Don't fence me in!

  This is the first year in several that the garden has done well.  If things keep going like they are, the pantry shelves should be restocked by midsummer.  I am happiest about the tomatoes.  There are a dozen plants that are in the ground and probably that many in pots.  I had no ground space left so, in desperation, I am trying to grow them in cheap pots.  So far, those are doing well but it is those "in ground" plants that are surprising me. 

  When I put the plants in the ground, a large tomato crate was placed over each one.  Normally, the crates do a grand job of supporting the plants but this year, the plants outgrew the crates.  For the past two weeks, I have been thinking that the plants would stop growing.  They have not.  These goofy things now tower above my head and are loaded with tomatoes from the ground up!  This is fine and dandy except that the south wind has been rather brisk and the plants were bending over the crate top.  Since they are loaded with tomatoes, some stalks were beginning to break.  That would never do!  I cannot lose my tomatoes!  I have big plans for those things!

  Today, Son went back to the canebrake and cut a bundle of canes.  The bamboo was pushed into the ground and he then started to string each together with some jute twine.  It was my job to gently lift those plants (heavy with tomatoes) and hold them in place while he wrapped the twine.  He wove a nice "fence" for the plants.  Hopefully, this will hold them until the tomatoes ripen.  I imagine that another few wraps of twine will have to be added later if the plants keep getting taller but for now, they look a lot happier.  Their new "fence" was working nicely against the evening breezes.  Now, what am I going to do with those in the pots if they grow this large??