Are you sick and tired of those spindly little tomato cages that fall over just about the time the fruit is ready to harvest? Fed up with bamboo canes that snap midseason? Maybe it's time for some heavy equipment. Cattle panels refuse to bow even to the most vigorous beefsteak.
About Cattle Panels
Cattle panels are a type of moveable fencing used to corral livestock. They are typically 4 feet high and 16 feet long and made of heavy-gauge wire. The wires are not woven but rather are welded where they touch to create 6-by-6-inch squares. Panels with smaller openings are also available for other livestock, such as sheep, goats and hogs. Because they are designed to keep cattle enclosed, cattle panels are very strong, which makes them a very useful for supporting tomatoes.
If you have only a few tomato plants, cattle panels might be overkill for your garden, but if you are going into major canning mode, they can be a real help. Cattle panels can be used as is or bent or cut into different shapes. If you grow your tomatoes in long rows, simply pound three or four T-posts into the ground down the center of the row. Attach the cattle panel to the T-posts using cable ties or wire. Plant the tomatoes about a foot apart from one another on both sides of the panel. Stagger the planting so that no two plants are directly opposite each other. As the tomatoes grow, tie the stems to the wires. By the time the tomatoes are ready to pick, you will have a wall of tomatoes.
If you have raised beds or smaller spaces, cut the cattle panels to fit inside your garden. Cattle panels can also be formed into a circle, with the tomatoes planted inside and outside of the support. Because the wires form 6-inch squares, there is plenty of room to reach in and pick the fruit when it ripens. Cattle panels allow you to grow tomatoes closer together, which helps to crowd out the weeds.
Things to Consider
Cattle panels are large, so you will need a truck to transport them. They are not usually available at garden centers, but they should be in stock at farm supply and feed stores. The panels are more costly than smaller tomato cages, but they are extremely durable, so you will only have to purchase them once. The panels are a bit unwieldy, so get some help when moving them. If you choose to cut them, a hacksaw with a metal cutting blade works well.
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