There’s a lot more that goes into growing healthy, delicious tomato plants than just water, sun, and soil. Your garden needs all different kinds of support to thrive!
For tomato plants that can sprawl out horizontally and vertically, support might come in the form of trellising. And depending on where you live and where your garden is located, you might have to battle pests and critters who want to enjoy your tasty tomatoes as much as you do!
Thankfully, there is netting to address both of these problems. Your tomato plants may benefit from two different types of netting: trellis and protective netting.
Trellis netting works to physically support plant growth, while protective or predator netting helps keep your plants safe. These two types of tomato netting have some important differences to consider when choosing the best tomato netting options.
So, keep reading to learn more about the best tomato netting for your garden!
Our Top Picks – Trellis Netting
Best Overall:
Hortonova Trellis Netting
Budget Option:
VIVSOSUN Plant Trellis Netting
Our Top Picks – Bird, Deer, & Insect Netting
Bird Protection Netting:
Ruolan Garden – Bird Netting
Deer Fence:
Feitore Deer Fence Netting
Container Plant Protection:
Alpurple Barrier Netting
Best Overall: Trellis Netting
Hortonova Tomato Trellis Netting
Trellis netting like the Hortonova Trellis Netting is excellent for supporting your plants’ growth while still letting them breathe, helping to reduce the risk of disease harming your tomato plants.
It’s made of rust and UV-resistant polypropylene mesh that can be easily cut to size. Though it requires some extra stakes or poles that aren’t included, the strong mesh material is a great alternative to metal fencing.
And this Hortonova netting comes in several different sizes to fit your needs!
Pros
- Sturdy, durably material
- Multi-directional use
- It helps to reduce disease and fungus growth
Cons
- Requires many additional stakes that are not included
Budget Option Tomato Trellis Netting
VIVSOSUN Plant Trellis Netting
The VIVSOSUN Plant Trellis Netting is made of heavy-duty, braided polyester material perfect for supporting vertical growth and horizontal spacing.
This type of trellis netting is suitable for all different kinds of growing environments, like greenhouses or tents.
While the VIVOSUN netting is prone to sagging and isn’t quite strong enough to hold up heavier plants like squash or melons, it’s perfect for keeping your tomatoes evenly spaced and off the ground.
Pros
- Easy to store
- Large enough squares to reach through and harvest or prune
- Reusable and recyclable
Cons
- Easy to tangle
- Not durable enough to support larger fruits and vegetables
Best Bird Netting for the Garden
Ruolan Netting
Ruolan Netting is a slightly different kind of tomato plant netting. Its job isn’t to physically support your plants but to keep them safe from birds, deer, squirrels, or other critters who may want to snack on your harvest.
This means that the squares in the netting are much smaller and closer together. But, the material is still sturdy, made of polypropylene materials that are rust and rot-resistant.
It’s light but strong, intended to be set up farther away from the plant than trellis netting, where the plant grows through and around the squares for support.
Pros
- Made of non-toxic materials that won’t harm animals
- It comes in many different sizes for different types of plants
- It doesn’t prevent helpful pollinators from coming and going
Pros
- Made of non-toxic materials that won’t harm animals
- It comes in many different sizes for different types of plants
- It doesn’t prevent helpful pollinators from coming and going
Deer Fence Netting
Feitore Fence Netting
The Feitore Fence Netting is great for keeping predators out and letting pollinators in! Whether you need tree, garden, pond, or even chicken coop netting, this product holds up well in all kinds of weather and keeps your plants safe.
Though the material is a bit thin for this protective netting, it’s versatile and easy to install.
Pros
- Versatile and multi-use
- Includes stakes and ties for easy installation
- Weather resistant
Cons
- Thin, less durable wire
- Easy to tangle and snag
Pest Protection for Containter-Planted Tomatoes
Alpurple Barrier Netting
If your problem is smaller predators, the Alpurple Barrier Netting has much smaller square openings to keep out birds and larger instincts and help protect your plants from winter frost and harsh sun.
It features a drawstring design that fits snugly around your plants and requires very little effort to install. However, the Alpurple netting is best suited for smaller, potted plants or trees as opposed to larger gardens.
Pros
- Drawstring design for easy installation
- It can be used indoors or outdoor
- It still allows for aeration and water permeability
Cons
- Not fit for larger, direct-sown gardens
- Larger animals could rip or tear the netting off
Tomato Netting Buyer’s Guide
There are many things to consideer when looking for the right tomato netting. Here are a few things we looked for while making this list.
Material Options
When it comes to selecting the best tomato netting for your garden, either supporting or protective, weighing the material options you have is a good place to start.
While metal or wood fencing are the sturdiest options, nearly impossible for any critters to rip or chew through or for gardening tools to tear through accidentally, they are challenging to install and subject to rust and rot.
Not only are rust and rot a pain to deal with and replace, but they aren’t great for your plants either.
Though less sturdy, mesh netting, like the options shared above, is versatile, easier to install, more resistant to disease and the elements, and easy to replace if need be.
Often, mesh netting is rust, rot, and UV resistant, which metal and wood fencing are not. However, the mesh materials are potentially fragile enough to be accidentally ripped during installation or damaged by animals looking for a snack.
Ultimately, the decision is up to personal preference. Even amongst the mesh netting, there are different material options. However, for ease of installation and upkeep, the reinforced mesh netting is a great option for gardeners of any level.
Ease Of Installation
Even amongst the mesh netting options, there are choices to consider when selecting the best tomato netting product for you. For many, installation is a big factor.
Do you need stakes, poles, nails, staples, or all of the above? Can the tomato netting be installed without any additional tools or supports? Is it easy to take up when it’s time to replace the netting? Does it tangle or tear easily?
These are all things to consider when choosing the best tomato netting. No product is going to be perfect for every person, so it’s helpful to assess which qualities are most important to you before shopping around.
What to Look for in Tomato Netting
First, to choose the best tomato netting for you, you need to decide which type you need. Are you looking for trellis support or protection from predators and pests? Answering this question will help you to narrow down your search.
Next, determine what size you need and how you want to place your netting. Some tomato netting is designed to be used vertically, some horizontally, and some can be used both ways.
The next things you need to assess are the materials and method of installation.
Once you ponder these four factors, you’re ready to make some decisions about the best tomato netting.
Selecting the Best Tomato Netting for Your Garden
Now that you’ve seen some of the different options for tomato netting that you could choose from, you can use this information to help you select the best tomato netting for your gardening needs!
Whether big or small, for trellising or protection, the choices are out there for you to explore.
Tomato Netting Frequently Asked Questions
Which type of tomato netting should I look for?
Your two main choices for tomato netting are trellis netting for growth support and protective netting for pest and predator control. You may need to combine the two!
Why do I need trellising in my garden?
Trellising serves several different purposes for your tomato plants.
First, it helps your tomato plants to grow straight and supported. It also keeps your fruit from drooping and resting on the ground, which leaves them vulnerable to pests, fungus, and disease.
Another benefit is the separation and aeration it gives the plant, keeping the fruit and leaves from crowding one another.
Should I use my netting vertically or horizontally?
The best way to answer this question is to determine which variety of tomato plants you have.
Determinate tomato plants tend to grow in more of a bush shape, closer to the ground, and more spread out horizontally.
Indeterminate tomato plants, also called “vining” tomato plants, tend to grow up taller (you can read more about the difference between determinate and indeterminate tomato plants here).
Understanding this difference can help you choose how to lay out your netting. Determinate plants might do better with horizontal placement, while indeterminate tomato plants might need vertical support.
Which material is best for tomato netting?
The choice in tomato netting can be left up to preference.
Whether polypropylene mesh, polyethylene mesh, polyester mesh, wood, or metal, each has pros and cons depending on the individual gardener and their needs.
It’s key to do some research beforehand to understand which pros and cons are more important to you.
Why does UV resistance matter for my tomato netting?
When it comes to tomato netting, more specifically mesh tomato netting, UV resistance refers to the material’s ability to withstand UV radiation.
This is important to look for and consider in determining the best tomato netting for you because the materials will likely be exposed to a lot of sunlight.
Without the UV resistance, mesh netting will break down much faster outdoors and be exposed to the elements. You will likely have to replace the netting more frequently.
Luckily, most mesh netting made nowadays includes UV protection. But it’s still a key feature to look out for when choosing the best tomato netting!
Now to Choose the Best Tomato Netting for Healthy Plants…
When selecting the best tomato netting for your garden, there are plenty of options.
The purpose, type of plant, materials, and ease of use are all super important factors to consider. We hope we can help you to narrow down your choices on your hunt for the best tomato netting!
Check out our tomato plants page for more information on how to grow and harvest healthy tomatoes.