Cherry tomato plants are vigorous vining annuals that produce fruit over an extended season. Without proper structural support, these plants sprawl across the ground, increasing the risk of disease and reducing fruit quality. Staking or caging elevates the foliage and fruit, ensuring better air circulation. This structural intervention maximizes the plant’s productive potential, leading to higher yields and healthier plants throughout the growing cycle.
Choosing the Right Support System
The selection of a support system begins with identifying the plant’s growth habit, which falls into two main categories. Determinate varieties grow to a predetermined size, forming a bush that sets its entire crop within a short window. These bushier plants are well-suited to a simple, sturdy tomato cage that can contain the plant’s limited vertical and horizontal spread.
Indeterminate cherry tomatoes continue to grow and produce fruit until frost, often reaching heights exceeding six feet. These vining plants require substantial and continuous vertical support to accommodate their prolonged growth cycle and heavy fruit load. For these vigorous growers, a tall stake or a trellising system is the better choice to manage their height and maximize sunlight exposure.
A single, robust stake works effectively for indeterminate plants when they are pruned to a single main stem, focusing the plant’s energy vertically. This method is often used in high-density planting where space is limited and requires consistent pruning. Trellising, which uses overhead wires or horizontal supports and specialized clips or twine, allows the plant to be supported continuously upwards.
Tomato cages offer a simpler setup that requires less ongoing maintenance than staking or trellising. While they are adequate for determinate varieties, they often become overwhelmed by the sheer size and weight of a fully mature indeterminate cherry tomato plant. The ideal support system matches the plant’s genetic growth pattern with the gardener’s intended pruning and maintenance schedule.
Installation and Initial Setup
The timing of installation is a significant factor in preventing root damage and ensuring plant stability from the start. Support systems should be placed at the time of transplanting or when the plant is very young, typically under 12 inches tall. Installing the stake or cage while the plant is small avoids disturbing the developing root ball, which is easily damaged once the plant establishes itself.
Staking Materials and Placement
When using stakes, position the support approximately six inches away from the main stem to prevent root interference. Drive the stake deeply into the soil, aiming for a depth of 12 to 18 inches, to ensure the structure can withstand high winds and the weight of a mature, fruit-laden plant. The stake should stand at least five to six feet above the soil line to accommodate the vertical growth of indeterminate varieties.
The material used for staking should be sturdy, such as metal rebar or thick wooden posts that resist bending under load. Proper initial setup provides a solid foundation, allowing the plant to direct its energy toward fruit production rather than self-support. This foundational work reduces the risk of stem breakage later in the season when the plant’s weight is at its maximum.
Caging and Trellising Setup
For setting up a wire cage, place the structure over the young plant and press the cage’s lowest rungs firmly into the soil for anchorage. Ensure the cage is centered over the plant, providing equal support on all sides as the plant grows outward. Select a cage with an adequate height, typically four to five feet, to contain the plant’s mature size.
The stability of the support structure is related to the plant’s final yield, as a failure during fruiting can break stems and expose fruit to pests. Trellising systems require the installation of robust overhead supports, such as metal conduit or wooden posts, at the ends of the row before planting. String or twine is then attached to the overhead structure, hanging down for the plant to climb or be clipped onto.
Ongoing Training and Maintenance
After the support is installed, ongoing training is required to secure the vine to the structure as it grows vertically. The plant should be tied to the stake every 10 to 12 inches of new growth to prevent the stem from snapping under its own weight. This practice ensures that the stem remains upright, maximizing sun exposure for the leaves and fruit clusters.
When securing the plant, employ a loose figure-eight looping technique to wrap the twine around both the stake and the plant stem. This method prevents the tie from constricting the stem as the plant widens, which would otherwise cut off nutrient flow. Use soft materials for tying, such as specialized garden twine, strips of old cloth, or plastic clips, avoiding thin wire or cord that can easily girdle the stem.
Pruning and Sucker Removal
For indeterminate plants trained to a single stake, the removal of ‘suckers’ is a routine maintenance task that directs energy toward fruit production. Suckers are small shoots that emerge from the axil, the point where a leaf stem meets the main stem. Removing these shoots focuses the plant’s resources into the primary vertical stem and the developing fruit clusters.
The process of sucker removal, known as pruning, should be done weekly, especially in the lower portion of the plant to maintain good air circulation. Removing suckers also helps to manage the plant’s density, which reduces humidity and the incidence of foliar diseases like blight. Leaving one or two suckers high up on the plant can provide a backup stem in case the main stem is damaged.
Plants in cages require less aggressive pruning, but some selective removal of inner foliage is beneficial to improve airflow and light penetration. Regular maintenance, including tying and pruning, is a necessary practice for maximizing the output of staked cherry tomatoes. This systematic training ensures the plant’s energy is efficiently channeled into producing a high volume of quality fruit.