How to Make Tomato Cage Christmas Gnomes For the Holidays
I love gnomes and this was so easy to do! This adorable Christmas gnome decoration is surprisingly easy to make using a tomato cage and some recycled materials.
Keep reading to see how you can bring some festive cheer to your yard in just a few steps!
Tools and materials:
- a tomato cage
- branches from a Christmas tree
- a pair of toddler mittens
- a pair of small leggings or sweater for the hat
- a potato for the nose
- a coat hanger to make the end of the hat droopy
- some wire to attach the nose and mittens
- about 12 zip ties to attach the branches
- a piece of string or ribbon to tie the end of the hat shut
- metal stakes or bricks so it won't topple in the wind
- pruning shears
- a wire cutter.
More DIY Tomato Cage Ideas
1. Turn the Tomato Cage Upside Down
The hardest part was figuring out where to get tomato cages in the winter. If you have some in the garage you're a step ahead of the game. I did find them at my local Menards in the snowy garden center for 95 cents.
Turn the tomato cage upside down with the prongs up.
2. Cut Some Branches
I had trees in my yard so it was easy enough to cut some short lengths of them. But you can also cut the lower branches from your Christmas tree or pick some up at a local tree farm.
3. Attach Branches to the Cage
Attach the branches to the tomato cage with stick end up and the greenery down using zip ties.
4. Create the Hat
Slip the waistband of the leggings over the top with one leg tucked and hidden in itself in back. The other leg will be the long part of the hat. (You can use a sweater if that's what you have but it will need to be pinned in back since it's bulkier.)
Bend a wire coat hanger and slide it into the leg then hook it into the top of the gathered branches. You can then make your hat droopy or upright by bending the hanger that is inside the leg. I tied the end shut with a bit of string.
5. Attach Mittens
We found the small red mittens at the Dollar Tree, I love cheap!
Thread a bit of wire through the back of each mitten then pull the mitten onto some branches to slightly puff it up and twist the wire on a branch to hold it in place.
6. Add a Nose
Poke some wire through the potato then attach it to the tomato cage frame. Pull the hat down so the gnome nose peeks out a little bit under the hat.
Note: I kept my Christmas gnome outdoors from the end of Nov to mid-January and that potato nose didn't rot or fall off so there you have it- a potato nose works fine! But if you prefer you can make a nose using stuffed panty hose.
Kinda gnarly looking I think lol. 
Tomato cage Christmas gnome
Here it is and I think it's going to look fantastic outdoors!
If you live in an area that gets strong winter winds use some ground stakes or bricks to hold down the tomato cage.
Resources for this project:
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Comments
Join the conversation
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Love this little gnome. Instead of using a potato, I would take a pair of old nylon stockings and fill with poly fiber for the nose. A great way to welcome family and friends.
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Yes, that potato has got to go! Cute other-wise.
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He's seriously adorable!!
Frequently asked questions
Have a question about this project?
What's with the potato......??
This is an adorable idea, but worry about potato for the nose, if you put outside does it draw critters & if inside does the potato spoil fast or do you treat it with something to preserve it ?
This is so cute.Where can I get the tomatoe cage?
Thank you for the information.