Plant Supports & Ties

Starting with a sturdy wire cage is the most common way to keep those heavy vines from sprawling across the garden floor. Most store-bought cages are a bit too flimsy for a full-grown indeterminate plant, so many gardeners prefer using heavy-gauge Fencing to build their own custom towers. This keeps the fruit off the ground where it’s prone to rot and pests, while also making it much easier to harvest without bending over double. You want to install these Plant Supports early in the season while the plants are still small, otherwise, you’ll be wrestling with a tangled mess of branches. A well-supported tomato plant gets better airflow, which is the best defense against the late-summer blights that often strike when the humidity kicks in.

Small wire cages or even a low run of Fencing can create a perfect corral for a row of peppers, allowing them to lean on the wire for support. In the Ozark and Nixa area, our spring winds can be pretty brutal on young transplants, so getting these structures in place early is a smart move. If you have several plants in a row, you can also try the “Florida Weave” method, which uses stakes and twine to sandwich the plants in place. This keeps the whole row upright and prevents the branches from drooping under the weight of a heavy crop. It’s a simple, low-cost way to make sure your pepper patch stays productive and easy to manage until the first frost.

Soft garden twine or jute is the traditional choice for securing vines because it’s strong enough to hold the weight but gentle enough not to bite into the green stems. You want to use a “figure-eight” loop where the twine crosses itself between the plant and the support; this acts as a little cushion and prevents the stem from rubbing directly against a rough stake or wire. As the season progresses, you can simply add more Ties every six to eight inches to keep up with the new growth. Since jute is a natural fiber, you can just toss the clippings into the compost pile at the end of the year without having to pick plastic bits out of your soil.