Tomato rings and cones
Open
Set a cone while the plant is young and tie branches around the outside so the interior gets light
Contain
Indoors, a 4 to 5 foot (1.2 to 1.5 m) cone keeps a sativa from walking into its neighbor
Invert
A ring set upside down in the ground can hold ties that pull limbs out
Ties
Twist ties or plastic tape. Leave slack for stem thickening
Ropes and grape-style rows
Lines
Stretch rope between posts about one foot (30 cm) apart
Flat
Tie each branch to a line so the plant has almost no depth and every shoot sits in light
Perimeter
Stakes around a plant with rope around the posts keep the canopy inside a footprint
Frames
Metal or wood around the outside supports limbs and stops them from collapsing inward
Netting and screens
Chicken wire
Attach mesh to a frame and clip new growth to it as it rises
Framed net
Put the net in before the plant hits final height so swelling buds rest in squares instead of folding over
Soft ties
Cloth, tape, or string. Hard wire against a stem will cut in
Air
A spread canopy dries faster than a knotted ball of branches
When to install
Before stretch
Flower stretch will add height and weight. A late net fights you
One job
Support is not optional on heavy colas. Bamboo and a twist tie save a snapped top
Walk the room
After tying, check that air still moves through the middle, not only around the edges
Adjust
Re-tie as stems thicken. Yesterday's snug knot is today's girdle