Suburban Sell Out? – Tomato Rings & Veggie Cages

A few weeks ago I got an email from a man who imports some  American gardening products – Tomato Rings and Veggie Cages – into Australia.  He had emailed me to ask if I would like some samples.  I have to say I was both flattered – that he had chosen to email me (he probably emailed many others but ignorance is bliss so to speak), and a bit conflicted.  If I said yes (which given they were free and an exciting gardening product was my preferred option), would that mean I was ‘selling out’, giving in to a commercial imperative and compromising the integrity of the blog.  I sat on the email while I thought about it (actually this makes me sound more considered than I actually am – the truth is I kept forgetting to ask the couple of friends I thought I’d sound out on the issue.).  In the end I decided that really it was all too pompous to worry about the blogs integrity and that I really wanted some Tomato Rings to see if they worked.

I duly emailed him and he must have dispatched the rings the next day as in no time at all I found these on my doorstep.

alongside this:

I have yet to do anything with the Veggie Cage as I need to get some more tomato stakes first (a job for tomorrow perhaps…) but I have used both tomato rings.  I have to say they do look very promising.  The idea is that they eliminate the need for plant ties.  You attach them to a stake and then use them to support the plants (kind of give the plants a cuddle so to speak), moving the ring up the plant as it grows.

I do like the simplicity of the design but I would have preferred they didn’t have plastic parts.  Having said that my hose fittings are plastic as are many of my pots so perhaps this me being a bit ‘ideal’ rather than ‘real’ world.  Otherwise I think they look good and so far they are effectively supporting the plants.  Only time will tell if they continue to perform their function for the rest of the season.  I will give an update later on, as well as a report on how the veggie cages work when I use them.  In the meantime if you are interested in acquiring some you can order them via www.cleverproductsonline.com.au.