Train tomatoes to grow vertically up twine

Today we are going to start training our tomatoes to grow vertically up our twine. It should be started before the plants are tall enough to get top heavy and begin to tip over. Typically I prefer to start training our tomatoes to grow up the twine when they are about 1 foot tall.

Along the bottom of our t-frame structure where we grow our tomatoes vertically is a single strand of wire near the base of our plants. The 170lb baling twine is tied to the wire and then loosly wrapped around the stem of the plant.

Near the top of the t-frame structure are 2 lengths of number 9 wire per grow box/soil bed. This wire is heavier than the wire at the bottom to ensure it will support the weight of all the plants. Run the twine from the wire at the bottom up to these top wires alternating each consecutive plant in alternating directions. In the video I ran all the odd numbered plants to the inside and all the even to the outside. Looking down the bed you will notice that the twine takes on a "V" shape. At the top wire for each side, the twine should be spaced 18" apart.

When training tomatoes to grow vertically up twine it is important to always wrap the twine around the plant, not the plant around the twine. The top of tomato plants are tender and break easily. You are far more likely to snap the growing tip when pushing the plant around the twine.