Simplify Tomato Cultivation with Ease: Discover the Florida Weave Technique for Trellising Tomatoes
The Florida Weave trellis is a popular and effective method for supporting tomato plants, particularly among professional growers. This low-tech system is easy to adapt for home growers and offers numerous benefits.
When tomato plants reach a height of 12 inches (30.48 cm), it's time to train them using the Florida Weave trellis method. Rough wooden stakes, such as T-posts or rebar, are essential for this system. For a stronger structure, stakes can be driven into the soil to a depth of 1 foot (0.3 m), with the height ranging from 4-5 feet (1.2-1.5 m) for determinate plants and up to 8 feet (2.5 m) for indeterminate varieties.
The Florida Weave trellis makes harvesting the fruit easier and helps produce larger fruit with fewer blemishes. The twine should be looped around the posts, alternating the direction at each post, and kept under tension to sandwich the plants between two separate woven lengths of twine. The twine should be started 2 inches (5 cm) below the first flower cluster and tied to the first post.
Additional layers of twine should be added every week, with the new layer placed 6 inches (15 cm) above the previous, and continued as the plant grows. To prevent tipping as tension increases, T-posts can be installed at each end of the row. For a stronger system, metal stakes or french posts may require double wrapping of twine tightly.
The Florida Weave trellis keeps the fruit away from ground contact, reducing rot. Removing all axillary suckers up to the first flower cluster on the main stem will increase airflow, harvesting ease, and make the tying process more efficient. It also allows for better coverage of fungicides and other sprays.
In terms of materials, twine, rope, synthetic twine, or other malleable, lengthy materials can be used for the Florida Weave trellis. However, smooth materials are not suitable for the adherence of twine.
While the origin of the Florida Weave Trellis is not definitively known, it has become a common practice in tomato cultivation. This versatile and efficient method is well worth considering for any tomato grower, whether professional or home-based.
For those reusing stakes, it's recommended to immerse them in a 5 percent bleach solution to prevent carryover of disease. With the Florida Weave trellis, harvesting tomatoes becomes a simpler, more efficient, and more rewarding process.
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