The Importance of Staking Your Tomato Plants

Depending on the type, tomato plants may require support to keep stems, foliage and fruit off the ground. Keeping plants upright improves air circulation, reduces contact with the soil, and helps support healthy growth and fruit development.

The two main support options for tomatoes are stakes and cages. The main difference is that stakes provide vertical support for individual stems, while cages surround the plant and support branches as they spread. With either option, you may also need ties to secure the stems.

Keep reading to learn more about the importance of staking your tomato plants and which staking accessories we recommend.

Why You Need to Support Tomatoes

Tomatoes are a naturally vining plant that can grow up to several feet, which means they need a little help staying upright to avoid getting weighed down by heavy fruit. Without proper support, they can sprawl out across your garden bed, which can lead to rot and diseases and make the fruit more accessible to pests.

Staking or caging is especially important for indeterminate tomato varieties, which keep growing and producing all season. Determinate tomatoes tend to grow shorter and bushier, so they may not need as much support, though they still often benefit from a cage or shorter supports.

Recommended Staking and Caging Solutions for Tomatoes

Providing proper support helps tomato plants stay healthy, productive and easier to manage throughout the growing season. At Lee Valley, we carry a number of reliable staking and caging solutions designed specifically for tomatoes and other sprawling plants, from sturdy cages to lightweight supports and ties.

Here are some of our favorites:

Tomato Cage

Determinate or bush tomatoes have a compact growth habit and tend not to get too tall and lanky, so they may not need staking; however, a cage is often beneficial to help prevent branches from being pulled down by heavy fruit.

Best used right from the start of the season in either a planter or a garden bed, this cage can be easily fitted around the tomato plant, and the branches and leaves gently pulled through the openings. The supports will hold the fruit branches off the ground without the need for ties, allowing easy harvesting.

VELCRO® Plant Tie

These Velcro strips can be used to loosely secure tomato stems to a cage or stake for extra support. What we like most about them is how easily adjustable and reusable they are. Simply cut a piece longer than you need and overlap to secure it. As the plant grows, simply open the tape and refasten. At the end of the season, you can pack them away and reuse them the following year.

Tomato Spirals

Offered in a set of five, these spirals are one of the easiest ways to support tall tomato plants, as they don’t require any ties to secure the stem to the stake. Instead, the plant grows around the curves of the stake for natural support.

Soft-Stretch Plant Tie

This soft, flexible plastic cord is used to tie tomato plants to stakes and cages. It stretches with the plant as it grows, preventing damage to the stem.

Jute Garden Twine

Made from jute, this natural garden twine is excellent for tying off tomatoes because it’s incredibly durable yet soft enough that it won’t damage the plants.

Twine Dispenser with Cutter

This convenient holder keeps your roll of twine at the ready and makes it easy to unravel. It even has a cutter, so you can trim the twine to your desired length without having to search for scissors.

Garden Snips

For cutting twine, trimming leaves, pruning and even harvesting tomatoes, these are excellent light-duty snips to keep on hand when working in the garden. Compact, ultra-sharp and comfortable to use, they feature a torsion spring that helps minimize hand fatigue.

Give Your Tomatoes the Support They Need

Whether you’re growing compact determinate tomatoes or tall indeterminate varieties, providing your plants with the right support early in the season can make a big difference. Staking and caging help keep plants upright, protects fruit from pests and disease, and makes harvesting much easier. With the right combination of cages, stakes, ties, twine and cutting tools, you can help your tomato plants stay healthy and productive from planting through harvest.