Best plant cages for home gardens: Tomato cages and beyond

For a home gardener, a plant cage is designed “to support and protect plants as they grow,” said gardening consultant Pol Bishop, who works with Fantastic Gardeners, a gardening and landscaping maintenance service based in England.SKIP AHEAD Best plant cages of 2021As such, plant cages could be something to consider for your backyard, whether you’re a first-timer or a seasoned grower. Plant cages are a kind of support structure (more on that below), albeit much smaller in size than trellises, ladders and arches that you’ll see when shopping for gardening essentials, Bishop told us.At its core, a cage is supposed to “support plants that are unable to support themselves,” explained Cory Tanner, the horticulture program team director at Clemson University. She believes the powder-coated cages are best since they’re rust-resistant — green can “blend right into your garden.” Smith similarly favors steel since it’s “heavy duty and can support heavy crops.”Wire and wood are also common when it comes to plant cages, Tanner told us. It can be damaged by the sun and cold and break quicker compared to structures made of wood or metal.”We asked experts about the best plant cages for your garden — and found other options based on their guidance, as well.This cage is a personal favorite of Smith who mentioned it was “ideal for those with minimal garden space.” “It’s made of stainless steel and I love that it’s adjustable. “Besides providing support, plant cages can be used as focal points in garden design,” Bishop said. The following are among the most common plants a cage could be used with, according to the experts that we talked to.As for what plants don’t need a plant cage, heaving vining plants like melons and squash will be too big (you can leave them on a large trellis or on the ground) while peppers, bush beans and leafy greens don’t need any additional support at all, according to Witz.You should use a cage when plants in your garden are young or when you first start planting seeds, experts explained.