Growing Tomatoes in Growbags Question

[rootball]

Hi Everyone.
Been growing Tomatoes in containers for some years outside with good success.
This year i want to try growing them in Growbags and wanted to ask you experts:
1. Any suggestions on which Growbags to use/not to use?
2. Do Tomatoes grow well in Growbags?
3. Any suggestion how best to grow in them?

Sure i will need to edit this again later having remembered i forgot to ask something.

grateful for any advice you can give

Thanks
R

[Penellype]

I've tried growing tomatoes in growbags and found them pretty awful. There is not enough depth of compost, they easily dry out and then are impossible to wet, and if you don't pierce the bottoms of the bags they can get waterlogged. I had slightly better results with bottomless pots set into the grow bags, but if you are going to do that it is probably cheaper and easier to simply use pots. In addition if you are using them on a hard surface it can be quite difficult to rig up any form of support for the plants.

For years I bought the big tomato grow bags to use for compost as it was marginally cheaper, but since the change to peat free I haven't tried them, mainly because the local garden centre has changed hands and no longer stocks them.

[Nicos]

Nice to see you again rootball !

I’ve not grown tomatoes in grow bags now for years, but I found they did best for me planted into two stacked on top of each other, obviously cut open and with drainage holes at the bottom.

[rootball]

Hi Penellype, thanks for responding

I was thinking the bags don't seem to be very deep for growing tomatoes and as you say i did think the chance of over/under watering might be a problem. i I use large containers at the moment, what do you thing is the best size pot for tomatoes, needing to change the soil/compost in the lager containers each year is a pain.

[rootball]

Hi Nicos, thanks for remembering me

I am starting to think maybe i should stick to how i grow them now. No need to worry about over/under watering a Growbag

[Penellype]

Hi Penellype, thanks for responding

I was thinking the bags don't seem to be very deep for growing tomatoes and as you say i did think the chance of over/under watering might be a problem. i I use large containers at the moment, what do you thing is the best size pot for tomatoes, needing to change the soil/compost in the lager containers each year is a pain.

I use various sized containers depending on where I am growing the plants. My windowsill plants, which are stopped at 2 or 3 trusses due to height restrictions, are in 3l pots. My greenhouse plants are in Quadgrow pots which are 11l. I have also grown tomatoes in 30l buckets. In general, the smaller the pot the more care is needed not to let them dry out and they need feeding more often. I would not recommend trying to grow a large greenhouse plant in anything much smaller than 10l.

[bramble]

Hi Rootball, I have grown tomatoes in grow bags in the past.
I cut the bag in half and stood them on end, maybe that might work for you,

[Florence Fennel]

The only time I used growbags I stood them upright. I found it difficult to support them on the hard path where they were - luckily they could be tied to the fence behind them. I concluded that I was better off sticking to my usual flower buckets as the yield was no different. Good luck with whatever you decide

[Andraste]

I'd be inclined to keep doing what you're doing as it's working well.

If you 'hug' growbags around the middle so they flop in half it makes it easier to cut them in half & use them as 2 vertical bags.

I second the drainage issue as I had that trouble growing cucumber this way - be sure to make some holes in the sides to around 6" up at least as well as in the bottom

[rootball]

The only time I used growbags I stood them upright. I found it difficult to support them on the hard path where they were - luckily they could be tied to the fence behind them. I concluded that I was better off sticking to my usual flower buckets as the yield was no different. Good luck with whatever you decide

Hi Florence Fennel, thanks for replying.
i have seen a Growbag that is turned on its side and cuts lengthways which seems a better idea than laying them flat.

I think i will get that one a try as a test and also stick to the containers i already use.

[rootball]

I'd be inclined to keep doing what you're doing as it's working well.

If you 'hug' growbags around the middle so they flop in half it makes it easier to cut them in half & use them as 2 vertical bags.

I second the drainage issue as I had that trouble growing cucumber this way - be sure to make some holes in the sides to around 6" up at least as well as in the bottom

Hi Andraste, thanks for the reply

From what has been said here, I'm going to test a Growbag and also stick to the containers I already use, was interested to find out from you experts on here if they worked or not.

[rootball]

Hi Rootball, I have grown tomatoes in grow bags in the past.
I cut the bag in half and stood them on end, maybe that might work for you,

Hi bramble.
I am going to try one bag on its side as you suggest and also use the containers i already use.
Would hate not to have any tomatoes to pick outside my kitchen door.

[rary]

When I used growbags for tomatoes I made a tray which would hold 2 bags with a sheet of polythyne I used 2x2 batons for the sides and ends, placed three rows of of bricks per bag to lift the bags clear of the water then pushed a length of folded paper to act as a wick through the bottom of the bag at each position where I would be planting the tomatoes, once the tomatoes are planted watering in the plants helps start the capillary action and then you just keep a level of water in the tray, feed via the bag, nowadays you can by growbag trays suitable for one bag

[rootball]

Thanks to everyone for responding.

Received the Growbag i ordered. Not used yet, have put it next to the containers i always use, i have to say the bag look a bit ugly need to find a way to hide it

R

[rootball]

Hi Everyone.

Just an update to my post. The Tomato plant in growbag between the two containers i always use. At the moment all plants are growing about the same and starting to flower. Lets see how thing go over the next few months