Tomato experiment

[Snadger]

For the last three years I've grown my toms and suchlike in raised beds in the greenhouse. Each year i've double dug the beds and beefed the soil up with old potting compost and manure.
This year rather than suffer diminished returns and because I don't want to replace the bedsoil completely I'm fancying trying something new.
I intend purchasing cheap growbags to lie on the bedsoil with holes in the bottom allowing any roots if they so wish to find there way into the existing soil.
In effect i will be using a ring culture system on soil. I can still use canes punctured through the bags to give support. Only worry is slugs and snalils which will hide under the bags!

Nothing ventured nothing gained.

[lottie dolly]

Sounds like a plan,ask for the slimy things,leave a little something for them,if not pellets,booze in container,yeast,at least inside should be better than outside,well mine is,only the odd ones,

[Lisasbolt]

Goodluck, i didn´t think snails and slugs liked tomatoes that much, especially if there is something else on offer.
Back in the UK i always did all my peppers and tomatoes in grow bags and always had good results

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

Snadger! You should know as an "Experienced Gardener" You will never eradicate the nuisance of "Slugs n Snails"

I don't have in house beds in my polytunnel, and rely totally on the "Grow Bag" system, with ring culture! Surrounded by Marigolds, although Geraniums this last year! (Another Story) Although never ideal, it is the best way I have found to give me the rewards I want!
But I wish you all the best with it!

[veggiechicken]

That's much the same as I do, Snadge - only different!
I use "ring culture" pots (Flower buckets with the bottom cut off); fill them with compost from growbags and sit them on the bed. At the end of the season, I empty the pots onto the beds and start again with more growbag compost.

[jonny the plant pot]

I'm in the process of putting weed control fabric down for inside the polytunnel and i too intend to cut the bottom off flower bucket and cut the bottoms out of the fabric so roots can grow down.
Then empty everything out end of season and move polytunnel and do the same again next year on 2 other beds.

[Hans Mum]

That's much the same as I do, Snadge - only different!
I use "ring culture" pots (Flower buckets with the bottom cut off); fill them with compost from growbags and sit them on the bed. At the end of the season, I empty the pots onto the beds and start again with more growbag compost.

I do this too put fresh compost on every year, find them much easier to water & feed too.

[Snadger]

That's much the same as I do, Snadge - only different!
I use "ring culture" pots (Flower buckets with the bottom cut off); fill them with compost from growbags and sit them on the bed. At the end of the season, I empty the pots onto the beds and start again with more growbag compost.

Your'e not just a pretty face VC!

Your plan sounds like a goodun and I have loads of pots and buckets lying around that would suffice. So as i don't lose too much growing height I would probably bury half the (Morrisons bucket) size pots into the existing beds.
Being forever frugal, that would probably mean i could get three to four tomato plants from each grow bag?

Nice one! That would also rule out the slug problem.

I also have Cukamelon,Watermelon and Cape Gooseberry seeds to grow this year along with the toms and chilli's.

In the immortal Words of John Hannibal Smith "I love it when a plan comes together"

[Thelma Sanders]

I do the same and never get slugs on the toms, but I do still get them on cukes and peppers in the pots - they're obviously irresistible to the little blighters *sigh*

[lottie dolly]

thats how i have grown the cue's and melons last couple of years,much better for watering too,as you can soak the ground and keep the plant stem from the water,i like to water the outside of the pot as well,if done with a controlling pipe fitting,the water will drain down nearer the roots,also a short bit of pipe in the top of the pot for any feed,all keeps that stem from rotting,and this i will stick to looks like my toms will as well,got lots of free asda buckets to cut of the bottoms,if a nice space is left,perhaps some thing like lettuce go between the pots,plus your plants are defined easier,

[Bill Hardy]

Tom growbags

For the last three years I've grown my toms and suchlike in raised beds in the greenhouse. Each year i've double dug the beds and beefed the soil up with old potting compost and manure.
This year rather than suffer diminished returns and because I don't want to replace the bedsoil completely I'm fancying trying something new.
I intend purchasing cheap growbags to lie on the bedsoil with holes in the bottom allowing any roots if they so wish to find there way into the existing soil.
In effect i will be using a ring culture system on soil. I can still use canes punctured through the bags to give support. Only worry is slugs and snalils which will hide under the bags!

Nothing ventured nothing gained.

Put a layer of gravel under the growbags,snails hate it!