Tomatoes are one of the most popular veggies in summer gardens, and with the right care, these plants can grow and produce bountiful fruits!
In some scenarios, tomato plants grow quite large and heavy, so it can be pretty hard to support them. Luckily, the newest trend, known as “Florida weave,” comes to the rescue!
Also known as basket weave, the “Florida weave” is a popular trellising technique on Tiktok that can easily support multiple plants at the same time.
Some dwarf tomato varieties might not need support for their growth, but if you want those big juicy tomatoes, you’ll have to find a way to support them. And in this article, we are going to show you how!
Let’s see what the actual deal is.
How To Make Florida Weave
If you are on Tiktok, then you must’ve heart of Jacquesinthegarden!
He shared this video explaining how to make the Florida weave.
You’ll need some stakes, a string or twine, and your small tomatoes – make sure to opt for stakes that are tall and strong enough to support the plant once it grows and matures.
Wherever you choose to plant your tomatoes, make a straight row and measure to ensure that there will be a minimum of one foot between each plant.
As you plant your tomatoes, place stakes at the ends of the row and in the spaces between a few tomato plants. You should also place the stakes at a minimum depth of 6 inches.
You’re ready to weave once you’ve set your stakes and planted your tomatoes. In order to keep the rope firm as you weave it between each tomato plant, you should also make an extra loop around each stake.
Weave the thread between the plants all the way down the row, wrapping it around the stake at the end to make sure each tomato plant is supported on all sides.
When you get to the stake you started on, tie off the string. Repeat the weaving every six inches or so as your plants grow.
Also read: Here’s How To Grow Tomatoes On An Arched Trellis
Pros & Cons Of Florida Weave
This method is a great way to support a couple of plants by using just a few stakes; some might even support larger plants as long as they are strong and buried deep.
Unlike some other methods for supporting your tomato plants, the Florida weaving method does require the plants to be grown in a row.
It also functions best if you are planting several plants that will all develop to be about the same size.
According to the North Carolina Cooperative Extension, some indeterminate tomatoes have a tendency to grow quite tall, making it difficult to sustain with the Florida weave trellising technique.
Overhead trellises are another solution if you would rather not top your tomatoes. Since the tomato plants in this approach are twisted around a string that hangs from a wire or beam above them, a more complicated infrastructure is required.
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