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How to build a tomato string supports
Instead of canes, each plant climbs a string hung from above. It's cheap, quick and perfect in a greenhouse or over growbags, where canes won't go in deep.
- DifficultyEasy
- Time30 minutes
- Rough costabout £23
What you need
| Item | Qty | Cost | Buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tomato twine (polypropylene string) | 1 | £4.00 | Thompson & Morgan · Suttons · B&Q · Wickes · Amazon |
| Treated wooden stakes, 1.8m x 50mm | 2 | £10.00 | B&Q · Wickes · Amazon |
| Treated timber batten, 2.4m | 1 | £4.00 | B&Q · Wickes · Amazon |
| Exterior wood screws, 4 x 50mm | 1 | £5.00 | B&Q · Wickes · Amazon |
Prices are rough guides. Shop links are affiliate links: we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you (more).
Tools
- Scissors
- Mallet or hammer (outdoors)
- Drill or screwdriver (outdoors)
Step by step
- In a greenhouse, skip to step 2. Outdoors, hammer in two stakes 2.4m apart behind your plants, then screw the batten across the top.
- Tie a string to the bar above where each plant will go, long enough to reach the ground.
- Plant the tomato. Tie a loose loop of the string round the bottom of the stem, under the lowest leaves - or bury the end under the rootball.
- Once a week, gently twist the top of the plant round the string - once round every few leaves - so it climbs it.
Tips
- In a greenhouse this costs about £4 - just the string.
- Cucumbers can climb strings the same way.
Good for growing
Pick what you want to grow and we'll tell you when to build it.
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