the plant, which is approximately 20 centimeters higher than the plant (it is important to leave room for growth). Then, using synthetic fabric, the trunk is tied to a peg. The garter is done as high as possible and not very tightly, otherwise the tomato may die.

It is not recommended to use natural fabric as it will rot. Also, do not use wire or rigid rope; it will cut into the trunk and can seriously damage it. A possible alternative to synthetic fabric would be special clamps sold in gardening stores.

When the trunk begins to grow, periodically move the garter a little higher, and if you can no longer move it, tie the trunk again.

Cell

The method is more complicated, but the result is an excellent and very reliable device that will last for many seasons. You need to take a hard and dense wire, fold it into equal circles and, making small equal spaces between these circles, fasten them with vertical pieces of wire. A mesh cylinder will come out, something like a round cage.

Of course, you can simply buy such devices ready-made.

You can make similar structures from wood, then they will be in the form of a parallelepiped rather than a cylinder.

Caps

A type of cell, but only this time in the form of a pyramid, tapering towards the top. It can be made from wire, or it can be made from wicker. Usually they are installed not when the plant has already grown, but at the stage of planting seedlings. The caps cover several seedlings at once.

A distance is maintained between them so that there is no crowding of plants in the future. Otherwise the principle is exactly the same as for cells.

For particularly tall varieties, caps are not suitable (unless, of course, you are ready to make two-meter or even higher caps).

Trellis

The methods described above are good when there are not very many plants. But what if you have a large area and the beds are very long? Then the so-called trellis will help. The principle is this:

  1. The stakes are driven in at some distance from each other (a meter or more).
  2. Several levels of pieces of twine are stretched between these stakes.
  3. Plant trunks are fixed between them.

There are also vertical trellises, when tomatoes are tied only from above to a highly stretched twine or horizontal beam. But this approach is rarely used in open ground; more often it is suitable for a greenhouse, where the connection is made directly to the ceiling.

However, you can use it too - how to do this is shown in this video.

Net

You will need not just a mesh, but a two-meter wire fence. Such hedges are located between rows of plants. The trunk is tied with twine to the fence crossbar that corresponds to its height. As the plant develops, it can simply be tied to the next crossbar of the net.

This is a slightly more expensive option than trellises, but more reliable and durable. It is also great for large areas.

  1. Take your time and be careful. One careless movement and you can, for example, severely overtighten the stems or damage the trunk. As a result, in an effort to protect the plant, you will do exactly the opposite.
  2. Change the material you use to tie the stems to the base every year. If you leave the old one, it can provoke various diseases.
  3. If you use any equipment during the binding process, it is strongly recommended that you disinfect it. Even ropes should be boiled, as they will touch the plants - and any harmful substances on them can also lead to diseases.

Do everything correctly - and you will have an excellent harvest.

Not all gardeners know how to properly tie tomatoes in a greenhouse or on open ground. Gardeners often wonder why a garter is needed, and what problems it can solve. This standard and, at first glance, optional procedure will protect the crop from spoilage and help protect the plants from damage. If you don’t tie up the bush in time, it will break, and tomatoes lying on the ground are easy prey for slugs.

If such procedures are not carried out, the likelihood of the following unpleasant events increases:

  1. Fruits lying on the ground may begin to rot after watering or rain; if the soil is characterized by high humidity, then tying will help avoid such problems.
  2. Under the weight of ripe fruits, the bush may break, as a result of which the tomatoes will die and the yield will suffer significantly.
  3. When ripe tomatoes lie on the ground, various pests will certainly want to eat them.
  4. The procedures are also carried out in order to avoid a lack of sunny color, because if the fruit is in a suspended state, it receives the required amount of ultraviolet radiation and ripens faster.


So that the plant does not die, the tomatoes have time to reach maturity, and the yield does not fall due to the invasion of slugs, they resort to the help of a garter. This procedure is carried out in several ways, has its own characteristics and directly depends on the variety of tomatoes and the quality characteristics of the soil.

Attention! Tomatoes are tied up in polycarbonate greenhouses; a similar procedure is not neglected when growing tomatoes under film or planting them in the ground.

To properly tie a plant, you should follow certain rules:

  • some gardeners advise gartering immediately after planting a tomato in the soil;
  • the devices will have to be reconstructed as the bush grows and develops; make sure that it advises the growth of the plant;
  • When carrying out the procedure, make sure that the device does not harm the plant stem, does not pinch it, or cause it to dry out.

The direct purpose of the device is to support the bush and ripening fruits. You will have to make sure that the tomatoes do not touch the ground and that the stem of the plant is not subjected to serious pressure.

Device for gartering tomatoes

You can use any tool that can provide support to the bush, but it is better to resort to proven devices that cannot harm the tomatoes or affect the yield.

Leg-split

This is the name of the device that is attached to the frame beams of the greenhouse. It is hooked to a bush, while the rope (the twine itself) is in a taut state, but this is a moderate tension. As the tomatoes grow, they will tend to climb up and wrap themselves around the twine, which will provide them with reliable support.

Naturally, if there are no frame beams, then using this method of gartering is extremely difficult; you will have to build a special fastening.

A loop

Not many gardeners use a free loop; to do this you will have to:

  1. Secure the rope and use the vertical beams of the greenhouse frame as fastening.
  2. Throw the rope over the fastening and form a loop so that the tomato bush fits into it.
  3. If there are fruits on it, then the loop should be located under them, as if supporting the stem of the plant.

This method is good because periodically, as the fruit and the bush itself grow and develop, you can change the fastening, raising the loop higher or lowering it down. A loop can be used to connect several bushes, provided that they grow in close proximity to each other.

Clothespins

Clips are successfully used as a fixation; they can be purchased in specialized stores. A clothespin holds several bushes together and helps secure them to the support. Pegs are used as the latter.

Rods

Pegs or sleepers can be either vertical or horizontal. Let's look at the main garter options that gardeners readily use:

  1. The stakes can be placed between the rajahs or in close proximity to the bush. As the bush grows and develops, it will use the stake as support.
  2. You can place supports horizontally and tie tomatoes to them, in which case the device will have to be modernized and monitor the growth of the bushes.
  3. Some gardeners attach ropes to the trellises and hook tomato bushes, allowing the use of a loose loop.

Methods for tying tomatoes

The better ideas of gardeners have already been brought to life; there is no need to “reinvent the wheel”. It will be enough to use proven methods; preference is given to those that have proven their effectiveness in practice.

Wire frame mounting

A structure, a structure made of wire, is placed around one or several bushes. As the bushes grow, they will use this structure as a support. It is advisable to help the plant and push the fruits through the wire rods to avoid damage.

You can build a wire structure around one bush, in which case, as it grows, it will “lean” on the structure and use it as a support. You can use both fine and coarse mesh, depending on your preferences.

Linear mount

The unusual structure is being built in a greenhouse. To make tying, you will need:

  1. As the basis of the structure, we use large-sized stakes or frame beams of the greenhouse, located in its various parts.
  2. We install one or more large sleepers in the middle of the structure. We check the fastening for stability.
  3. Using a rope, we connect the structure so that the result is a structure that can support the weight of the fruit.

Trellis fastening

An original way to garter tomatoes, which is not often used for certain reasons. The trellis is installed using various methods; the device can be presented in the form of a horizontal, as well as a vertical fastening:

  • If you cultivate tall varieties of tomatoes in greenhouse conditions, then use horizontal trellises as fastening. Install them next to each bush;
  • you can connect vertically located trellises using horizontal structures;
  • At its core, the trellis method is similar to the usual tying of tomatoes using pegs, only in this case the pegs are large, which eliminates the need to change them.

Mesh mount

In a polycarbonate greenhouse, such a structure without stakes with reinforcement and mesh looks great.

You should adhere to the following scheme of actions:

  1. Using a coil of wire and reinforcement, form a mount in the greenhouse.
  2. The wire is placed at different heights; it can be secured from above, using a greenhouse frame as a support.
  3. Place the reinforcement in the lower part, and use wire to connect the reinforcement and the upper parts of the greenhouse.
  4. If necessary, use the horizontal parts of the greenhouse to form a grid inside the structure.

This type of garter is called lattice. If we are talking about tomatoes that were planted in the ground, then you can surround them with a net, then push the ripe fruits through the holes in it. At its core, this type of support resembles a corral in which tomatoes successfully grow and ripen.

You can make the mesh yourself, but it’s easier to purchase a ready-made one. It is surrounded by several bushes, so that the plants rest on the attachment areas from different sides.

Everyone knows how to tie tomatoes this way. Nowadays wood is rarely used; preference is given to special devices made of plastic.

What is the essence of the method:

  • We drive a medium-sized peg next to the bush;
  • make sure not to damage the rhizome;
  • we tie the bush to a peg using a rope;
  • As the plant grows, we upgrade the mount.

If you use wood, then decide on the height of the pegs; if the support is not high enough, you will have to change it.

Features of gartering tomatoes in a greenhouse and in open ground

It is easier to tie up tomatoes in a greenhouse or hothouse for several reasons:

  1. You can use the frame of the structure as a support.
  2. It will not be difficult to build a mount using available materials and greenhouse beams.

If the plant is planted in open ground, you will need to build a structure that can be used as a support for the plant.

Let's consider the preferred types of garters for various structures:

  1. In a polycarbonate greenhouse or greenhouse we use trellises - high beams that rest against the arch of the structure and allow tall plants to rest on the prepared beams.
  2. In a greenhouse, preference is given to the lattice method, which involves connecting the vaults of the structure with parts of the reinforcement to construct a support.
  3. If the tomatoes were planted in the ground, you can use pegs and a net. It all depends on the preferences of the gardener.

In greenhouse conditions, plants grow faster, they reach 2 meters in length. As for tomatoes that are planted in the ground, achieving such heights is considered rare. For this reason, the mounts are not made high; they are of medium size - this is quite enough to support the tomatoes and achieve the required yield.

Gardener mistakes

If we talk about beginners, then they tend to make mistakes, but not only novice gardeners “sin” with this. In most cases, gardeners make standard mistakes:

  1. They select low-quality material. In this case, the structure used as a support may not support the weight of the fruit and collapse under the weight of the tomatoes, crushing the bush. To avoid such problems, do not use the same mount several times, upgrade the design.
  2. Monitor your blood pressure levels. If the loop strongly squeezes the stem, it will disrupt the flow of juices in it, causing the plant to dry out, as a result of which it will dry out and not bear fruit.
  3. Check the reliability of the support and, if necessary, reconstruct it. A similar need arises if the bushes have no restrictions on growth.
  4. Make sure that the fruits do not touch the ground, otherwise the point of carrying out such procedures is lost, and the tomatoes still remain at risk.

To tie up tomatoes, you do not need to have any special skill; this procedure, which is simple at first glance, will help to significantly increase the yield and avoid various problems that gardeners often encounter.