When I was young they grew tomatoes real close to our home. They were NOT staked; they grew all over the ground. You don't have to stake them, that's just for convenience. We all keep learning. What still makes me ill is how animals are mass slaughtered. I couldn't do that job.I must admit, I still did not know where most of my food came from. When I plant vegetables, I never know how they are going to grow. I mean, I did not know that tomatoes grew on a vine until they started growing. More importantly, I did not know that they grew upward and needed to be staked. I could not buy meat either. Being in that section of the grocery store always made me regurgitate.