I'm not sure what you are trying to do. Are you wanting to build a cage around each tomato, or are you trying to build some sort of trellis that you will attach the plants to?

I have never tried to support my tomatoes with those materials. Maybe you could do a search on the tomato forum for 'tomato support' and you should find lots of threads on the subject with photos included, I would think.

You don't say what varieties of tomatoes you are growing or whether they are determinate or indeterminate. But assuming you're talking about the vining types, I use the Florida Weave method to stake my tomatoes. It's about creating a string trellis between two sturdy posts that you build as the plants grow.

Here's a photo of mine about mid-way through the season, but you can find better pictures of the method by doing an internet search:

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Note that I said "sturdy posts". I'd started with 6' redwood 2X2 posts and found my tomatoes quickly outgrew them. I'm now using metal fencing t-posts, 8' in length driven into the ground a solid 2 feet and some varieties will still put a lot of weight on the posts.

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I have seen photos on this forum (look at the post that says "Is it too early to post photos of your garden?"). I've seen someone use twine vertically as a trellis, more as you are describing, but I'm not sure you can make it out of bamboo.

The only limit is your imagination. Each time you build with bamboo, it will get better.

The simplest will be a tee-pee. Tie 3 or 4 poles together, about 8 inches or so down from the top. Spread the legs out and decide what kind of support your going to need to do the job. In ground, this is best secured with a piece of re-bar driven in next to one of the legs, then lashed to that leg. In a pot, the side of the pot tend to hold stuff together pretty well with maybe a wooden stake in there somewhere..

Problem there is the fact that things get too bushy at the top, so it tends to cause you to start pruning the tomatoes. Less harvest then obviously.

Making grids with the bamboo can work well too. Either one big grid, with the tomato espaliered to it, or several smaller grids to be put together like Legos.. into any shape you want. Four long rectangles would give you a column or three long rectangles might be nice, since that gives an open front side.

Anytime a square or rectangle gets wobbly, just add some triangulation to it, and things firm right up.

Bamboo stakes in the ground will only last a season , most likely. But above ground I generally figure about 3 years, unless it's a shape and plant that goes down in winter, that allows me to pull up sections and store in the shed. But this all works out perfectly becasue after awhile, I've imagined a much better shape, so out with the old.

Found one link I saved last winter when I was looking for inspiration.
And a picture I saved to remember to add the extra grids through the middle on some of mine this year. That one is with twigs, but no difference besides the attachment points. Sorry I can't link to that one, but I'm showing it anyway because it's just so perfect. If I remember where it was, I'll edit this post and link for you.

Here is a link that might be useful: This Old House site

This post was edited by plaidbird on Thu, Jun 19, 14 at 19:07

Yeah, found the site with great lashing techniques for our bamboo.
You can print out the ones hard to remember and have it next to you when first trying one.

Here is a link that might be useful: Learn Lashing and Make Your Own Garden Trellises

and for those of you just reading along, check out this structure. When I get really, really good, I must try this. I've got vines too, so it's a matter of where it belongs in my garden. :)

Here is a link that might be useful: Awsome project in the UK

I've been using bamboo trellis systems for years...early on it was a method of tending climbers if dealing with high winds like i have...beans and toms
A bit of bamboo and a roll of twine...

Here is a link that might be useful: bamboo trellis ideas

You can make a simple trellis from 2 by 3 by (6',8', ..)
then screw hooks inside the frame and run twine, to make it like a net.
Here is a sketch I made with PAINT.