Why You Should Use Tomato Teepees!
I think we can all agree that one of our FAVORITE things to grow in the spring and summer are TOMATOES! There is nothing quite like biting into a warm, juicy, homegrown tomato fresh out of the garden. Depending on what type of tomato you are growing, the majority of them are going to need some sort of support as they grow and start producing fruit. My favorite way to support my tomato plants is by making TOMATO TEEPEES!
Be sure to check out my YouTube video that shows this whole process. Subscribe and hit the bell to be notified whenever I put up new videos!
Why are teepees so useful?
I am sure you have seen so many different ways to trellis your tomato plants: weaves, wires, fencing, cages, and so many others. I came across the teepee method years ago and have never gone back. Why is it so useful?
- Control: You have maximum control over the support. So many of the other methods don’t have ways to adjust as your plants grow bigger and bushier. This method uses sticks (I prefer bamboo), plant velcro and twine that are fully adjustable. You can make them as tall or short as you need, and you can place the twine and velcro supports at whatever levels you want, and you can use as many as you want.
- Reusable: I like that the bamboo and velcro are reusable, and the twine is compostable. Save money and waste by using them year after year!
- Aesthetics: I think the way that the teepees look is very cute and not as much of an eyesore as a lot of wire or metal in your garden. They look very natural, and when the plants are large you won’t even see much of them!
Materials
Making these teepees incorporates some very basic materials. You need some sort of long stick; as I said above, I prefer to use bamboo sticks. You need some twine or string, plant velcro, and scissors. That’s it! Be sure to visit my Amazon storefront to get these for yourself!
Here is how to do it!
Add a stick for center support. Gently lower it into the ground so you don’t disturb the root system. Attach the main stem of the tomato plant to the stick with plant velcro. You can adjust the height for as short or tall as you want for now.
Place 3 sticks around the plant. You can alternate placement of the sticks between each plants to utilize the space. Secure at the top with the plant velcro.
Tie twine around the sticks at the levels you wish to support your plant. Make sure it is nice and tight. I will find larger branches that are already hanging down that need support and base my twine around those.
Use additional velcro as needed to support larger branches against the sticks supports.
And now you are done! See how easy that was? As I said above, you can come back as your plants get bigger and add more supports with twine and velcro, or move them around if you need to.
Comment below if you are planning to use teepees! And remember to check out my YouTube video!
Happy gardening, y’all!