Tomato bed question

[FionaH]

Going to try growing toms in a bed this year instead of pots. Question is can I should I dig well rotted horse manure through it now? I have only grown in pots or GH before and used the soil from growbags. Cheers in advance

[Tomatoking]

Going to try growing toms in a bed this year instead of pots. Question is can I should I dig well rotted horse manure through it now? I have only grown in pots or GH before and used the soil from growbags. Cheers in advance

Fiona.

We used well rotted horse manure last year in the polytunnel. (yes we have two girlies) We had a fantastic crop. The trouble with using old grow bags is that the nutrients have been used up or washed out with watering.

Mr TK

[FionaH]

Thanks mate. Manure was very well rotted, about 6 years Have dug a couple of bags through the beds.

[zazen999]

My first tom went into it's final position today! YAY!!!

It was a cutting from last year...the only one where the label went missing so I have no idea which type until it produces.

All mine are in pots, sat on big trays for watering. This year, I have a huge recycling tub which will house about 8 toms, and that cutting is the first in.

[FionaH]

I am going to try growing lots of toms this year, fingers crossed I escape the blight that mullered my outdoors ones last year. Will be my first try at growing them in beds. Will also have some in pots and greenhouse. Spreading my bets so that some survive!

[Paulottie]

Toms do grow better in beds - as the watering is so much more consistent than you can ever achieve in pots...However, they poison their soil very quickly and you need to dig out the greenhouse border and replace topsoil to continuously grow toms in it.

Muck very good to start with ...sturdy plants...but once they are flowering you want woodash(or other) for potassium so they produce fruit rather than leaves.

Outside..avoid blight?....I have achieved one decent crop in 12 years...usually get a few then watch depressed as the whole lot die in a week....but wish you luck!...'Ferline' I found to be the most resistant.

[Bigmallly]

I Was talking to a neighbour yesterday about toms & was asking how his were last year. Mine were grown in GH & were all good, his were outside & he lost the lot with blight. I think I will stick to growing indoors.

[Nykied]

I'm growing mine in hanging baskets. Anyone know hoe many plants to put in per basket? They're 30 and 35cm ones.

[ginger ninger]

I lost most of mine to blight last year, I grew mine in the green house in 30litre bendy buckets, when I get my permanent green house up (when), I'm thinking of having raised beds in, so I'd be interested to know how you get on.

[ginger ninger]

I'm growing mine in hanging baskets. Anyone know hoe many plants to put in per basket? They're 30 and 35cm ones.

I'd put 2 in each basket, they have a large root system ones established and are very thirsty, watch they don't keep drying out, feed them regular when they start to fruit. I grew "Tumbling Tom" 1 red, 1 yellow in a hanging basket last year, I had a good crop of them and they looked great.