By Aaron J. Steil–Iowa State University Extension and Outreach

AMES, Iowa — There are several advantages to staking and training tomato plants. Tomato plants trained so they are growing off the ground often produce better quality fruit. This is, in part because foliar disease problems are generally less severe due to better air circulation. Plus, trained tomatoes are easier to cultivate and harvest.

When should I stake or start training tomato plants?

Tomatoes grow quickly after being planted in the spring. You should have the materials needed for whatever method of training you plan to use on-hand at the time of planting. Early- to mid-June is when most tomato plants are large enough to start actively training and staking plants.

What methods can be used to stake a tomato plant?

A tomato cage can be constructed by creating a cylinder from concrete reinforcing wire or similar material with a mesh large enough to allow the fruit to be harvested. For most tomato plants, a wire cage 20 to 24 inches in diameter and four to five feet tall is ideal. Remove the horizontal wire at the bottom of the cage and stick the vertical wires or “feet” into the soil. Cages can be further stabilized by attaching the cage to one or two stakes.

Training using a single stake requires placing one seven- to eight-foot-long stake one to two feet into the ground positioned three to four inches from the plant. As the tomato grows, tie the plant to the stake with stretch ties or strips of nylon hose or cloth about every 12 inches along the stem. Tie the material in a loose figure eight, with the stake in one loop and the stem in the other. When utilizing this method, pinch out the side shoots or suckers that form in the axils of the leaf and stem. This training method is not recommended for determinate types.

If you grow a lot of tomato plants, the weave system works well. Plant tomatoes 18 to 24 inches apart within rows spaced four to five feet apart. Drive a six- to seven-foot-long stake one foot into the ground every two plants along the row. Use a sturdy metal post seven- to eight-foot long driven one to two feet into the ground at each end of the row. When the plants are 12 to 14 inches tall, begin the weave at eight to 10 inches off the ground. Tie twine to the end post and sweep the twine past the two plants along one side of the row. Then loop the twine around the first stake and pull it tight. Continue this process while pulling the twine tight as you go down the row keeping tension on the twine all the way down. At the end of the row, make a loop around the end post and turn around to repeat the process on the other side of the row, enclosing the plants between the two strings of twine. When you get back to the starting point, tie the twine tightly to the end post. As the plants continue to grow, add another layer of twine six to eight inches above the last.