Most people familiar with growing tomato plants are aware of tomato cages. They come in various styles and are typically made of wire.
However, homemade tomato cages – “Are Not Just For Growing Tomatoes.” In addition to different tomato varieties, a power-coated steel or wooden tomato cage can also house other plants.
Check out this clever collection of creative and lowly tomato-cage uses in the garden and beyond.
Flower Trellis – Tomato cages make for a great trellis for flowering vines like mandevilla and the morning glory.
Here’s a tomato trellis project from Lowe’s that shows how to build or extend a cage to accommodate taller potted flowering vines.
Plant Stand – Turn the cage upside down and bend the reinforcing wires to hold a pot or bowl. Get some ideas here…
Bird Bath – Make an inexpensive, garden bird bath. Press the cage into the ground, as you would when setting up a tomato cage.
Place a lightweight tray on top of the cage and secure it with hot glue or wire to create a bird bath.
Add vine plants around the base for a one-of-a-kind, low-cost bird bath.
Outdoor Decorating
Make a Pine Cone Tree: Use the cage as a form to fill with pine cones and create a striking “tree” to welcome visitors.
Spooky Ghost – Make a “spooky” tomato cage ghost for Halloween
Christmas Tree – Create an attractive Christmas tree using a tomato cage, some decorative fabric, and a garden urn.
Here is another “Christmas tree” made by wrapping grapevines, tomato vines, or other flexible branches, covering with lights, and adding a few native berries or greenery.
Rope Light Tree – Wrap the cage with rope lights. Interesting idea for an outdoor party… Could be combined with the Plant Stand for a unique look.
Seedling, Frost & Flower Protection
Grow Other Vegetables – Tomato wire cages work great with pepper plants or cucumbers, bush and pole beans, peas, and other “climbers.”
Dahlia Flower Support – A cool twist on the “NO Stake NO Tie System” for Dahlias, where the heart of this system is the common tomato plant cage.
Hold Up Flowering Peonies – Build tomato cages to let the plants grow up inside and help support the main stems and even the minor ones when blooming. There are many DIY tomato cage projects you can refer to.
Critter Protection – Wrap bird netting around them to keep critters from eating leaves, or place it over any plant; wrap the lower part with rabbit- and deer-proof row cover.
Make a Mini Greenhouse: Place a cage in soil around a plant, cover it with clear plastic, and grow seedlings.
Protect Seedlings From Wind: Place a clear plastic clothespin around the bottom third of the cage to protect seedlings like peppers from wind.
Frost Protection – When there is a frost warning, place a cage over the plant and loosely fill it with dry leaves or straw.
Protect Late Vegetable Crops – Late crops such as cabbage, carrots, and parsnips benefit from a little warmth; fill cages with leaves or straw for extra protection.
The veggies stay toasty warm and can be harvested later into the season. Tender flowers come through cold temperatures just fine.
Protect Roses, Flower Beds, or Tender Perennials: Fill cages with insulating leaves to hold them in place around plants.
Shade New Seedling – Place one cage at each end of a row of newly set out seedlings, run a string or narrow slats between them, and drape an old sheet or other shade cloth over the seedlings.
Animal Trampling – Place a cage over baby seedlings to prevent animals such as dogs from trampling the young plants.
Mini Composters And Leaf Collectors – Use the cages to create mini compost bins around the garden. Fill with leaves and vegetable scraps to build compost for later use.
Jewelry Holder
Create a Jewelry Holder: Flip the tomato cage upside down for a more solid base. Curls end in swirls, creating a decorative touch for hanging necklaces.
To give a more finished look, spray paint the entire cage. Hang jewelry from the wire bars or wire mesh going around the cages. More here…
Fish Catcher
The Ultimate Fish Catcher – Make a funnel trap out of old wire tomato cages to catch fish… that’s beginning creative!
We know there are more clever tomato cage uses… If you have one to add, please let us know using this form.