Tomato Supports

Supporting Tomato plants has long been a headache. This year I decided to try out a different approach. I've simply "mulched" the Tomato beds using masses of twiggy branches from trees I've been weeding out. (Coming attraction: "Dances with Chainsaws")


So far it seems to be working well. As the Tomato bushes grow tall enough to poke through the canopy of twigs and branches I add another layer, while the tangle beneath supports the Tomato bushes leaves and side shoots, and should (hopefully) support the Tomatoes that eventuate. Most of the bushes have started flowering...

This wild mess makes weeding a bit difficult, but I mulched heavily between the plants with grass clippings, so the weeds are not getting out of hand too badly. The scheme has so far also had the unforeseen benefit of deterring the ravenous Bushbuck who want to eat the Tomato leaves and shoots. It is also a lot less time-consuming than the traditional stakes-and-string method I've used in the past.