Author Topic: An Indestructible Staking System  (Read 55884 times)

EarthBoxAdmin

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Re: An Indestructible Staking System
« Reply #15 on: July 13, 2017, 09:01:08 am »
Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, johnthomasc3. This user is located in Chapin, SC - Zone 7. This was originally posted on April 29, 2010.
Three more pictures with the one of the flowers included because they look so nice.

EarthBoxAdmin

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Re: An Indestructible Staking System
« Reply #16 on: July 13, 2017, 09:02:32 am »
Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, johnthomasc3. This user is located in Chapin, SC - Zone 7. This was originally posted on April 29, 2010.
Three more pictures with the one of the flowers included because they look so nice.

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Re: An Indestructible Staking System
« Reply #17 on: July 13, 2017, 09:03:36 am »
Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, johnthomasc3. This user is located in Chapin, SC - Zone 7. This was originally posted on April 29, 2010.

Closer view of the cage. It is hard to see the cutouts where you put your hands thru to pick the tomatoes.

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Re: An Indestructible Staking System
« Reply #18 on: July 13, 2017, 09:05:34 am »
Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, cushman350. This user is located in Tomato Hell, Wichita Falls, TX Zone 7b. This was originally posted on April 29, 2010.

That's one tall cage. It looks like it's as tall as the bottom of the canopy, is it?

Also, the EBs with flowers setting flat on the ground look like they have ribs along the sides, is this a new model or new manufacturer or old ones?

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Re: An Indestructible Staking System
« Reply #19 on: July 13, 2017, 09:06:16 am »
Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Full Member, johnthomasc3. This user is located in Chapin, SC - Zone 7. This was originally posted on April 29, 2010.

The Earthboxes with the Flowers are very old.  They do have sort of a built in rib area, but they have the problem of getting wider with potting mix in them and the dirt falls into the water.  The cage is about 8 feet tall, and last year my tomatos reached very near the top.  I have to say that there is no fear of the the plants getting too big.  The cages cannot topple over unless there is a tornado.

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Re: An Indestructible Staking System
« Reply #20 on: July 13, 2017, 09:08:40 am »
Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Newbie, toothius. This user is located in Chicagoland, IL, Zone 5-6. This was originally posted on June 1, 2011.

I know this is an old thread, but thank you, John, for designing these cages and sharing them with us. I had hoped to do a more natural staking system with wood or bamboo, but since my boxes are in front of my house on the walkway (only place I can get enough sun), stakes wouldn't work very well. This is a very solid system. I used your measurements and they fit together perfectly and fast! It was also much cheaper than using pea cages from Gurney's, which were $27 for each box!

Since my tomatoes are still small, I've only made the first level. When they get closer to four feet, I'll add the second level. I didn't want to create an 8 foot eye sore in front of my house. Once they're filled with leaves and tomatoes, I doubt the cages will be as noticible. My wife said she didn't even notice them when she drove up to the house.

The extra wire for tying the cages together I purchased wasn't even necessary since, like you said, you can just cut your fence so that you leave some extra wire on either end, which you use to bend around the other parts of the fencing. Brilliant.

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Re: An Indestructible Staking System
« Reply #21 on: July 13, 2017, 09:10:51 am »
Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Newbie, FLmoose. This user is located in Vero Beach, FL - Zone 10. This was originally posted on April 15, 2012.

Not sure if anyone is still monitoring this thread, but I am considering this cage design for my new Earthboxes. I do not have the Earthbox staking system for my boxes, and just wanted to make sure you don't need it in order for this design to be stable. How is the cage attached/anchored to the box?

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Re: An Indestructible Staking System
« Reply #22 on: July 13, 2017, 09:14:08 am »
Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, cushman350. This user is located in Tomato Hell, Wichita Falls, TX Zone 7b. This was originally posted on April 15, 2012.

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Newbie, FLmoose. This user is located in Vero Beach, FL - Zone 10. This was originally posted on April 15, 2012.

Not sure if anyone is still monitoring this thread, but I am considering this cage design for my new Earthboxes. I do not have the Earthbox staking system for my boxes, and just wanted to make sure you don't need it in order for this design to be stable. How is the cage attached/anchored to the box?

The cage has a bottom that the heavy EB sits on. If I had a railing, I would still tie the cage to it or on the ground I would use rebar steel to secure the cage to the ground. Then you need to locate some openings around to have access to the fruit.

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Re: An Indestructible Staking System
« Reply #23 on: July 13, 2017, 09:17:30 am »
Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, movrshakr. This user is located in Zone 10a - near Cape Canaveral. This was originally posted on April 15,
2012.


Quote
...Then you need to locate some openings around to have access to the fruit.

Or use screen with big openings?

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Re: An Indestructible Staking System
« Reply #24 on: July 13, 2017, 09:19:59 am »
Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, baileyj. This user is located in Zone 7A --- Annapolis, Maryland. This was originally posted on April 15, 2012.

Cushman or Movrshakr,
Have you used this style ?
Judi
« Last Edit: July 13, 2017, 09:32:35 am by EarthBoxDD »

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Re: An Indestructible Staking System
« Reply #25 on: July 13, 2017, 09:22:15 am »
Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, movrshakr. This user is located in Zone 10a - near Cape Canaveral. This was originally posted on April 15, 2012.

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, baileyj. This user is located in Zone 7A --- Annapolis, Maryland. This was originally posted on April 15,
2012.


Cushman or Movrshakr,
Have you used this style ?
Judi

I have one with large openings, but it is as a trellis rather than a cage.  It was similar to a "hog panel"  but it was a goat panel or pig panel or something like that.  The differences seem to be the sizes of the openings, and these panel thinggies have different size openings on the same sheet---some smaller ones along one side, then larger ones.

They are very heavy gauge metal, so they make a very sturdy trellis if attached to a sturdy support structure.

Back to the topic of opening size---most of the openings on mine are quite large, maybe 6' x 4" and are very easy to reach through,  Also i see no detriment to the large size--never is there no wire close enough to attach a branch tie up to.  So, my recommendation is to go with as large openings as you can find.  Oh, I cut mine to fit the trellis by cutting off a couple of rows of the smaller size openings.

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Re: An Indestructible Staking System
« Reply #26 on: July 13, 2017, 09:24:15 am »
Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Jr. Member, thefist. This user is located in Cary, NC, Zone 7b. This was originally posted on April 15, 2012.

I'm glad this post got refreshed. I was about to build the exact same cage very soon.  This should be very sturdy. I used the same fencing wrapped around some large round containers the past couple years and they held up quite well. I cut some pretty big openings in mine, so all these pics look to be of a much sturdier cage. I fastened mine to a plastic pot with only 3or 4 zip ties, and they never were close to tipping or blowing over. 

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Re: An Indestructible Staking System
« Reply #27 on: July 13, 2017, 09:26:17 am »
Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, cushman350. This user is located in Tomato Hell, Wichita Falls, TX Zone 7b. This was originally posted on April 16, 2012.

Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, baileyj. This user is located in Zone 7A --- Annapolis, Maryland. This was originally posted on April 15,
2012.


Cushman or Movrshakr,
Have you used this style ?
Judi

I have not used this small of mesh wire. I have concrete wire cages bent into circles that are held over my boxes by an old yard swing(minus the swing) A-frame for the last 5 years. The cages set on 2x2s that are bolted to the frame .
« Last Edit: July 13, 2017, 09:30:07 am by EarthBoxDD »

EarthBoxAdmin

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Re: An Indestructible Staking System
« Reply #28 on: July 13, 2017, 09:32:11 am »
Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, movrshakr. This user is located in Zone 10a - near Cape Canaveral. This was originally posted on April 16, 2012.

I really like those big openings--perfect.  I have never worked with concrete wire.  How about a few words on working with it...shaping, cutting, joining, etc.  It looks perfect with those really big openings.

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Re: An Indestructible Staking System
« Reply #29 on: July 13, 2017, 09:35:04 am »
Disclaimer: This post was originally posted by Hero Member, seansmum. This user is located in Queensbury, NY, Zone 4-5. This was originally posted on April 16, 2012.

I purchased this for making tomato cages last year.
http://www.wireclothman.com/
It was a little pricey, $60, but that was for four 4X20 rolls. It's very sturdy and fairly easy to work with. It's also available on amazon in single rolls for about $ 23 including shipping.