Whether you planted your tomatoes in April or mid-June, by mid-summer it’s time to think about training and staking strategies. An eight-inch tomato may be dwarfed by a “tomato cage” in June, but by September the cage is usually swallowed up and listing dangerously to one side. The alternative, tying up one central branch to a stake, improves disease resistance, but requires constant vigilance to pinch out all suckers. University of the Virgin Islands provides an excellent illustrated explanation on training tomatoes.