Mini trees

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Tomato cages

A “tomato cage” is an inexpensive frame made with galvanized steel wire, usually with three long wires soldered to three hoops of proportionally increasing sizes. In traditional use, the long wires are inserted into the ground around a tomato plant and allow the plant to grow up the wires, with the hoops supporting the vines. Standard round tomato cages have hoops that are 12-, 14 or 18-inches in diameter. Cage heights range from 33-inches to 54-inches. Cages can be found in most home improvement stores, local hardware stores or garden centers.

A tomato-cage Christmas tree takes two tomato cages and inserts them inside one another, offsetting the leg wires so the six wires are evenly spaced. This apparatus is then turned upside down and the two cages are held together with duct tape or zip ties (or both). The six wires are gathered at the top to make a peak.

Christmas lights can then be strung onto this armature.

Many Christmas-lights enthusiasts find that lights strung onto these metal frames can during rain and/or snow trip a GFCI, despite their being no real electrical problem. Two solutions have been used to overcome this problem: wrapping the entire metal frame in plastic film wrap (available at office-supply stores) before stringing lights or setting the tree on a Styrofoam pad.