Tomato Plant Technique

Q: When we set out our tomato plants we put a layer of play sand around the roots one half inch thick by approximately 6" diameter. Last year we tried something different.

I cut the top and bottom off a 1.75 liter plastic liquor bottle which yielded a clear plastic sleeve about 6" in diameter and about 8" long. It was slipped over the starting tomato plant.

This shield appeared to prevent the rabbits or other small animals from snipping off the starting plant. In case of a frost a paper bag could be slipped over the top of the sleeve.

What is your comments regarding this method ?
Bernie

A: Sounds interesting, perhaps unheard of before.

My only comment is that it may get too hot inside the plastic bottle due to the greenhouse effect, and the tomato plant may wilt as a result.

You might want to cut some small openings in the bottle to allow air circulation, but you'll still probably need to monitor the situation a little to make sure the tomato doesn't get "toasted" inside.

The paper grocery bag can indeed help shield the plant from frost, so this sounds like another interesting idea.

Once the plant is big enough where rabbits and other critters might leave it alone, I imagine you can replace this novel protection system with regular tomato cages.