How to Train Tomato Vines

Train with a Single Stake

• 1

  Insert an 8-foot-long stake 2 feet into the ground. Leave at least 3 to 4 inches of space between the stake and the tomato plant. Stakes should be inserted into the ground early in the seasons to prevent accidental injury to the tomato plant.

• 2

  Tie an old piece of cloth around the tomato vines and stake every 12 inches up the vine. Tie the cloth loosely into the shape of an "8," with one loop designated for the stake and the other loop for the vine.

• 3

  Pinch the suckers located where the stem and the leaf meet to ensure a high yield.

Train with a Wire Cage

• 4

  Insert a stake on either side of the tomato plant, and insert the feet of a wire cage into the soil to stabilize the cage. Cages specifically designed for tomato plants can be purchased at garden centers or home improvement stores.

• 5

  Wrap the wire caging around the tomato plant to ensure the vines grow up rather than out.

• 6

  Push stems back into the cage as the plant grows to eliminate the need to prune the plants.