Great success last year, well they grew for me so that is a rarity in
itself. Couple questions. I think three plants in a bag is too much,
perhaps two would be better? Could I dig a hole big enough for the bag
contents and then grow from there, or does the bag itself have some
protective role too?

What do you think?

lloyd writes
Great success last year, well they grew for me so that is a rarity in
itself. Couple questions. I think three plants in a bag is too much,
perhaps two would be better? Could I dig a hole big enough for the bag
contents and then grow from there, or does the bag itself have some
protective role too?

If you grow in a hole, then you might find bagged up compost cheaper
than a gro-bag. Or then again you might not. A couple of years ago, I
think someone mentioned on here that one of the sheds was doing a
special offer on gro-bags which meant that, volume for volume, it was
cheaper than buying compost in bags.

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


--
Kay

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

lloyd writes
Great success last year, well they grew for me so that is a rarity in
itself. Couple questions. I think three plants in a bag is too much,
perhaps two would be better? Could I dig a hole big enough for the bag
contents and then grow from there, or does the bag itself have some
protective role too?

If you grow in a hole, then you might find bagged up compost cheaper
than a gro-bag.

Thank you

Is the grow bag just compost then?

Or then again you might not. A couple of years ago, I
think someone mentioned on here that one of the sheds was doing a
special offer on gro-bags which meant that, volume for volume, it was
cheaper than buying compost in bags.

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. 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?

On Thu, 31 Dec 2009 11:16:55 +0000, lloyd wrote:

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. 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?

You can use grow bags on a concrete base

--
®óñ© © ²°¹°

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

lloyd writes
Great success last year, well they grew for me so that is a rarity in
itself. Couple questions. I think three plants in a bag is too much,
perhaps two would be better? Could I dig a hole big enough for the bag
contents and then grow from there, or does the bag itself have some
protective role too?

If you grow in a hole, then you might find bagged up compost cheaper
than a gro-bag.

Thank you

Is the grow bag just compost then?

I think they have more nutrients than general purpose compost. They
certainly whiff a bit if you remove the contents

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

On Thu, 31 Dec 2009 11:59:35 +0000, K wrote:

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).

LOL sounds good to me though

On 31/12/2009 11:01, K wrote:
lloyd writes
Great success last year, well they grew for me so that is a rarity in
itself. Couple questions. I think three plants in a bag is too much,
perhaps two would be better? Could I dig a hole big enough for the bag
contents and then grow from there, or does the bag itself have some
protective role too?

If you grow in a hole, then you might find bagged up compost cheaper
than a gro-bag. Or then again you might not. A couple of years ago, I
think someone mentioned on here that one of the sheds was doing a
special offer on gro-bags which meant that, volume for volume, it was
cheaper than buying compost in bags.

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



"Which" recommended source for peat-free compost is New Horizon
gro-bags. (easy to carry on a bike as well).

The folk wisdom, is that tomato plants do not do well if grown in the
same soil for several years - whether due to specific nutrient depletion
or pathogen build up is not clear.

Paul

--
CTC Right to Ride Rep. for Richmond upon Thames

On Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:25:16 +0000, Paul Luton
wrote:

On 31/12/2009 11:01, K wrote:
lloyd writes
Great success last year, well they grew for me so that is a rarity in
itself. Couple questions. I think three plants in a bag is too much,
perhaps two would be better? Could I dig a hole big enough for the bag
contents and then grow from there, or does the bag itself have some
protective role too?

If you grow in a hole, then you might find bagged up compost cheaper
than a gro-bag. Or then again you might not. A couple of years ago, I
think someone mentioned on here that one of the sheds was doing a
special offer on gro-bags which meant that, volume for volume, it was
cheaper than buying compost in bags.

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



"Which" recommended source for peat-free compost is New Horizon
gro-bags. (easy to carry on a bike as well).

The folk wisdom, is that tomato plants do not do well if grown in the
same soil for several years - whether due to specific nutrient depletion
or pathogen build up is not clear.

Now you mention it is that not the way with all crops, they require
rotation? I wonder who does in their own garden?

lloyd writes
Now you mention it is that not the way with all crops, they require
rotation? I wonder who does in their own garden?

I do. Even when I was only growing a few things, I'd move them around
from year to year.
--
Kay

On Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:25:16 +0000, Paul Luton
wrote:

The folk wisdom, is that tomato plants do not do well if grown in the
same soil for several years - whether due to specific nutrient depletion
or pathogen build up is not clear.

I've grown tomatoes in the same greenhouse soil for at least 18 years.

At the end of the season I skim off the top 2 inches and chuck onto
the garden. Then I sterilise the glass and soil thoroughly, leave for
3 weeks and then turn over the soil. In February I add 6x or similar
compost and perhaps a couple of bags of sterilised topsoil and
lightly dig over again with a few handfuls of Growmare for luck.

Tomorite and Miracle-gro are administered at the fruiting stage.

Touch wood quickly, I've had satisfactory crops with minimal pathogens
until now although I do grow mostly resistant F1s

Mind you, for the first time in 12 years or so, my cucumbers grown in
the same substrate were crap last year.

--
(¯`·. ®óñ© © ²°¹° .·´¯)

On Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:50:54 +0000, ®óñ© © ²°¹°-°¹
wrote:

On Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:25:16 +0000, Paul Luton
wrote:

The folk wisdom, is that tomato plants do not do well if grown in the
same soil for several years - whether due to specific nutrient depletion
or pathogen build up is not clear.

I've grown tomatoes in the same greenhouse soil for at least 18 years.

At the end of the season I skim off the top 2 inches and chuck onto
the garden. Then I sterilise the glass and soil thoroughly, leave for
3 weeks and then turn over the soil. In February I add 6x or similar
compost and perhaps a couple of bags of sterilised topsoil and
lightly dig over again with a few handfuls of Growmare for luck.

Tomorite and Miracle-gro are administered at the fruiting stage.

Touch wood quickly, I've had satisfactory crops with minimal pathogens
until now

What's that in this context, and how do you know you have it? You're
scaring me now maybe I should stick to tins!

lloyd writes

What's that in this context, and how do you know you have it? You're
scaring me now maybe I should stick to tins!

Only things which will affect the tomato's growth, not things which are
dangerous to you!

If you're getting good crops of tomatoes, there's nothing to worry
about.

--
Kay

"®óñ© © ²°¹°-°¹" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:25:16 +0000, Paul Luton
wrote:

The folk wisdom, is that tomato plants do not do well if grown in the
same soil for several years - whether due to specific nutrient depletion
or pathogen build up is not clear.

I've grown tomatoes in the same greenhouse soil for at least 18 years.

At the end of the season I skim off the top 2 inches and chuck onto
the garden. Then I sterilise the glass and soil thoroughly, leave for
3 weeks and then turn over the soil. In February I add 6x or similar
compost and perhaps a couple of bags of sterilised topsoil and
lightly dig over again with a few handfuls of Growmare for luck.

Tomorite and Miracle-gro are administered at the fruiting stage.

Touch wood quickly, I've had satisfactory crops with minimal pathogens
until now although I do grow mostly resistant F1s

What are 'pathogens'?

Alan

On Sat, 2 Jan 2010 22:09:36 -0000, "alan.holmes"
wrote:


"®óñ© © ²°¹°-°¹" wrote in message
.. .
On Thu, 31 Dec 2009 15:25:16 +0000, Paul Luton
wrote:

Tomorite and Miracle-gro are administered at the fruiting stage.

Touch wood quickly, I've had satisfactory crops with minimal pathogens
until now although I do grow mostly resistant F1s

What are 'pathogens'?

In this context, air and soil-borne fungus spores, wood lice and ants.

--
(¯`·. ®óñ© © ²°¹° .·´¯)