Most people familiar with growing tomato plants know about tomato cages. They come in different looks and styles and are usually made from wire.
However, homemade tomato cages – “Are Not Just For Growing Tomatoes.” Apart from different tomato varieties, a power-coated steel or wooden tomato cage can house other plants as well.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 Lowes showing how to make 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 like setting it up for growing tomatoes. Place a lightweight tray on top of the cage and hot-glue or wire the tray 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 make a cool looking “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 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 for 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 munching on leaves or stick it over any plant, wrap lower part with rabbit/deer proof row cover.
Make Mini Greenhouse – Stick cage in soil around plant, cover it with clear plastic, grow seedlings in it.
Protect Seedlings From Wind – Clothespin clear plastic around the bottom third of cage to protect seedlings like peppers from wind.
Frost Protection – When there is a frost warning, stick cage over plant, fill loosely with dry leaves or straw.
Protect Late Vegetable Crops – Late crops like cabbage, carrots, or parsnip appreciate 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 to hold protective layers of insulating leaves around plants.
Shade New Seedling – Place one cage at each end of a row of newly set out seedlings, run string or narrow slats between them and drape an old sheet or other shade cloth over seedlings.
Animal Trampling – Place a cage over baby seedlings to keep animals like 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 veggie scraps to build compost for use later.
Jewelry Holder
Create A Jewelry Holder – Flip the tomato cage upside down for a more solid base. Curl ends into swirls creating a decorative touch to hang 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 funnel trap out of old wire tomato cages to catch fish… that’s begin creative!
We know there are more clever tomato cage uses… If you have one to add please let us know using this form.