Velcro - the plant saver!

Velcro is amazing!  This stuff can hold your clothes and shoes on, your wallet closed, and hold your tomatoes up!  Yes - it has great uses in the greenhouse and garden.  It is easily reused, and is gentle on your plants.  I learned this trick from my mom at Snowfire Gardens (www.snowfiregardens.net) and it requires the double sided velcro.  I was able to score a package at the local thrift store for 75 cents.  Always check the thrift store for items such as this.  I have been able to find a lot of it over the years in the sewing section! 

I was able to cut the strips in half from this package so I get twice the number of plant supports.

Gently wrap one slice of Velcro around the plant and the plant stake and stick the ends together.  make sure you dont have the wrap too tight and cause the plant to damage itself as it grows.

These can be re-used every year and they make it easy to undo and re-adjust your support system as your plants grow.  This is a friendly way to keep tomatoes, cukes, and even pepper plants growing in the direction you need them to go!   Especially helpful with the indeterminate tomato plants that tend to try to escape from the greenhouse.  I like these much better than the little twist ties that have the metal in the center (they rust and leave marks on the plants, and I think they can introduce disease), and they are easier to use than plain strips of fabric that you have to knot and untie each time you need to adjust something.

 

The strips are also washable should you ever (hopefully not) get any type of virus or fungus - just throw them in with the wash in a cheesecloth bag and dry on the line.  Store them in an airtight container so they dont collect dust and mites during the winter and you will have an easy time holding up anythint you need to!  Happy growing!