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Do Cherry Tomatoes Need A Trellis – Supporting Your Growing Plants!

When growing tomatoes, you may think back to people pushing a trellis or cage around the tomatoes. You aren’t sure if you need to do the same in your garden. Before your cherry tomatoes get too big, you should ask this: do cherry tomatoes need a trellis?

Cherry tomatoes can benefit from a trellis, which will help them grow in less space, keep your plants healthy, and make it easier to harvest the tomatoes. You aren’t limited to one kind of trellis either; there are wood, wire, and lattice trellises that take on three common shapes and are almost all easy to install in a few easy steps.

Trellises may feel like an extra step when you’re gardening, but believe me when I say that it will make your life easier and your harvest better. Keep on reading to learn why you need a trellis, some of the different kinds of trellises you can have, and how to use a trellis. 

Reasons Why Cherry Tomatoes Need A Trellis

A trellis isn’t only another thing you have to do when trying to become a gardener. The following are reasons why you should indeed consider using a trellis when growing cherry tomatoes.

Shape Of Tomato Plant

Cherry tomatoes grow in clusters, making the plant heavier than other types of tomato plants.

Most tomatoes, like Roma tomatoes, have a few single-hanging tomatoes. Of course, those tomatoes can be heavy, but there is still only one.

Cherry tomatoes are clustered together and may not be distributed evenly.

One side can have more tomatoes than the other, which may make it crooked. A trellis will support your tomato plants.

Easier To Harvest 

Your cherry tomatoes will be held upright when a trellis supports the plants.

When you harvest your tomatoes, you won’t have to push through your tomato leaves and break parts of them.

Your plant will be supported and erect, so you can easily pick your tomatoes. 

Trellises make your life even easier when you have a few bushels or varieties of tomato plants that are planted near each other.

Grow More Tomatoes With Less Space 

Limited space means you can’t grow as much, but if you are utilizing vertical space, you can grow more in a smaller space.

Plants and crops that aren’t supported by a trellis can quickly fill a garden with bushy leaves, crawling tendrils, and hanging fruit.

If you compact all those plants together, you might see that you could have planted two or three more plants! Your trellis will help you by keeping your plants upright and organized, showing where there is extra space to plant more crops. 

Decrease Chance of Disease

Your trellis will keep your tomato plants off the ground, increasing airflow and decreasing the chance of disease.

Leaves on the ground and trapped moisture can attract diseases that will ruin your tomato’s stem, leaves, tendrils, and tomatoes. 

Plus, when your fruit is closer to the ground, there is also a chance that it will get munched on by animals and bugs.

Types Of Trellises For Cherry Tomatoes

You can purchase trellises made of several materials, including wood, bamboo, and wire. The shape of the trellis, too, can vary depending on what you can fit in your garden and what kind of look you like. 

Type Of TrellisUse And Benefits
WoodWood is sturdy enough to support the weight of tomatoes and can last in the elements outside. You can easily make your own trellis with wood.
BambooBamboo is a more expensive option but is often used for aesthetic and stability. Bamboo poles are thin and tall, so they can blend into your garden.
LatticeLattice can be made out of wood or plastic, but the pieces are already made into a crossed pattern. Lattice bends more than other materials but can cover a large area.
Wire And MetalWires and metals may get rusty after a few seasons, but these materials provide a stable structure for your tomato plants. With the proper tools, you can also use metal to make your own trellis at home.

You aren’t limited to one kind or shape of trellis. Every trellis will support your tomatoes, but you can also choose what your garden looks like.

Shape Of TrellisUse And Benefits
ArborAn arbor can allow you to grow tomato plants on both sides of the trellis or have another plant on the other side that also needs a trellis. A trellis allows you to add romantic elements to your garden’s aesthetic.
PergolaMost people think of grapes when it comes to pergolas, but some pergolas have trellis sides, which your tomato plant can grow around. You can add more climbing crops in a different way. 
Wall/VerticalA wall is a great option, especially if you have tomatoes growing against a building. A wall or vertical structure will help your tomato plants look pushy and can blend in behind the leaves.

You aren’t limited to one kind or shape of a trellis. Every trellis will support your tomatoes, but you can also choose what your garden looks like.

Steps To Install A Trellis For Your Cherry Tomatoes

Installing a trellis for your cherry tomatoes can be done in a few simple steps.

Plant Your Tomato Plants

The first order of business will be planting your tomato plants and any other crops you plan.

Allow your tomato plants to grow to about 12 inches tall. This will:

  • Ensure your tomato plant is strong enough to be secured to the trellis
  • You will not drive the stake through the still-growing roots
  • You will have an idea of how your tomato plants are growing

Choose A Trellis For Your Plants

Next comes the personal decision of what kind of trellis you want to use in your garden.

Think about the type of space you have in your garden and how you want your garden to look. Also, consider what your budget looks like.

For instance, if you want to make your own trellis, I would recommend using wood, but if you are looking for style, you may want a bamboo wall to support your tomato plants.

Put Your Trellis In The Ground

Once you decide on the kind of trellis you want and your tomato plants are big enough for a trellis, you can put your trellis in the ground. 

Most trellis types will be able to be driven directly into the ground, but here are a few things to keep in mind:

  • Use a sturdy trellis. Don’t skimp on the screws if you are making the trellis yourself.
  • Make sure your tomato plant is in the middle of the trellis, so you don’t break the plant roots
  • Wet the ground if it is too hard. It will be easier to do.
  • Drive the trellis at least 8 inches into the ground. The deeper, the better.

Tie Your Cherry Tomatoes To The Trellis

Cherry tomatoes cannot climb up the trellis on their own, so your plants will need help.

You can use the following to secure your cherry tomato plants to the trellis:

  • Twine
  • Zip ties
  • Cloth

Any material can be used to tie your cherry tomatoes to the trellis, but you do not want to tie your tomato tendrils too tightly. 

If you tie your tomatoes too tightly, you can break the tendrils or limit their growth, which can negatively impact your harvest at the end of the season. 

Remove And Clean Trellis At End Of Season 

Clean-up is a part of anything we do.

After you harvest your tomatoes, you should remove your trellis from the ground. If it is a pergola or arbor that you plan to leave in the garden, then you do not have to pull it out of the ground.

Clean your trellis if you remove it and store it in a cool, dry place if you want to reuse them the following year. Clean, properly stored trellises won’t rust over the winter.

With this, you’ll be able to use your trellis over and over for years to come to ensure a healthy, easy-to-harvest crop of cherry tomatoes each season. 

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