Having so many zucchini plants so close together was a tangled mess waiting to happen. But the tomato cages helped in several respects: With occasional guiding of leaves through the higher rings of the cage, I was able to keep the plants from growing into each other all season.
Once the plant has a defined stalk, place an 8 foot stake behind the plant and about 3 to 4 inches from the plant. As the plant grows, prune the leaves under the squash/zucchini and use ties to secure the plant to the big stake. Continue as the plant grows.
There are other vegetables in the garden that can benefit from flimsier support and grow on cages. Any type of shorter plant that likes to vine or that has tendrils will love to climb up those tomato cages. You can use tomato cages for cucumbers, pole beans, peas, or sweet potato vines.
In this instance, you can try to mound soil around the base of the seedlings to give them extra support. If you are well past the seedling stage and have adult zucchini plants falling over, it's never too late to try to stake them.
Tomato Cage Cons
Airflow and sunlight are your plant's best friend when it comes to staying healthy and producing maximum fruit. Densely packed foliage at the center of the cage can easily harbor pests and brew disease, especially if the plant gets wet during waterings.
A tomato cage can help support sheets used to temporarily cover plants that might not survive an early frost in the fall. Prep rose bushes and other tender perennials for winter by encircling them with a pair of tomato cages nested together with the wires offset. Then stuff leaves or mulch inside as insulation.
Yes. Using a tomato cage to train cucumbers to grow vertically gives the plants plenty of room to breathe, helps form perfectly straight fruits, and helps prevent pests and soil diseases. When garden space is at a premium, vertical cultivation is ideal.
Watering Zucchinis
One inch of water per week should suffice, but water more often if the weather is particularly hot and dry. Well-draining soil is a must—if it water pools and remains stagnant around the roots, they will start to rot. Avoid letting your soil dry out; this can increase the risk of blossom end rot.
So what do Eggshells do? By placing them below tomatoes, peppers, zucchini, and squash, the slow release of calcium will ensure that plants do not suffer from blossom end rot otherwise known as (BER). Blossom End Rot occurs when the plant is lacking calcium.
Since magnesium helps absorb nutrients like nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus in the soil, it will enhance fruit growth in zucchini plants. Similarly, sulfur will aid in vitamin production in fruits and flavor compounds. So, spraying Epsom salt on the zucchini plants can lead to healthier, better-quality fruits.
Buying individual tomato cages is perhaps the lowest effort, but most expensive option for trellising your tomatoes, especially if you grow many plants each year. These cages are easy to find at your local hardware or garden store, and come in a variety of sizes and colors.
Ideal growing conditions for zucchini include soil with a slightly lower pH that retains moisture. Coffee grounds can help increase the acidity of your soil in the short term, plus they break down into useful nutrients.
A better choice is to stake your tomatoes. There are stakes available as long as 10 feet. They come in different materials like wood, bamboo, plastic and metal.
Make sure you have heavy duty wire cutters.
Concrete reinforcing wire is thick and strong – after all, that's why it makes great tomato cages! The best way to cut it is to use heavy duty wire cutters (like the ones pictured below) that will cut through the thick wire like butter.
Vine crops such as squash, melons and cucumbers can produce straighter, cleaner fruit if grown on a trellis. Many tomato varieties are “indeterminate,” or vining, which means they will continue to grow all season long. They will sprawl along the ground unless you support and contain them.
Plant zucchini about half an inch to one inch deep. Group two or three plants close together in hills to help them pollinate.
One of the best ways to control squash bugs and keep your cucurbits healthy is to use an effective control product proven to fight difficult squash bugs. Sevin Insect Killer Concentrate and Sevin Insect Killer Ready to Spray kill squash bugs and more than 500 other insect pests, including stink bugs, by contact.
Petunias (Annual)– These annual flowers come in a variety of bright colors and can help repel aphids, beetles, tomato worms, and squash bugs.