Once you have decided on what type of tomatoes you are going to grow in your vineyard, the next question arises – which structure should you select to support the tomato vines?
Tomato cages are basically reinforcement for your tomato vines to uphold the vines upright and to prevent it from getting knocked down by wind or even its own weight. The benefits of having the best tomato supports at your farm are many. And the supports don’t let the tomatoes touch the ground, ensuring soil-free tomatoes.
Moreover, tomatoes that touch the ground are prone to fungal and bacterial diseases. To minimize the probability of infesting by such diseases, tomato supports are must-haves.
9 Best Tomato Cages Reviews
There are several variations in tomato cages in the market. They each have some unique characteristics and also differ in price. So, the goal is to get the best-priced tomato cages with features suitable for your vines.
- Gardener’s Supply Company Square Heavy Gauge Extra Tall Tomato Cage, Set of 2 Green
These structures are exclusively made for growing indeterminate tomato plants that grow indefinitely. Consequently, they are taller than most of the supports you will find in the market. Installing them in your garden will make them look like big sturdy towers in your yard.
In order to prevent corrosion, powder-coated steel has been used in this product. So, this feature allows you to be carefree about the rust, making the product more durable. In addition, you don’t have to go through much hassle while setting up these structures in your garden, as they are very easy to assemble.
They are very stable in the soil as well. However, if you live in an area that is prone to natural disasters, e.g., storms or high wind, these supports might not be able to withstand the wind and consequently collapse. It’s not possible to re-assemble the products easily and may cause damage to the nearby vegetable plants.
So, these structures are not the best option for such regions.
Pros
- Tall and strong; thus suitable for indeterminate tomato plants
- Big openings for easy harvest
- Can be folded for off-season storage
- Supports plants on all the sides
- Better air circulation
Cons
- Not suitable for windy weather
- Requires anchoring with extra-tall Earth Staples to withstand wind
- EZGrow TC-4-2 The Big EZ Heavy Duty Folding Tomato Cage & Plant Support, 2-Pack Silver
Unlike most of the supports available in the market, it is really easy to install. Its lightweight allows you to move from one place to another without much trouble. While installing, all you have to do is to unfold the cages and secure the legs infixed into the soil, and you’re done!
Galvanized steel construction helps to get rid of rust and corrosion. Thus, rust cannot damage the plants or invite diseases. Furthermore, it increases the durability of the products.
There are five rings in each cage to support the plants. The structure has a diameter of 17.5 inches and a height of 48 inches. So, there is plenty of room inside the support for the vines to grow uninterrupted.
This also provides better air circulation and prevents congestion. During the off-season, you can unfold the cages and store them in your garage.
Nevertheless, short height is one of the downsides of these products. You won’t be able to support indeterminate or tall plants with these appliances. Also, you will have to spend relatively more bucks to bring these structures to your garden.
Pros
- Sturdy and heavy-duty
- Lightweight
- Painless portability
- Can be folded and stored easily
- Sufficient space
Cons
- High-priced
- Medium height
- Gardener’s Blue Ribbon STEZ1 Stake-It-Easy Plant-Staking System
Ingenious cages that offer a unique feature that is you can customize the structure according to your requirements. With the customizable plant staking system, you can adjust the height of the cage to match the height of the plants.
The manufacturer hasn’t compromised with its durability. High-end materials have been used to ensure that these products last for a long time. Unlike the typical tomato cages which last only one season, these supports are built to provide service for multiple seasons.
And the plastic coating around the material prevents damage from outdoor elements. Moreover, these customizable structures offer four different assembly choices: straight vertical, flared out, tepee, and twin cages. These options are very handy in gardening and make the cages capable of various uses.
However, these products are not sufficiently sturdy to be used in high wind or stormy conditions. In addition, if you are looking for these cages, you have to consider a relatively high budget.
Pros
- Customizable
- Adjustable height and width
- Durable
- Exclusive design
- Versatile
Cons
- Expensive
- Unfit for high wind condition
- Panacea Products 89733 Heavy Duty Tomato and Plant Support Cage, Set of 4
Made in the USA, these are heavy-duty wire supports that are useful for growing tomatoes or other climbing and bushy plants. Especially, the supports are constructed to be sturdy. So, this cage can be an option for you if you are looking for some substantial products.
Wires galvanized with zinc have been used in the structure to eliminate the possibility of rust. Although, at the time of welding the wire, the welding burns off the galvanized zinc, thus leading such places to be prone to rust.
For container gardening, these supports work perfectly. In addition, these structures are stackable and compact. So, you don’t have to deal with much trouble with seasonal storage.
A major downside of the products is the welds. Though the use of strong material ensures strength, poor, flimsy welding tends to break easily. Reinforce the welding to make the products more durable.
Pros
- Relatively tall structure
- Strong and heavy-duty
- Keeps the plants upright
- Suitable for container-gardening
- Stackable and compact for easy seasonal storage
- Versatile
Cons
- Flimsy welds
- May occur unwanted bending on rare occasions
- EasyGO Products EGP-GARD-020 Cages – Stakes-Vegetable Trellis-3 Pack Tomato Plant
These supports are strong and sturdy and can be used in heavy-duty conditions. The green plastic coating covers the durable steels of which the cages are made. There are options to attach arms that complete the tomato planter.
Its special design makes the vertical climbing of the plants very easy, ensuring sufficient air circulation for the plants. Good air circulation makes healthy tomatoes and reduces the risk factors of catching a disease.
The assembling procedure is also a child’s play. No tool is required, and the installation requires only a little time. During the offseason, disassembling is as easy as the assembly process. Thus, you can use the products for multiple seasons.
Stakes of the products are strong, but the arms are susceptible to breakage. The entire support system tends to wobble because of its own height. But the pricing of the products is pretty satisfactory.
Pros
- Strong and sturdy
- Easy to assemble
- Special design
- Suitable for indoor-growing
- Easy disassembly and storage system
Cons
- Weak, fragile arms
- Wobbling for being extra large
- Panacea Products 89723-10PK Tomato and Plant Support Cage, Galvanized, Metallic
Among budget-oriented customers, these cages are one of the most popular products. These cost-effective cages are shaped like conic and work well for small tomato plants as well as some other herbs.
Manufactured in China, the cages are also appropriate for container gardening, both indoor or outdoor. These versatile cages can serve several purposes that include support for plants in garden beds, raised gardens, and, as previously mentioned, in container gardening.
The opening diameter is 12 inches, which is sufficiently large. This large opening allows you to harvest the tomatoes more easily. For small plants, these structures provide sufficient support, but if you are planning to grow indeterminate tomato vines, then you should consider something else.
To keep its price low, the manufacturers had to cut down a lot of features and quality of the cages. When it comes to strength, the products are not the ones that take the top spots. These supports are unable to withstand the extra load, thus need to be used carefully.
Otherwise, bends or breaks may occur. If you get lucky, this product will work well for you despite all the risks.
Pros
- Low price
- Suitable for container gardening
- Great for supporting small plants
- Big opening for easy harvest
- Versatile uses
Cons
- Inappropriate for large or indeterminate plants
- Not so sturdy
- Rust may show up
- Gardener’s Supply Company Red Tomato Ladders, Heavy Gauge, Set of 3
The manufacturers claim the supports to be the sturdiest in the market. The sturdiest or not, truly, the ladders are one of the high-end supports you’ll find in the market that provide great strength and support to the tomato plants. It can withstand harvest as much as a hundred pounds, even more than that.
So, they are one of the best options for large production. Unlike the mainstream design of the other cages, this type comes with a V-shaped design. This unique design enables to protect the stems of each plant. Install the ladders when the plants are tiny because then the plant can follow the ladder and achieve strength.
In high wind conditions or stormy weather, the ladders are able to resist the fall of the plants, a feat only a small number of cages can boast of. Hence, if your garden is in such a region, these ladders are highly recommended.
Also, the storage of the ladders is easy, as they are very compact. It’s really hard to find a fault of these ladders. But there are some flaws that emerge on rare occasions.
One con is that the V-shaped size leaves a side of the plant open. So, that side gets a lack of support. This may lead to disfiguring in the plants. Apart from that, external support may be required when the plants are too large.
Pros
- Strong, sturdy, heavy-duty
- Capable of holding a large harvest
- Easy storage
- Suitable for high wind and stormy conditions
- Weatherproof powder coating
Cons
- Imbalance in weight distribution may translate into disfiguring in the plants
- Often requires external stake for better support
- Hydrofarm GCTC 4 Foot Tomato Cage – Modular Tomato Tower with 4 Support Rings
It comes with a plant container and built-in staking for supporting the plants. These lightweight but sturdy cages offer sufficient support to the tomato plants as well as some other plants, helping them to climb vertically.
The towers take the responsibility of supporting the plant. So, the plant doesn’t have to invest energy to develop strength and thus allowing the plant to use the energy to produce better fruits. These towers are great for growing tomatoes in apartments or patios.
You don’t have to worry about the height of the plants. As the plants grow, you can add extra rings to support the increased length. This feature of flexibility is very useful if you are growing indeterminate tomato plants.
There is a tendency of these towers to tip over as the plants grow high. So, external support may be necessary to prevent tip over when the plants grow large. This versatile product can be used for other fruit plants as well.
Pros
- Sturdy
- Great for using in apartment or patios
- Flexible
- There is an option to add extra rings
- Can be used for most climbing plants
- Comes with a self-watering planter
Cons
- May cause tip over
- Gardener’s Supply Company Lifetime Tomato Cages, Heavy Gauge, Set of 4
These are extra-strong and heavy-duty cages that support the plants and help them to grow upright without touching the ground, ensuring clean, disease-free, healthy harvests. The opening of the cages is an 8-inch square. And the large opening makes the harvest easy.
In addition, these supports are wider than the old-fashioned conical cages. So, there is sufficient room for air circulation, which improves the condition of the tomato plants and ensures a clean, healthy harvest.
The cages can provide support to the plants on all sides of the cages. You don’t need to tie the plants to the structure. The plants will climb automatically without the necessity of further support. In order to prevent rust and corrosion, the products are made with steel gauge wire with powder coating.
Moreover, these cages are sturdy enough to support plants with heavy fruits, and they don’t collapse when exposed to heavy wind or stormy conditions. You can use the supports to grow both determinate and indeterminate tomato plants.
Pros
- Heavy-duty, sturdy support
- Convenient harvest system
- Easy to store during the off-season
- Powder-coated steel wire prevents rust
- Withstands heavy wind and storms
Cons
- Welds are not too strong
- Not the tallest one in the market
What to Look for before Buying
Buying tomato cages that are suitable for your type of tomato plant can be tricky. There are several points you should think about before buying tomato supports. If you consider these points before buying, you’re less likely to find your plants with tomato cages that are not suitable for them.
- Size
First of all, you need to consider the size of the support. Will the structure be able to support your plants when they grow to the fullest? Is there sufficient space to accommodate the plants? Here is one thing you should be aware of. What type of plants are you growing?
Tomato species have two distinct varieties. The determinate plants that grow bushy and don’t reach high are okay with the support of small or medium-sized cages. But indeterminate ones reach high, thus require taller supports.
- Strength
The next thing you need to ensure is the strength of the supports. At their core, the tomato supports are used for providing support and strength to the infirm tomato plants. If the products are not sturdy enough to bear the weight of the plants and collapse to the ground, they are of no use.
Hence, make sure your tomato supports are constructed well and built with substantial materials so that they can hold the plants upright and prevent the plants from touching the soil.
- Preventing Corrosion
Another important factor is to prevent the cages from rusting. Your cages should have mechanisms to avoid rust. Contact of rusty steel may damage the plants and welcome diseases.
Moreover, rusting and corrosion damages the wires and make them fragile. So, make sure the steel doesn’t rust with time. There are several techniques that manufacturers use to prevent rusting. Some of them are galvanizing, powder coating, plastic coating, etc.
- Others
Some other features come handy at the time of use, although they are not the essentials to have. Such features include easy assembling and disassembling, large opening for easy harvest, compact design for easy storage during off-seasons, etc.
Not to mention, opt for the durable ones so that you can use the cages for multiple seasons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here we have some of the most commonly asked queries regarding tomato cages:
- What sizes do tomato cages come in?
Typical tomato supports have a diameter of 14-18 inches. Structures for determinate tomato plants are not more than 4 feet in height. But the structures that support indeterminate tomatoes are as high as 6 feet, even more in some cases.
- Is it better to stake or cage tomatoes?
To stake tomato plants, you need 6 to 8 feet stakes, and you have to tie the plants to the stakes. In the case of cages, there is no need to tie the plants. Moreover, stakes are more likely to tip over than the cages, and they cannot provide support in all directions. So, it is better to cage the tomato plants.
- Do I have to buy new cages for every season?
Not necessarily. There are products in the market that are durable enough to deliver service over several seasons. Most structures are easy to disassemble and store as well. So, yes, you can use the same products for multiple seasons, provided that they are in good condition.
Final Words
That was virtually everything you needed to learn before buying the best tomato cage. We hope that after going through the entire article, you have been able to decide which supports are suitable for your plants. The next task is to go and bring them to your garden. Godspeed!
