Can a Steel Post Be Used to Stake Tomato Plants?

Method

• Pound the stake 1 foot into the ground 3 inches from the tomato plant's stem. Position the stake in place within two weeks of planting the tomatoes. If you wait longer, you risk damaging the roots. As the plant grows, secure the main stem to the stake every 12 inches using strips of old nylon socks or cotton fabric. Don't use metal wire or rough twine, which can damage the tomato plants. Prune out the suckers that form between the main stem and the main lateral branches--these divert energy from ripening fruit. Leave some suckers at the top of the plant, though, to shield fruits and prevent sun scald.

Benefits and Drawbacks

• Staked tomatoes take up less room than caged tomatoes, or those that are left to sprawl on the ground. They are also less prone to fungal diseases spread by wet leaves coming into contact with the ground, and the fruit won't be bothered by birds. Staked tomatoes produce fruit earlier and the fruit is usually of better quality than fruit left on the ground. On the other hand, staked tomatoes require maintenance to keep them staked and pruned. Excessive pruning may cause sun scald or blossom end rot, however.

Pruning Tips

• Remove the suckers when they are 4 inches or smaller. Removing larger suckers may injure the plant, leaving it vulnerable to infection. Pinch a sucker between your thumb and forefinger and snap it off gently. Avoid making large rips, if possible. Prune tomato plants in the morning while the plant is still crisp; it will break more cleanly than if you wait until the afternoon when the plant is wilted from the heat. Do not use scissors or a knife, which may spread disease.

Harvest

• Staking tomatoes simplifies the harvest because it keeps fruits visible and easy to reach. Pick tomatoes when they are red or almost red. Grasp the bottoms of the tomatoes firmly and pull them off. Pick large green tomatoes and store them in a cool, dark place for several days or even weeks, to allow them to ripen if a freeze is predicted. Discard small, green tomatoes that stop growing. They will never ripen and may spread decay to the other ripening tomatoes.