So I'm just about to start cutting to bottom out of said flower buckets to put into grow bags as I did last year. It seems a little silly filling flower buckets with compost and sitting the buckets in grow bags.
Now I know a lot of you lovely grapes just plant your tomatoes in your flower buckets so I'm kinda thinking of tryin' it this year. I'm just a little worried about watering.
My tomato greenhouse is on a lottie so I only water in there in mornings and evenings.
Will this be enough? I used the growbags last year as a reservoir to hold water to last them through the day.

Cheers

Chris when I grew my toms in flower buckets I drilled the holes in the side about an inch from the base so that left a bit of a reservoir at the bottom of the bucket.

Ah now I see why you were asking me. I would say watering daily would do it. That's what I did last year.

Good idea, Bren.

I had 6 holes in the bottom, and when I emptied them out (watered morning and evening too..) the compost at the very bottom was very wet - obviously the holes were too small... so sort of same principle as Bren's I guess

Originally Posted by Bren In Pots

I drilled the holes in the side about an inch from the base so that left a bit of a reservoir at the bottom of the bucket.

That's what I have did to the buckets with new potatoes in Bren then I ran a ban of grease all round just below the holes to stop the slimies getting up/in

I use just buckets, and put in an upside down coke bottle (bottom chopped off) so I can fill that with water to make sure they get a good soak. I watered once a day.

I used trays last year and nearly drowned all my plants, so letting them drain free this time. I water every other day, but since this hot weather arrived I'm watering every day now.

I'm so glad I went to the trouble of making self watering tubs..........

Originally Posted by Bren In Pots

Chris when I grew my toms in flower buckets I drilled the holes in the side about an inch from the base so that left a bit of a reservoir at the bottom of the bucket.

I like this idea Bren so I'll give it a go this year. Thank you!

I think by growing tomatoes this way I can get more than the 20 plants I grew last year \o/

Originally Posted by Bigmallly

I'm so glad I went to the trouble of making self watering tubs..........

Mal your just showing off now mate

Now I've got a GH I grow them in the border with my spares going out in the garden, but I do still grow a coupl eof aubergines in those buckets in my kitchen window.

Originally Posted by Bren In Pots

Now I've got a GH I grow them in the border with my spares going out in the garden, but I do still grow a coupl eof aubergines in those buckets in my kitchen window.

I'm planing on growing sweet/chilli peppers,cucumbers & aubergines in the new greenhouse border Bren but using MFB's with the bottoms cut out so I don't have to keep changing the soil every year. Peppers and aubergines still small though. I'm hoping that they go on a growth spurt now were having some sunshine and its warmed up nicely.

Chris I've got toms, cucumbers and an aubergine in my GH bed but this year I've not changed the soil only because I read the Bob Flowerdew doesn't change his every time. Will have to see if it causes a problem.

Originally Posted by Bren In Pots

Chris I've got toms, cucumbers and an aubergine in my GH bed but this year I've not changed the soil only because I read the Bob Flowerdew doesn't change his every time. Will have to see if it causes a problem.

A old chap on the lottie I talk to quite a lot said to me that the soil would OK for a 2-3 years then you start to run the risk of disease. He's used buckets with the bottoms cut out in his greenhouses raised beds for years that's where I've got the idea from.

Thanks Chris its only my second year in the same soil but I did add the contents of a dalek to it. So I'll try the bottomless bucket/soil next year it sounds easier than the ring culture method using gravel that I was going to do.