Help-Advice please!

**rustylady** · 07-11-2010, 05:20 PM

Everyone has their own way of doing things. I used to use growbags, but now I grow my tomatoes in "longtom" pots sat in/on a trough filled with MCP. Better reserves of water I find, so less splitting of fruit.

**pauco** · 07-11-2010, 05:37 PM

Originally posted by rustylady View Post

Everyone has their own way of doing things. I used to use growbags, but now I grow my tomatoes in "longtom" pots sat in/on a trough filled with MCP. Better reserves of water I find, so less splitting of fruit.

Thanks for your reply.

**Glutton4...** · 07-11-2010, 05:44 PM

I prefer a growbag, cut in half, and each half stood on end. So, in effect, you have two bags of compost, and I put one plant in each. They do need potting on to largeish pots before transferring to the bags though, which is a bit of a faff, but it works for me. That way they have a deeper root-run, which they seem to prefer, and they dry out a lot less than when laying flat. Very handy if I'm busy and can't manage to water them for a day or so.

**chris** · 07-11-2010, 07:18 PM

That's a great tip, G4! I'll have to try that next season!

I just grow my tomatoes in pots - potting on as required until they're in the larger Sanjay tomato pots. Not sure of the size, 30cm maybe?

A lot of people us the flower buckets that you can get either free or very cheap from your local supermarket ( the ones with the bouquets of flowers in ).

How about trying a couple ways of each? Your old method and the new one you're suggesting? You can see what works for you then.

**pauco** · 08-11-2010, 11:28 AM

Food for thought in both replys. thanks.

**BUFFS** · 11-11-2010, 09:52 PM

grow them in pots,by all means,i then put a bucket beside them and bury one end of an old towel under the rootball,if warm,dry weather forecast,i just drop other end into the waterfilled bucket = no drought stress or watering worries, the plant draws what it requires,i was shown this method quite a few years ago,too long to remember exactly..

**Wendie** · 17-11-2010, 08:33 PM

hi Pauco.

I too have used pots for my toms. It was my second year for growing this year and a great success too. The pots dry out really easily so need plenty of watering. i kept three toms outside and 3 toms in a plastic greenhouse. It was like a forest inside and I had trouble getting in to water them. Even so, I had hundreds of tomatoes of 6 plants, they thrived really well.

I would have a go at both - at least then you've tried for yourself.

Wendie

**Gearoid** · 17-11-2010, 11:02 PM

I just use big pots with multipurpose compost and my tomatoes always do well.

At the risk of stating the obvious, the reason why grow pots on top of growing bags is recommended is because tomato plants have their nutrient roots near the top of the root ball, but the moisture roots are towards the bottom. So the idea is that you put your feed in the grow pot for the top roots, then water the grow bag for the bottom roots and the result should be a better crop.

**Tomatoking** · 18-11-2010, 08:18 AM

Originally posted by rustylady View Post

Everyone has their own way of doing things. I used to use growbags, but now I grow my tomatoes in "longtom" pots sat in/on a trough filled with MCP. Better reserves of water I find, so less splitting of fruit.

I would say this is one of the best ways to grow tomatoes, the trouble with grow bags is that they need slow drip watering to get the best out of them, and like Rustylady says there is plenty of reserve her way, with less chance of splitting or blossom end rot.

**Fred Perry** · 07-01-2011, 12:38 PM

I use black pots from ASDA, the ones the flowers are in, used all kinds of different fillings and sit them on plastic paint lids, works for me and makes tidying the greenhouse esier.
I keep all the mixed soil for putting Potato's and Carrots in.
All the best to all,
F P

**Florence Fennel** · 07-01-2011, 03:09 PM

I've used Asda flower buckets (free) for the last 4 years, but for 2 years I have had disasters with them being blown over, especially when they have dried out too much, so I'm looking this year to erect some kind of "scaffolding" to prevent the wind getting them again. I've still had loads of fruit, so the bucket system is ok.

**binley100** · 07-01-2011, 04:55 PM

I used growbags cut in half and stood on end, (like G4) no problem with splitting .......then sowed some carrots in them afterwards.....which were eaten by a snail

**ginger ninger** · 07-01-2011, 05:55 PM

I use small bendy buckets...the ones builders use. The handles are great if ya need to move ya tomatoes, but remember to put holes in the bottom or they get water logged...not that I did that the first time I used them

**GREASEMONKEY** · 09-01-2011, 12:23 AM

Hi,I too am new to growing vegs,but I did use to florist type pots for toms,and like ginger, I went to Asda and bought loads of the colored flexible buckets with the handles on for other vegs ,so they can be moved around the garden with reletive ease.Just remember to drill holes in! Happy Gardening.

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