Transform A Tomato Cage Into A Stylish Yard And Garden Feature

Tomato cages are must-haves in gardens full of climbing vines. However, the best way to support a thriving garden is with a DIY customized tomato cage that's better for your plants. Although homemade tomato cages are the best choice for growing greenery, there's also a use for prefabricated designs. Repurpose one of these cone or cylinder-shaped cages to craft an elegant garden feature. When filled with decorative stones, they can be transformed into a gabion-style pillar.

Gabion pillars add aesthetic value to gardens, outdoor seating areas, and other landscaping features. These rock-filled columns seamlessly blend with a natural landscape, adding variety that matches other organic features, like rock edging and pathways. It's a great way to upgrade outdoor decor without breaking away from a natural look. If you're feeling extra creative, you could even combine this idea with another brilliant DIY that transforms old tomato cages into stylish decor.

These builds also have functional value. They're gorgeous to look at while helping stabilize soil and improve drainage in a yard. They don't block water flow but enable it, as water can stream effortlessly between the loosely packed rocks. Therefore, these gabions can be a great benefit to yards if you're capable of the heavy-lifting involved. It does take physical effort to stack the rocks in the tomato cage, though you won't have to operate any heavy tools or perform any precise craftsmanship.

The main perk of creating a gabion pillar out of a tomato cage is that you can keep a design short, modest, and more befitting of a home garden. An average-sized tomato cage, like the Glamos Tomato Cage, is only $2.49 and 3.5 feet tall, making it easy to integrate with other landscape scenery. Just make sure you flip any cages with a cone-like shape upside-down so they get smaller at the top. This ensures there's a wider ring of rocks at the bottom to keep it sturdy and balanced. Also, pick up a metal wire, like the RELIABILT Steel Cable. Wrap this cable around the tomato cage to fill any larger gaps so the rocks won't slip out.

You'll also need a collection of decorative rocks, such as the Beach Pebble Company Multicolor Decorative Rocks. Calculate how many bags you'll need before purchasing. The more pillars you make and the larger the tomato cage, the more stones that are necessary. We recommend medium to large-sized stones so they're easy to lift, but also won't slip out of the tomato cage wires. Start by piling the larger pieces in first, then fill the gaps with the smaller ones.

Build these rock pillars in the spot you want them, as they can't be moved later. As mentioned previously, these formations easily complement a natural landscape. You can set up a standalone pillar, or create a pair of them to border a garden or seating area entryway. Accent the pillars with nearby foliage, wood fencelines, outdoor lanterns, and other classic garden decor. You can also take this DIY to the next level by making a gabion wall as an alternative to a traditional retaining wall.