best compost for tomatoes

[greg77]

hi all i grow my toms in pots and there are so many different bags of compost now im confused. theres john innes general and b&q s own brand but what is the best for pots for toms.

[Paulottie]

I don't think it makes that much difference. What is more important is the regularity of your watering/feeding regime. As a general rule loam based composts tend not to dry out quite so quickly as peat/coconut base, drain better and are easier to rewet if they do dry out. They are more expensive by volume though. The traditional John Innes mix is loam based but often these days 'with added john Innes' seems to refer to just a bit more food added to multipurpose.

Toms are very happy in multipurpose though if kept moist but not waterlogged. Drying out is the biggest cause of troubles though. They drink a lot when they are going strong and you must check the water twice a day without fail, (or have a drip irrigation system) You'll require big enough pots with reservoirs or stood in trays.

[greg77]

thanks that was very informative

[queen of the cobs]

Which did a guide to (potting) compost a couple of years ago (I think) and found that the best one was B&Q number 2. Now, when I went to look at B&Q, I couldn't see any numbers on the bags! But have bought a bag of potting compost and everything seems to be coming up great guns (although that could be the sun, I suppose!)

I agree though, it's the watering regime that makes a difference. I must say that I've had more difficulty with germination this year than I have any other year, maybe cos it's been so gloomy. Everything should catch up now though.

[Tam]

B & Q sell John Innes seed, 2 and 3. These are, of course, loam-based composts. I get through about twenty each spring.

[stormin97]

I grow my tom's using ring culture - if you have the room in your greenhouse I heartily recommend it. I never have problems with watering, so long as I top them up every few days. The other plants in the green house (and in my veg bed) are on an irrigation system, which supplys water twice a day. Both systems are expensive at start up, but prove their value every year.

[Alison]

I use ring culture too - personally I refuse to use peat based composts so buy peat free grow bags and top up the rings with New Horizon's peat free compost. Feed every week and always get a good crop. Don't buy the very expensive plastic ring things or the ones that the garden centres sell for reusing as rings - it's far cheaper to simply buy tomato pot, cut the bottoms out and reuse every year. Works for me anyway.

[Snadger]

I grow a LOT of tomato plants. This year to keep costs down I intend making my own 'snadger Innes' compost. I have a large bag of coir based compost, to this I will add sand + topsoil(from where I dig out my pond)+ Blood fish and bone meal + some well rotted horse manure!

If my toms won't grow in that, they won't grow in anything