# Mater Cages - Wire Type?



## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

Those pre-made mater cages get expensive for many plants. What kind of wire do you use to make your own, if you do?


----------



## homebrew (Jun 14, 2011)

monkeyman1 said:


> Those pre-made mater cages get expensive for many plants. What kind of wire do you use to make your own, if you do?


i use the roll of 6x6 remesh for driveways....peel some off, cut it w/ boltcutter and fold the ends over to lock em

look like this ....i also tie wired on 20" pcs of rebar to the botton to make sure they are stable and hold up the weight

the roll was expensive, but ive had em for 6 years


----------



## reeltimer (Feb 5, 2010)

I'm trying rabbit fence this year from TSC.Its smaller opening on the bottom but thats not a problem.I hope i have to stack them for the maters...i think a 50ft roll was between 24 and 26 dollars.


----------



## trout250 (Aug 24, 2005)

*cages*

i used the lighter weight 6x6 concrete reinforcing wire, 96.00 for a roll i think i got 16 cages out of the roll they are 6 ft tall. only problem that we have had is when we first planted we had to put cross pieces of bambo to keep the smaller plants straight untill they got up any size, have several plants that are over the top now. good luck


----------



## wet dreams (May 21, 2004)

I've been using some 'cement wire' for better than 10yrs, it WAS 39$ a roll then. I cut the bottom ring off leaving the stubs to stick in the ground, some I've had to cut another ring off due to rust.....it never sleeps


----------



## jm423 (Sep 18, 2011)

+1 on the "remesh". Little tough to fabricate but last well. As mentioned cut off bottom to leave stubs to stick in ground, may have to drive a stake in beside them to tie off in a real windy spot. I'm fortunate-- my mater containers are next to a fence so I can tie off w/out stake.


----------



## Blue.dog (May 8, 2005)

Here is what I use.
Concrete mesh. not sure of the actual description and size/thickness.
B.D


----------



## rthug (Aug 16, 2005)

*Wow*

Dang Bd... That bucket garden you have there is the cats meow. I like it. What size are those buckets?


----------



## Blue.dog (May 8, 2005)

They are the buckets that ranchers purchase 
to feed protein to their cows. Diameter is 18 to 23 inches. 
I have auto watering for them. 
Thanks.
B. D


----------



## mas360 (Nov 21, 2006)

Blue.dog said:


> They are the buckets that ranchers purchase
> to feed protein to their cows. Diameter is 18 to 23 inches.
> I have *auto watering* for them.
> Thanks.
> B. D


I'd love to see pictures of your auto watering system and how it was built. Those buckets seem to have straight wall and are better than the standard 5-gallon buckets. :mpd:


----------



## jm423 (Sep 18, 2011)

Wish I had your wood fence and bldg for windbreak--this norther is thoroughly thrashing my maters and peppers. Got sidetracked, didn't get my feedsack windshields up in time. Dang crazy weather!


----------



## peckerwood (Jun 9, 2012)

I got tired of storing my rusty tomato cages,so I built 20 little ladders with the first rung 18'' from the bottom,then the rest 6'' apart to the top.They're 3' tall.After planting a plant,I push the ladder into the dirt about 8 to 10'' stadling the plant,and weave the plant in between the steps as they grow.I'm more into helping the plants have a brace against the wind than anything else.They worked so well,I'm going to build replacements out of cedar fence slats.Sure easy to store by hanging in the barn on a couple hooks.Oh ya,I made the outta 1x4's ripped an inch wide.


----------



## Blue.dog (May 8, 2005)

*Auto Watering System*

Here is what I use.
The One's pictured are from the Green Box. Not sure that they are available any more. Purchased them from Lowes originally. They do not carry them anymore.
So, I went online and found the ones in the Red box. They a little more complicated than the ones from the green box.
I use them for my complete garden.

Now I only use the little rubber hoses and sprinklers on my tomato plants.
But the timers are used for regular garden sprinklers.
B.D


----------



## Law Dog (Jul 27, 2010)

Blue.dog. Great looking idea, thanks for sharing. I would also like to see pic of the auto watering system and how you built it..


----------



## whistech (Jul 25, 2005)

I made 20 tomato cages Saturday out of a new roll of concrete remesh I bought from Home Depot. The remesh I bought is not near as heavy gage wire as the old remesh. It will work fine for tomato cages, but I was really surprised at the lighter gage wire. I had enough left over to make a 16 foot long trellis for my cucumbers.


----------



## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

I looked at 4x4 wire fencing at TSC and Lowes - way too much $. I didn't look at the concrete mesh - didn't think about it. But I did sink more $ into the pre-made cages. :/

Will look at the mesh next trip.


----------



## cva34 (Dec 22, 2008)

monkeyman1 said:


> I looked at 4x4 wire fencing at TSC and Lowes - way too much $. I didn't look at the concrete mesh - didn't think about it. But I did sink more $ into the pre-made cages. :/
> 
> Will look at the mesh next trip.


Go by some new home construction sites ..Ask most have some scraps that are big enough and they always tell me there,s the scrap pile ...I get what I need and neaten up the pile while I am at it and tell them thanks....cva34

Take the bolt cutter with you


----------



## Blue.dog (May 8, 2005)

Law Dog,
Here is what the system looks like outside of the tomato cages.
B.D.


----------



## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

Cva - thanks for the tip!


----------



## whistech (Jul 25, 2005)

monkeyman1, a roll of remesh is $107.00 at Home Depot or Lowes. A roll will make 23 tomato cages that are two feet in diameter. Cost comes out to $5.03 and some skinned up hands for 5 feet tall cages that will last for at least 20 years.


----------



## monkeyman1 (Dec 30, 2007)

whistech said:


> monkeyman1, a roll of remesh is $107.00 at Home Depot or Lowes. A roll will make 23 tomato cages that are two feet in diameter. Cost comes out to $5.03 and some skinned up hands for 5 feet tall cages that will last for at least 20 years.


That's considerable more per cage than those at Lowes for $2.50-something. I like the idea of looking for re-mesh at home building sites. Since this is my first year back at gardening, I've already got a small fortune in a new tiller, plants, seed, fertilizer, etc.


----------

