http://tomato-tips.com/japanese-tomato-ring.html

Japanese Tomato Ring – Improve Your Tomato Plant Yields

Tomato gardeners are always on the lookout for ways to improve tomato plant yield. Actually invented here in the US, it's still a great way to create an intensive tomato garden. Here's a look at this classic technique to increase tomato plant yields.

Learn an Unusual Tomato Growing Technique
By Jolene Christopherson

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This plan involves wire mesh fencing standing 4' to 6' tall, placed in a sunny location and forming a circle in the ground. That circle should be placed in such a way as to form a 5' to 6' diameter. Turn and work the soil within the circle down to about 8". Level the soil and place on top of it a layer of compost/mulch, soil and fertilizer. Another optional mix would be leaves, compost/mulch, dolomite lime and fertilizer. Repeat the layering process with your chosen mix a second time. The top of the final layer should be concave and sit just approximately 2" from the top of the fence. This is the main watering focal point once the roots of your plants have been established..

more @ link:
http://tomato-tips.com/japanese-tomato-ring.html

Well, I am confused... seems to this old engineer, that a 6 foot high by 5 foot diameter cage is gonna take a TON of soil, compost etc...then, if I git it right, ya plant the tomato plants ouside the "Ring" on the ground, whidh you never were told to improve or amend! Then as the plants grow, you are supposed to strap the plants to the side of the cage???

I must have missed something. I have reread the OP, and looked at both links...still don't understand. Can't find any other Pics on the web, either.! Wouldn't the Cage shadow the plants, at least one of them, maybe more? I am sure I just don't have it in my mind's eye correctly.

and i thought it was just me. sounds like you put all your fertilizer in the cage, work the soil for a few hours and then plant them in the neighbors yard! hahah maybe im missing something too.

Good article with pictures of the growing process.
http://www.jerseybites.com/2008/06/tomato-ring/


How to Make a Japanese Tomato Ring
http://www.doityourself.com/stry/how-to ... omato-ring

Planning to use the Japanese Tomato Ring
http://www.gardendesk.com/2011/05/plann ... -ring.html

Yes, but why is it called a ring one side of the contraption would shade out the plants on the other side right?

I think I will just stick to growing my tomatoes the traditional way, I have high yields and with a lot less work. Sometimes reinventing the wheel is not really a good idea.

seem like a reasonable idea

a place to do more compost piles and grow plants

Doc.

I hadn't thought of decorating my compost heaps with plants... Hmm... Sounds OK... But why Japanese Tomatoes?

Bidadisndat wrote:I hadn't thought of decorating my compost heaps with plants... Hmm... Sounds OK... But why Japanese Tomatoes?

Japanese tomato ring = plant tomatoes around the compost heaps.

We had huge tomatoes growing volunteer around them for years. It's nice to know someone bothered to name the idea.

Reminds me of grandmas always saying to place the compost piles uphill above the garden.

Since it's a U.S. idea, I guess I'm not surprised to have never seen this in Japan.

I know horseradish does real well around the compost pile, too.