Tomato Support Ideas

Sturdy Beams

For indeterminate tomato varieties, guide the plants upward using string secured to a strong overhead beam. The frame can be made from wood or metal pipe.

Tie sturdy string to the top beam and around the tomato rootball when planting, or secure it to the ground with a garden staple. As the plant grows, gently twirl the stem around the string.

Remove suckers regularly to direct growth toward the main stem, prevent the plant from becoming too bushy, and allow more plants to be grown in a row.

A-Frame Structure

An A-frame can support tomatoes in much the same way as a square frame while also providing an attractive structure. It can be folded down at the end of the growing season.

Build one from a sturdy material such as cedar, or purchase a ready-made structure. Make sure it is large and strong enough for the tomato variety you're growing.

String can be used to train the plants upward and encourage growth along a strong main stem.

Bamboo Teepee

Determinate tomatoes don't require as much heavy support as indeterminate varieties, but a bamboo teepee can still provide useful support and improve airflow around the plants.

You can purchase a ready-made bamboo teepee or make one by tying several bamboo stakes together. Add twine at several heights to help support the plants as they grow.

Single Stake

A single stake made from rebar or thick wood is a simple support option for indeterminate tomato plants.

Push the stake firmly into the ground and tie the main stem directly to it as the plant grows. Regularly remove suckers to keep growth focused on the main stem.

Metal Supports

For vigorous tomato plants such as cherry tomatoes, use a strong support system made from rebar stakes and sturdy steel livestock panels.

Secure the panels to the rebar stakes and, if desired, bend them into an archway so tomatoes can climb between garden beds.

Store-Bought Cage

For determinate or semi-determinate tomatoes, which are shorter and produce multiple stems, a standard tomato cage can provide adequate support.

Tomato plants do not naturally cling to cages, so you may still need to tie the stems to the cage to prevent them from sagging. Tomato trellis clips can make this process easier while maintaining airflow around the stems.

Tall, sturdy metal tomato ladders are another option. They work particularly well for determinate varieties but can also be tall enough for some indeterminate tomatoes.

Florida Weave

The Florida weave is an inexpensive and relatively easy staking method, especially when growing multiple tomato plants.

Place two strong stakes at opposite ends of a row of tomato plants. Starting about a foot above the ground, weave strong string between the plants, passing it around the front of one plant and then behind the next. This sandwiches the plants between the taut strings.

Add additional layers of string higher up as the plants grow. The Florida weave works for both indeterminate and determinate tomato varieties.