What is the best thing to stake tomatoes with?

Author: Kayli Bahringer  |  Last update: Thursday, November 13, 2025

1) Stake them Use whatever stakes you have on hand – wooden stakes, bamboo, metal – just be sure that they're at least 4 feet high.

What is the best stake for tomatoes?

Spiral stakes or thin wavy metal stakes are best for determinate or smaller plants. Or, use two stakes per plant. Some large tomato vines simply become too unwieldy for this support method. If you keep plants well pruned, spirals are a good choice.

What can I use as tomato stakes?

I use bamboo or garden stakes arranged in a tripod and tied at the top. Then I use twine to wrap around the tripod to keep the tomato plant supported. You can even use long sticks you find in the garden or something. It doesn't have to be expensive.

What is the best support for tomatoes?

Stakes allow for easier pruning

Just drive a 6-foot redwood or cedar 2×2, a length of sturdy bamboo, or a metal T-post about a foot into the ground and plant your tomato about 6 inches away from the stake.

Is it better to stake or cage tomatoes?

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.

Four Ways to Stake Tomatoes

Do coffee grounds help tomatoes?

Coffee grounds should not be used as the sole fertilizer for tomato plants. The grounds do not contain the nutrient balance that tomatoes need to thrive, and adding too many grounds will affect the soil's pH. Tomato plants can tolerate slightly acid soils, as low as pH 5.5.

What is the cheapest way to stake tomatoes?

A single stake is a simple, low-cost method for keeping plants upright in small spaces. The best method for how to stake tomatoes this way is to use a 5-foot-tall sturdy wood or metal stake for determinate tomatoes and an 8-foot-tall stake for indeterminate tomatoes.

What is the best material for plant stakes?

What Is the Best Plant Stake for Plant Growth? We recommend bamboo plant stakes for most residential gardens. A bamboo-based stake provides a range of advantages compared to other staking materials, including: Cost-conscious.

What material is used to stake tomatoes?

Begin tying your tomato plant to the stake after it reaches a height of 10 to 12 inches. Garden twine, strips of fabric, or even pieces of pantyhose are excellent materials to use as ties for your stake. Stake your tomato plant about every 8 inches or so, up the entire length of the main trunk.

What to use as stakes?

Items like saplings, branches, bamboo, old pipes, recycled pool cues, and broken brooms can all be "upcycled" into garden stakes for your lawn. Some gardeners prefer to add a touch of weather-resistant paint to these items to give them a more finished look.

What are the disadvantages of staking tomatoes?

Disadvantages:
  • Constant pruning is required.
  • Plant can exceed stake height causing stems to bend and break.
  • Reduces production.

How do commercial growers stake tomatoes?

The Stake and Weave System

This system utilizes wooden stakes four to eight feet long by approximately 1 inch square, and twine woven around the stakes to train plants to a more upright growth habit, keeping foliage and fruit off the ground to prevent diseases.

When should I start staking tomatoes?

Don't wait to stake and trellis your tomatoes until they are large! It is much easier start when they are a foot tall and you can sucker as you go along.

How can I make my tomatoes yield bigger?

How To Increase Tomato Yields: 7 Expert Tricks For A Bumper...
  1. Choose Top-Performing Varieties.
  2. Use Smarter Supports.
  3. Try Trench Planting.
  4. Tap To Pollinate.
  5. Prune Out Excess Growth.
  6. Companion Plant With Good Neighbors.
  7. Fertilize With The Right Nutrients.

What is the best tie for staking tomatoes?

Next, choose a plant tie that won't harm your tomato plant's stem. VELCRO® Brand Garden Ties are softer and gentler on stems than traditional plastic and wire garden ties and can be cut to size and adjusted as your plant grows.

What can I use as a tomato stake?

Use whatever stakes you have on hand – wooden stakes, bamboo, metal – just be sure that they're at least 4 feet high.

Are bamboo stakes strong enough for tomatoes?

Using tall bamboo stakes and strong netting is an easy way to support these plants in the garden bed. At my Bedford, New York farm, I use eight foot tall bamboo stakes to support my growing tomato plants. Bamboo is attractive, easy to find, and can be reused year after year.

What is the best material to line a planter?

Plastic sheeting is the best material for lining a planter with. Pond liners work well for lining the bottom of planters as they are robust and can easily be shaped into the perfect size to fit the dimensions of your planter. Pond liners are also thick enough to reduce any evaporation of water from the soil.

What is the best support for tomato plants?

Often, I put a wood or bamboo stake with each plant to help secure it while it's small. As they mature, the cage and close proximity to other plants will help prop each other up. 2) Use the tall spiral wires and 'single stem' the tomato. I like to then slide one of my old tomato cages over the top for extra support.

What happens if you don't stake tomatoes?

Pros and Cons of Tomato Plant Stakes

If left unattended, suckers will eventually grow into branches that produce leaves and fruit, resulting in a bushy plant.

How do you stake a lot of tomatoes?

With this method, plant the tomatoes in two rows that are about two feet apart. Then, drive a stake at the start and finish of each row, with stakes between every three plants. Tie some twine around your first stake and weave it in front of one plant and then behind the other.

Do eggshells help tomato plants?

The eggshells will naturally decompose, and they will add calcium and nitrogen to your soil; necessary nutrients for your plants. Calcium is very good for tomatoes because it prevents blossom end rot.

Are banana peels good for tomato plants?

Banana peels are also brimming with potassium, which is excellent for plants like tomatoes, peppers or flowers. “Banana peels also contain calcium, which prevents blossom end rot in tomatoes,” the Cape Gazette adds.

Which plants Cannot use coffee grounds?

Avoid using coffee grounds on alkaline-loving trees, such as linden, ironwood, red chestnut and arborvitae. Coffee grounds used as mulch or compost inhibit plant growth on geranium, asparagus fern, Chinese mustard and Italian ryegrass. Definitely don't use coffee grounds with these plants.

Previous article
How do I get rid of Fusarium?