lloyd writes
On Thu, 31 Dec 2009 11:01:07 +0000, K wrote:


Is the grow bag just compost then?

As I understand it, yes. It has added nutrients, but so does JI no2 or
no 3.


Growing in the ground makes it easier to put stakes in to support the
tomatoes.

I just pushed my last ones right through the bag in to the ground
which worked well.

Are you growing them outdoors or in a greenhouse?

Three plants per bag was too crowded, though they
were three different type of tomatoes so I guess that may matter. I
wondered if there was a particular reason for grow bags apart from
convenience, you know like bugs and weeds or toms are real fussy
plants?

They're not particularly fussy. They get greenfly, whitefly (in a
greenhouse) and red spider, but these all come in above ground, not
through the soil, so the growbag offers no protection.

As far as I know, the gro-bag is just a convenient large container
ready-filled with soil. The fact that the plastic comes over the top as
well cuts down on evaporation of water from the soil surface, and
tomatoes take a lot of water.

But if you're growing on soil outside, rather than in a greenhouse or on
a patio, it seems to me to be a good idea to do as you suggest. The
tomatoes will get a better root run, and they won't need quite so much
watering. On the other hand you will need to weed around them, as all
the other plants around will notice this patch of much better compost
and will be doing their best to move in!

But I grow my tomatoes in pots, and am not particularly good at it, so
take all this as contribution to the discussion not definitive advice!
(In other words, I may be completely wrong).

--
Kay