Back to Back Issues Page
[Tomato Dirt #362] Tomato stakes vs cages vs trellises: Which is best?
May 21, 2026

Tomato Dirt Newsletter
Volume 16, Number 11

Dear Tomato Dirt reader,

Welcome back to Tomato Dirt! A couple times a month, we’ll send you this newsletter packed with tips about growing tomatoes and using them.


NEW! Tomato Problems? Troubleshoot With This Quick Fix Cheat Sheet


Frustrated with slow-growing tomato plants, no fruit, or yellow leaves?

This quick, easy-to-use Tomato Problems Quick Fix Cheat Sheet helps you identify what’s wrong—and fix it fast.

  • Quickly diagnose common tomato problems
  • Understand why your plants aren’t growing
  • Apply fast, practical fixes that actually work
  • Get your tomatoes back on track – without wasting time

No guesswork. No overwhelm. Just simple, clear solutions you can use right away.

Take a minute right now to check out Tomato Dirt’s Tomato Problems Quick Fix Cheat Sheet . And get ready for your best tomato growing season ever!


Check for tomato growing tips each day on our Facebook page


Each day, we post helpful tomato growing tips on our Facebook page.

You’re invited to like the page and get plenty of tomato growing tips. And please share the new page with other gardeners you know!

Hop on over to Facebook and click “Like” right now, while you’re thinking about it.


FEATURE: Stakes vs Cages vs Trellis: Which Is The Best Tomato Support?


Image: Tomato Dirt

If you grow tomatoes long enough, you eventually run into the same question every gardener faces:

How should I support these plants?

Tomatoes don’t naturally stay tidy or upright. Left alone, they sprawl across the ground, tangle into a messy jungle, and produce fewer healthy fruits.

The three most common support methods — staking, tomato cages, and tomato trellises — solve the problem in different ways.

Which is best? One size does not fit all.

The best choice depends on your space, tomato variety, climate, and how much maintenance you want to do during the season …(Keep reading…)


Best Tips for Growing Tomatoes: Bestseller in 89 Countries


THE tomato-growing Bible and best-seller in 89 countries: How to Grow Juicy Tomatoes. Two horticulturalists combine forces to give you advice about the right way to prune, fertilize, water and stake tomatoes.

You’ll be able to diagnose pest and disease problems using step by step priceless information, illustrated with 260 full color photos.

Get the book and you’ll also get 6 free bonuses, including the Family Tomato Cookbook and a database of 1300 varieties of tomatoes. More details here.


Tomato Growing Tip: The easiest way to stake tomatoes is ...


Image: Tomato Dirt


Get more tips for growing tomatoes on our Tomato Growing Tips Pinterest board.


Create Your Own Custom 3-Plant Bundles and SAVE


Want to save money – and choose your own vegetable and herb varieties?

The good folks at Burpee understand. They’re gardeners, too. And they have their favorite tomatoes, peppers, eggplants, and herbs.

That’s why they’ve created their special Mix & Match offer. You can create your own custom 3-plant bundles of herbs and vegetables – and save money in the process.

Let’s say you want to grow Brandywine, Super Sweet 100 Tomatoes, and Sweet Emerald Giant Peppers. You can create your own bundle of those 3 varieties and purchase them at the bundle price!

Bundled plants come in multiples of 3. The more bundles you buy, the more you save. Buy two or more bundles and save an additional 20%. Check out the Mix & Match offer.


More Tomato Staking Tips

Why Stake Tomatoes? Pros and Cons How To Stake and Tie a Tomato Plant How To Build A Tomato Trellis How To Build Tomato Cages to Support Tomatoes

That’s it for now. More next time.

Until then, happy gardening!




Kathy with Tomato Dirt
www.tomatodirt.com
Find us on Facebook!

Back to Back Issues Page