When to put tomato supports in, and what to do if you’re late

The short answer is on planting day. The longer answer is that the support should go in before the roots have spread and before the stems have started to lean, and there are a few ways to manage if you missed that window.

Why planting day works best

A young tomato puts out roots quickly, often reaching well past the planting hole within two or three weeks. A stake or cage leg pushed in later can slice through those roots. At planting time, you know exactly where the root ball is and can keep the support 3 to 4 in away from it.

The soil is also usually loose and freshly worked at planting time, which makes it easier to get a frame 12 in deep. Later in the season, after rain and watering, it packs down and resists.

Finally, the plant gets used to the support from the start. Its first ties go on when the stem is short and flexible, rather than after it has sprawled and has to be lifted back up.

The order on the day

1. Dig the planting hole.
2. Set the stake, cage or ladder in place beside the hole and push or drive it to full depth.
3. Plant the tomato, burying the stem deeper than it sat in the pot if the variety is leggy.
4. Water it in, then add the first loose tie if you're using a stake.

Putting the support in first means you aren't hammering next to a newly planted root ball.

Seedlings and small transplants

If you plant very small seedlings, a full-height stake can look odd for a few weeks, but it's still the right time. For a cage over a tiny plant, push the legs in fully and check that the bottom ring sits low enough to catch the first branches.

For ladders, put in the first one or two sections now and add more as the plant climbs.

If you're late

Plenty of gardeners plant first and think about supports a few weeks later. It isn't too late, but go carefully.

• Place the stake or frame a little further out, 6 in or so from the stem, to miss the densest roots.
• Push rather than hammer where you can, and stop if you feel strong resistance near the plant.
• Lift sprawling stems gradually over a few days. A stem that has grown along the ground will snap if you pull it upright in one go.
• Remove any leaves or fruit that are lying on wet soil.

Once a plant is large and fruiting, a cage is hard to fit over it. A pair of stakes on either side with string run between them is often easier.

A midseason check

About a month after planting, walk the bed and push gently on each support. Any that rock should be driven deeper or tied to an anchor stake before the plants carry fruit. Strong summer storms tend to arrive just as the weight goes on.

Where to go next

Not sure which type to put in? Start with determinate or indeterminate. Gardener's Supply is one source of ladders and stakes if you need frames before planting day.