How to Make Tomato Plants Climb

Tomatoes are one of the most popular and versatile fruits (yes, fruits!) out there. Whether you're growing them for salads, sauces, or salsa, they're a great addition to any garden. But to make the most of your tomato plants, you'll need to help them climb. Here are some tips on how to make your tomato plants climb like pros.

Choose the Right Type of Tomato Plant

Not all tomato plants are created equal when it comes to climbing. If you want your tomatoes to climb, look for a variety that has a natural tendency to grow tall and reach for the sky. Indeterminate varieties, as opposed to determinate varieties, are best for this purpose. These types of tomatoes will continue to grow and produce fruit all season long, whereas determinate varieties will only grow to a certain height and then stop. Good choices for indeterminate tomato plants include cherry tomatoes, beefsteak tomatoes, and heirloom varieties.

Select a Sturdy Support System

Once you've chosen your tomato plant, you'll need to select a support system to help it climb. You have a lot of options here, including trellises, tomato cages, stakes, and even old ladders. Whatever you choose, make sure it's sturdy enough to support the weight of your tomato plant and its fruit. Tomato cages are a popular choice because they're easy to use and provide a lot of support. Whatever support system you choose, make sure you install it before your tomato plant gets too big, so that you don't disturb the roots as you try to add support.

Train Your Tomato Plant to Climb

Once you have your tomato plant in place and your support system installed, it's time to start training your plant to climb. This is a simple process that involves gently guiding your tomato plant up the support system as it grows. If you've chosen a tomato cage, you can wrap the branches of your plant around the cage to encourage it to grow upwards. If you've chosen a trellis or stakes, you may need to tie the branches to the support system as they grow. You can use garden twine, strips of cloth, or even old pantyhose to tie your tomato plant to the support system. Just be sure not to tie the branches too tightly, as this can damage the plant.

Prune Your Tomato Plant

Pruning your tomato plant is essential to its health and growth, and it's also important for helping it climb. As your tomato plant grows, it will produce lots of shoots and branches that can hinder its upward growth. You'll need to prune these shoots regularly to keep your plant focused on growing upwards. Prune any shoots that are growing at the bottom of the plant or on the main stem, and remove any branches that are growing horizontally instead of vertically. This will help your tomato plant put all its energy into growing upwards, rather than spreading out.

Water and Fertilize Your Tomato Plant

Finally, make sure you're watering and fertilizing your tomato plant regularly to help it climb. Tomatoes need plenty of water to grow and produce fruit, so make sure you're watering your plant deeply and consistently. You can also fertilize your tomato plant with a balanced fertilizer once a month to give it an extra boost of nutrients. Just be sure not to over-fertilize, as this can lead to excessive foliage growth and less fruit production.

With these tips, you'll be well on your way to helping your tomato plants climb like champions. Happy gardening!