Hooks & Chains Eliminate Greenhouse Tomato Stakes

Hooks & Chains Eliminate Greenhouse Tomato Stakes CROPS Miscellaneous A new Chain & Hook Trellis System is designed to eliminate stakes that support determinate tomatoes in greenhouses The chains provide vertical support while the hooks gather the twine supports that run down either side of the row “I raise tomatoes and was frustrated with the wooden stakes most growers use with bush-type tomatoes ” says David Ropp “They are either not tall enough or else they break under the load I wanted something that would stay in place all season ” Ropp was already using lines for supporting indeterminate tomatoes in his greenhouse While trimming side shoots works with those vine-like plants that’s not desirable for the bush-type determinates With them the more side shoots the better the yield So Ropp needed side supports for them “I came up with the idea of hanging a chain from the overhead supports like I do the lines ” says Ropp “I place double hooks every 6 in on the bottom 5 ft I pull the horizontal strings in from either side and hook them to the chain This gives the plants the support they need ” Although greenhouse designs vary Ropp can simply extend the chain length as needed His base package for a 7-ft chain with 11 double hooks on the bottom 5 ft is $6 50 Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Dropp Plastics 1506 550th St SW Kalona Iowa 52247 ph 319 656-2896

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