.. Last year, being new to gardening and allotments, we planted directly
into the soil in the greenhouse but have since learned this is *not a
good idea* in the long term. Last years crop was good, but the
greenhouse had remained unused for a couple of years so the soil had
rested and was disease-free. We are planning to grow tomatoes in pots in
the greenhouse this year. Hence the question about pots. I guess about
30cm across by 30cm deep should do. Too big, too small? OK? .
TIA for any feedback.
--
Paul reply-to is valid

Hi,
Should be ok, place on tray of gravel and water from bottom, you could try
tomato pots which are open at the bottom and place on grow bag giving the
roots the chance of growing deeper into the grow bag, more roots better
plants.
Personally I use two grow bags, with 1 on top of the other and cut the
plastic through to the bottom one. this gives double the food value and
better root system, and less chance of drying out whilst I am at work during
the day, normal day is leave home about 09-30 and arrive back 23-00 or
later, so the plants must look after themselves.

regards
Cineman


"Paul" wrote in message
...
. Last year, being new to gardening and allotments, we planted directly
into the soil in the greenhouse but have since learned this is *not a good
idea* in the long term. Last years crop was good, but the greenhouse had
remained unused for a couple of years so the soil had rested and was
disease-free. We are planning to grow tomatoes in pots in the greenhouse
this year. Hence the question about pots. I guess about 30cm across by 30cm
deep should do. Too big, too small? OK? .
TIA for any feedback.
--
Paul reply-to is valid

cineman wrote:
[...]
Personally I use two grow bags, with 1 on top of the other and cut the
plastic through to the bottom one. this gives double the food value
and better root system, and less chance of drying out whilst I am at
work during the day, normal day is leave home about 09-30 and arrive
back 23-00 or later, so the plants must look after themselves.
[...]

Have you got a good technique for watering growbags? I've always found
it difficult to maintain constant moisture.

--
Mike.

"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
...
cineman wrote:
[...]
Personally I use two grow bags, with 1 on top of the other and cut the
plastic through to the bottom one. this gives double the food value
and better root system, and less chance of drying out whilst I am at
work during the day, normal day is leave home about 09-30 and arrive
back 23-00 or later, so the plants must look after themselves.
[...]

Have you got a good technique for watering growbags? I've always found
it difficult to maintain constant moisture.

--
Mike.

Hi Mike,
Being away from home for so long does make one a little heath robinson-ish
so to speak.
1/ I have used 2 litre pop bottles with those slow drip spouts attached,
these work ok if temperature not too hot in greenhouse, also put water
crystals in bottom grow bag under the tomato plants.
2/ have just purchased a water timer from Aldi which i shall try this year.
3/ I have used continuous drip feed systems straight from water butt outside
greenhouse, these were most effective, they are merely small bore hose with
drip feeders cut into pipe on stems pushed into compost near toms.
4/ The wife when she came home from work, but they were left from 09-30 till
17-00 but as long as the bags were watered early only the tops would dry out
Incidentally, I have used 32mm or 40mm kitchen waste pipe inserted into
bottom grow bag with elbow facing upwards and watered into that that got
the water straight down to where it was needed.
Hope this helps
regards
Cineman.

cineman wrote:
"Mike Lyle" wrote in message
...
cineman wrote:
[...]
Personally I use two grow bags, with 1 on top of the other and cut
the plastic through to the bottom one. this gives double the food
value and better root system, and less chance of drying out whilst
I am at work during the day, normal day is leave home about 09-30
and arrive back 23-00 or later, so the plants must look after
themselves.
[...]

Have you got a good technique for watering growbags? I've always
found it difficult to maintain constant moisture.

--
Mike.

Hi Mike,
Being away from home for so long does make one a little heath
robinson-ish so to speak.
1/ I have used 2 litre pop bottles with those slow drip spouts
attached, these work ok if temperature not too hot in greenhouse,
also put water crystals in bottom grow bag under the tomato plants.
2/ have just purchased a water timer from Aldi which i shall try this
year. 3/ I have used continuous drip feed systems straight from water
butt outside greenhouse, these were most effective, they are merely
small bore hose with drip feeders cut into pipe on stems pushed into
compost near toms. 4/ The wife when she came home from work, but they
were left from 09-30 till 17-00 but as long as the bags were watered
early only the tops would dry out Incidentally, I have used 32mm or
40mm kitchen waste pipe inserted into bottom grow bag with elbow
facing upwards and watered into that that got the water straight
down to where it was needed.
Hope this helps
regards
Cineman.

Nice. Heath Robinson was a true gardener. I've tried the pop bottles,
but just made a hole in the screw cap. Thanks.

--
Mike.

"Paul" wrote in message
...
. Last year, being new to gardening and allotments, we planted directly
into the soil in the greenhouse but have since learned this is *not a
good idea* in the long term.

If you change the soil it would be fine. However toms can be subject
to soil born diseases, and so you need to balance the cost of
the effort of moving the soil around against the cost of a few bags
of growing medium each year and the likely benefits. So you're
probably better with pots or growbags


Last years crop was good, but the
greenhouse had remained unused for a couple of years so the soil had
rested and was disease-free. We are planning to grow tomatoes in pots in
the greenhouse this year. Hence the question about pots. I guess about
30cm across by 30cm deep should do. Too big, too small? OK? .
TIA for any feedback.
--
Paul reply-to is valid


As you will have read from other posts, for some growers at least,
- those who can get the watering right - growbags have made this
question redundant.
What was surprising about the success of growbags is the same
factor which makes your question impossible to answer in a
straightforward way. Because it was always said to be a bad
thing to overpot any growing plant - to give the roots
unlimited scope to grow.
In the old days toms were started individually in 3 inch pots
and moved up in pot size as they grew. However the rate at which
plants grow (size) depends on the weather, temperature etc - whereas
the rate at which they develop - grow their seventh (or whatever)
leaf node and set their first flowers is solely dependant on day
length. In theory in a very bad year - or under the worst cultural
conditions you could grow a very spindly but flowering tomato
plant in a 5" pot. The point being, that's its generally considered
inadvisable to disturb the roots by repotting after the plant starts
setting flower.
However with the success of growbags it seems the previous practice
was wrong and four in. high plants can be set out in say 21T 4ltr or
26T 7.5 ltr pots.(10inch) straightaway. These latter, are about the biggest
size that will be reached under normal conditions in one season, potting
up in stages.

The size of the pot required, is also related to how often the plants
can be watered and fed. A more frequently watered and fed plant will
reach the equivalent height and size in a smaller sized pot.

I'd suggest try more than one method. Try one or two grow bags
buying the best available as it seems pointless to skimp -
and have a look around any skips etc and pick up any odd sizes
of black shrub pots you come across. The prices they charge for
these new is silly - and it's only after you've paid out for 50
of them that you notice how many get thrown away. So pot some
up in stages and plant others direct in the large pots when they're
say 4inch tall. Or as you buy them as plants.

Although there's no denying that pots look better and more
traditional looking than all the gadgets and gizmos designed
to be attached to growbags.

Have fun anyway.



michael adams

....

now with added ring culture

"Paul" wrote in message
...
. Last year, being new to gardening and allotments, we planted directly
into the soil in the greenhouse but have since learned this is *not a
good idea* in the long term.

If you change the soil it would be fine. However toms can be subject
to soil born diseases, and so you need to balance the cost of
the effort of moving the soil around against the cost of a few bags
of growing medium each year and the likely benefits. So you're
probably better with pots or growbags


Last years crop was good, but the
greenhouse had remained unused for a couple of years so the soil had
rested and was disease-free. We are planning to grow tomatoes in pots in
the greenhouse this year. Hence the question about pots. I guess about
30cm across by 30cm deep should do. Too big, too small? OK? .
TIA for any feedback.
--
Paul reply-to is valid


As you will have read from other posts, for some growers at least,
- those who can get the watering right - growbags have made this
question redundant.
What was surprising about the success of growbags is the same
factor which makes your question impossible to answer in a
straightforward way. Because it was always said to be a bad
thing to overpot any growing plant - to give the roots
unlimited scope to grow.
In the old days toms were started individually in 3 inch pots
and moved up in pot size as they grew. However the rate at which
plants grow (size) depends on the weather, temperature etc - whereas
the rate at which they develop - grow their seventh (or whatever)
leaf node and set their first flowers is solely dependant on day
length. In theory in a very bad year - or under the worst cultural
conditions you could grow a very spindly but flowering tomato
plant in a 5" pot. The point being, that's its generally considered
inadvisable to disturb the roots by repotting after the plant starts
setting flower.
However with the success of growbags it seems the previous practice
was wrong and four in. high plants can be set out in say 21T 4ltr or
26T 7.5 ltr pots.(10inch) straightaway. These latter, are about the biggest
size that will be reached under normal conditions in one season, potting
up in stages.

The size of the pot required, is also related to how often the plants
can be watered and fed. A more frequently watered and fed plant will
reach the equivalent height and size in a smaller sized pot.

I'd suggest try more than one method. Try one or two grow bags
buying the best available as it seems pointless to skimp -
and have a look around any skips etc and pick up any odd sizes
of black shrub pots you come across. The prices they charge for
these new is silly - and it's only after you've paid out for 50
of them that you notice how many get thrown away. So pot some
up in stages and plant others direct in the large pots when they're
say 4inch tall. Or as you buy them as plants.

Forgot to add any mention of ring culture. The theory behind ring
culture is that you water the toms from below, with water,
and feed them form the top with dilute liquid feed. You stand
bottomless pots on gravel (in trays etc, or a plastic lined trench)
and the roots go down into the gravel and so the water level shouldn't
be such as to reach the bottom of the compost. Otherwise it would be
permanently saturated. You can spend a fortune on all-in-one plastic
wonder gizmos which mimic this process by having a resoirvoir at the
bottom of the pots.
Or you can spend years experimenting with trays of gravel and bits of
pld net curtain etc until you finally succeed in stopping the compost
from gradully all seeping into the gravel underneath.
Hydroponics where you grow the toms in a totally sterile medium such
as rock-wool where you can carefully control the water content and the
minerals etc being made available to the plants - and thus controlling
the final flavour with greater accuracy, can also be a geat time
waster for the less than wholly committed.
Or you can just stick with Growbags etc.



Although there's no denying that pots look better and more
traditional looking than all the gadgets and gizmos designed
to be attached to growbags.

Have fun anyway.



michael adams

....

In article , Paul
writes
. Last year, being new to gardening and allotments, we planted directly
into the soil in the greenhouse but have since learned this is *not a
good idea* in the long term. Last years crop was good, but the
greenhouse had remained unused for a couple of years so the soil had
rested and was disease-free. We are planning to grow tomatoes in pots
in the greenhouse this year. Hence the question about pots. I guess
about 30cm across by 30cm deep should do. Too big, too small? OK? .
TIA for any feedback.

I use a combination of two things for toms in the greenhouse. A growbag
with a large inverted plastic plant pot on top (with its bottom cut out)
- and the sides pushed a little way into the growbag medium. This
allows you to use a bit more soil than just the growbag, getting roots
to grow a bit further up the tom stem. It also allows you to water
quickly (although from the top).

The other toms I just buy the cheap (but strong) black builder's buckets
from DIY sheds - and drill a few holes in the bottom.

--
regards andyw

michael adams wrote:
snip


As you will have read from other posts, for some growers at least,
- those who can get the watering right - growbags have made this
question redundant.
What was surprising about the success of growbags is the same
factor which makes your question impossible to answer in a
straightforward way. Because it was always said to be a bad
thing to overpot any growing plant - to give the roots
unlimited scope to grow.
snip

We grow our own home-use tomatoes in growbags with great success. Ray
strings them up to overhead wires to give them some support, if needed.
They get a splash of water morning and night in hot weather and that
is from a hose which is attached to a feed diluter, used on all plants
in that greenhouse. We seem to get good crops each year so, yes, I'd
certainly endorse the growbag idea, though I was sceptical at first.
--
Sacha
www.hillhousenursery.co.uk
South Devon

"michael adams" wrote in message
...

"Paul" wrote in message
...
. snip

I might add that if the weather is warm and sunny , the compost in bags or
pots tends to dry out quicker thus requiring watering and feeding more
regularly, This has the effect of allowing more feed availble to the plants,
than in a wet cool summer, which limits the amount of water/liquid feed one
is able to give the plants,
What I suppose I am saying is that a dry warm sunny summer will give better
quality fruits as plants can readily/regularly take up feed.
Oh well, its late
Night all

regards
Cineman
As you will have read from other posts, for some growers at least,
- those who can get the watering right - growbags have made this
question redundant.
What was surprising about the success of growbags is the same
factor which makes your question impossible to answer in a
straightforward way. Because it was always said to be a bad
thing to overpot any growing plant - to give the roots
unlimited scope to grow.
In the old days toms were started individually in 3 inch pots
and moved up in pot size as they grew. However the rate at which
plants grow (size) depends on the weather, temperature etc - whereas
the rate at which they develop - grow their seventh (or whatever)
leaf node and set their first flowers is solely dependant on day
length. In theory in a very bad year - or under the worst cultural
conditions you could grow a very spindly but flowering tomato
plant in a 5" pot. The point being, that's its generally considered
inadvisable to disturb the roots by repotting after the plant starts
setting flower.
However with the success of growbags it seems the previous practice
was wrong and four in. high plants can be set out in say 21T 4ltr or
26T 7.5 ltr pots.(10inch) straightaway. These latter, are about the
biggest
size that will be reached under normal conditions in one season, potting
up in stages.

The size of the pot required, is also related to how often the plants
can be watered and fed. A more frequently watered and fed plant will
reach the equivalent height and size in a smaller sized pot.

I'd suggest try more than one method. Try one or two grow bags
buying the best available as it seems pointless to skimp -
and have a look around any skips etc and pick up any odd sizes
of black shrub pots you come across. The prices they charge for
these new is silly - and it's only after you've paid out for 50
of them that you notice how many get thrown away. So pot some
up in stages and plant others direct in the large pots when they're
say 4inch tall. Or as you buy them as plants.

Although there's no denying that pots look better and more
traditional looking than all the gadgets and gizmos designed
to be attached to growbags.

Have fun anyway.



michael adams

...

On Wed, 22 Mar 2006 22:36:05 GMT, "cineman"
wrote:

1/ I have used 2 litre pop bottles with those slow drip spouts attached,
these work ok if temperature not too hot in greenhouse, also put water
crystals in bottom grow bag under the tomato plants.

I've used this in the past and found that the drip spouts are not
required. Just push the bottle firmly into the soil and the soil
compresses into the neck providing a slow water release. With the
bottom cut off the bottle this then makes it work just like a slow
funnel. It also makes it easier to water as you can add a measured
amount of water as you jusr fill each bottle and know they have each
had two litres / one litre / whatever.

2/ have just purchased a water timer from Aldi which i shall try this year.

I tried these but actually found them to be a pain to set up I might
revisit this idea this summer in conjunction with the following

3/ I have used continuous drip feed systems straight from water butt outside
greenhouse, these were most effective, they are merely small bore hose with
drip feeders cut into pipe on stems pushed into compost near toms.

How reliable a flow rate do you find this gives? Does it depend on
(and vary) according to the head of water in the butts? I'm tempted to
try something like this over the summer but I still think it might run
short if the head falls too far. The other thing I found was that the
drip heads are unreliable, sometimes they flood, sometimes they block
etc so I still had to check everything by hand anyway!