All the talk of Mini Trees...

[kmc123]

Made me get off my butt and cut my tomato cages up!

I still made them with the "built in stakes", but I may either cut those off and put an insulating barrier under them, or use spray on plasticote or something like that as discussed in the GFCI tripping thread.

I'm just happy to have them all cut to size!

There are 2 pictures of the latest state on my site if interested...

 

[ppohlman]

How are you planning on building yours?

Under your first picture it mentions that you'll be using 2 cages per tree, and on the third picture you mention bringing in the top ring to form a better looking tree.

Are you still planning on using 2 cages per tree? If so, how are you going to pet them together?

I ask because I'm getting to the point of starting to make mine.

 

[kmc123]

How are you planning on building yours?

Under your first picture it mentions that you'll be using 2 cages per tree, and on the third picture you mention bringing in the top ring to form a better looking tree.

Are you still planning on using 2 cages per tree? If so, how are you going to pet them together?

I ask because I'm getting to the point of starting to make mine.

Well - Both are correct.

I am still using 2 cages per tree, which puts 6 vertical spokes per tree instead of 3, and makes it a bit more "round" when wrapping lights, as oppsed to more "triangular" with 3.

(Some have wrapped them with fine mesh chicken wire, but I feel that 6
vertical spokes is good.)

I will cut the top rings, push 2 together "offset" so the 6 legs are evenly spaced, and then zip tie the cut rings and tips.

At this point, I'll be painting them with plasticote or something similar.

Then 4 colors of lights will be wrapped around and zip tied to the stands.

That's the current plan...

 

[blurp]

Sounds like a lot of work.

We just wrapped chicken wire around a single tomato cage, and it also give you plenty of places to zip-tie the lights to. It also makes a perfect cone.

 

[dnesci]

Well - Both are correct.

I am still using 2 cages per tree, which puts 6 vertical spokes per tree instead of 3, and makes it a bit more "round" when wrapping lights, as oppsed to more "triangular" with 3.

Kevin

You might want to consider covering the cages with chicken wire to help with the roundness. It molds easily and if gets you more places to attach the lights. I made 9 the past two months and it went pretty quick. Have a good supply of wire or cable ties. I went through 4,000 4 inch cable ties. A picture is below.