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Gardening Tip: Old Bedsheets Make Great Tomato Ties

Ruth Dobsevage, editor

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Tomato vines can't climb by themselves. They benefit from support, and a short length ripped from an old sheet makes a perfect tie.

Ruth Dobsevage

A length of sheeting hangs at the ready, should the need arise.

Ruth Dobsevage

Tomato vines can't climb by themselves. They benefit from support, and a short length ripped from an old sheet makes a perfect tie.

Photo: Ruth Dobsevage

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When bedsheets wear out, don't throw them away. They make excellent tomato ties. Old sheets are easily ripped into strips in the direction of the grain, and the strips are so narrow that they can be shortened by hand to the length you need. The soft fabric will support the stems without digging into them.

I connect the tomato stem to the stake in a loose figure-eight wrap and tie with a square knot, then repeat as needed when the plant grows. Tomato vines grow fairly quickly, so it's a good idea to check them every few days and tie up any floppy stems you find.

You can ues the same method for supporting broccoli, Brussels sprouts, sweet peppers, and hot peppers, as well as tall, floppy flowers.

At the end of the growing season, simply cut the ties with a clippers and compost them along with the spent plants.

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