Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat

Growing => Growing in Greenhouses & Polytunnels => Topic started by: rowlandwells on March 28, 2020, 09:03

Title: string or canes
Post by: rowlandwells on March 28, 2020, 09:03
i was reading the topic on using string for tomatoes although I've never used string only canes i had thought about trying string

so whats you preference string or canes and i suspect ?
Title: Re: string or canes
Post by: hasbeans on March 28, 2020, 10:42
My toms grow outside and I've always built a cane pergola over them and hung string/twine from the overhead canes.  I find that makes it easy to support branches and fruit with additional string later in the season once the plants are out of control.  Had no problems even during summer storms and they aren't sheltered much.  Need thick canes though!

I do the same for beans but fasten the string to the ground with tent pegs





Title: Re: string or canes
Post by: JayG on March 28, 2020, 13:43
I find it easier to tie in tomato plants to canes rather than string as they are considerably more substantial - the bottom of the canes are pushed into the compost, the tops are tied to plastic coated wire stretching the length of the GH so they don't flop about or fall over.
Title: Re: string or canes
Post by: rowlandwells on March 28, 2020, 16:02
i must say i haven't had any probs with using canes i made fittings in the GH to fit the canes in but i think
JayG  has convinced me to carry on using canes rather than string
Title: Re: string or canes
Post by: Growster... on March 28, 2020, 21:06
! always put a strong cane over the top, horizontally, tie a string to it, then tie the string loosely below the lowest leaf, and then just wind the tom stem upwards between the fronds.

It takes a little more time when they get bigger, but somehow, as you see the toms getting their act together, you don't really mind the activity...
Title: Re: string or canes
Post by: Mr Dog on March 29, 2020, 10:32
Short canes with string from the top to a horizontal wire running the length of the greenhouse. When I used long canes I was always worried about sticking the cane through the glass when removing it from the ground at the end of the season.
Title: Re: string or canes
Post by: AnneB on March 31, 2020, 18:14
I prefer canes to string.   String means you cannot move the pot around should you want to in the middle of the season.   I find I need to do that to accommodate later sown things, and perhaps to move things to a warmer or cooler part of the greenhouse.