Nature Helps The Lazy

Birds can see them too!

Nature loves lazy gardeners. 

If you stake your tomatoes, the fruit are easier to see and to reach when picking.  They are also easier for the birds to eat.

If you stake your tomatoes, you will probably also be weeding them more often because the plant won't be able to shade out as many weeds.  This is just a cop out.  Lazy gardeners have tons of weeds.

Look closely to see roots growing from the stem into the ground.

If you stake your tomatoes, the plants will be smaller and require more regular watering because the root system will not benefit from layering - the process where a branch that is in contact with the soil puts down roots.  This is a major form of reproduction for azaleas and forsythias but tomatoes use it to get more food and water more quickly, thus developing into larger, stronger plants.

If you mulch your watermelon and squash...

We mulched.

it doesn't layer as often either.  When a squash roots into the ground, it creates a back-up root system that works like a back-up generator.  When the squash plants get squash vine borers, and they will if you live near me, the plant doesn't have a back-up root system to switch to when the power goes out on the first one.

Didn't layer.

In addition, squash bugs and crickets LLOOVVEE mulch.

If you don't stake and mulch, your garden won't be blogging.  You will have some black spots when the weather is humid.  You will need to wear long pants to pick your produce.

Then you can go back into the air conditioning and sit down because you are a slacker with tomatoes.