Cattle panels - not just for cattle!

Thanks to another time-sucking website - a.k.a. Pinterest - I have discovered something very 'pinteresting'.  Cattle panels!  I knew of their existence prior to seeing them on this fun little site, however, they were, in my eyes, previously reserved for my cattle farming neighbors that are dotted up and down our pretty little valley.  No, no.  They are not just for the cattle farmers.  They are for you and they are for me.  Look at all the fun things you can do with a cattle panel!

Thankfully I made this discovery before the 2012 growing season.  I've been trying to solve a tomato support problem for many years now -  without spending a million dollars.  I once had a client who let me purchase these Texas Tomato Cages for his garden.  They were truly fantastic and I highly recommend them if you can afford the price.  I am however, trying to find a better way to make tomato support happen on a shoestring budget.  I like to grow an indeterminate type of tomato called San Marzano.  It's great for sauces and processing which is mainly what I like to do with a tomato since I can't stand to eat one raw (crazy, I know!).  So, by the end of July, these tomatoes are growing like drunken fools, sprawled out all over the place.  They need assistance and those little round cages you get at one of the big box stores ain't gonna cut it!

So, cattle panels it is.  So far, so good.

I purchased 3 panels from our local hardware store and sandwiched two rows of San Marzanos between them.  I plan to tie them to the panels and place side supports through the panel slots as needed (if needed).  The triangular support to the right of the rows I made with the excess panel material that I cut off from the ends.  I zip-tied them together and the resulting structure is VERY sturdy.  That lone tomato is a 'Juliet' which I planted for the husband.  It's a grape-type that's a great little snack (if you like raw tomatoes!).  

These panels appear to be able to withstand the test of time.  They're tough and heavy though, so heads up.  You will also need a good pair of bolt cutters if you plan to trim them down.  The best part is that there will be no storage issues after the growing season is over.  I plan on resting them against the garden fence for the winter.  Voilà!