Tomato Saucer

[Florence Fennel]

I grow tomatoes in flower buckets and have a devil of a time with watering from the top. I'd really like to have the buckets in "saucers" this year, but one Wilkos good quality gravel tray will only house two pots and the plastic trays only one. It would be pretty expensive an outlay even though I've about halved my plants this year to about 15 (at the moment, so that's not to say it will be the final number). What do you use to sit them in please?

[zazen999]

Morning.

When I had my own darkroom, I had 3 large trays that I would use to print large prints - they were these

IKEA | Boxes & baskets | Secondary storage boxes | SAMLA | Box

I now use them in the greenhouse, on the floor; and sit all my toms on them.

For the peppers, which sit on the shelf, I use the long 'gro bag' trays - which I usually only buy when I see them on a good offer.

Growbag Tray | Black Plastic Growbag Tray | PlantMeNow.co.uk

Plus I also get the gravel trays and have a stash of those for putting 2 pots in here, there and everywhere once the greenhouse has to evict plants nearer the summer.

and Wilko do a nice sized gravel tray, a bit thin so don't use it to move stuff around in but it's fine as a watering tray on a budget. I use loads of these in schools...to sit plants on strangely enough

http://www.wilkinsonplus.com/Mini-Gr...s76aYYKg%3D%3D

[taff]

blue plastic trays. I recycle them from work.

[Kristen]

As an alternative you could put something that slowly released water into the pot. Plenty of commercial products ... but a plastic 2L Fizzy Pop bottle with a suitably small hole in the bottom might do the job?

[Bigmallly]

I used the gravel trays that you mentioned FF & managed to squeeze 3 flower buckets per tray plus room in between to put some potted marigolds.

[Hans Mum]

cheap cat litter trays from T***O last year they were about 70p so got loads as they dont crack easily,I use them for loads of things they only had pink & blue ones though

[binley100]

I also save shallow plastic trays that meat comes in. Give it a good wash first....

[broadway]

Hi Folks,

Question, I sit mine in individual pots/buckets with a hole in the bottom to bash the support cane through, if you have them sitting on trays how do you support the toms?

[zazen999]

I tie twine around them and then that gets tied to the greenhouse at the roof [on horizontal canes/hooks] and then the toms get twirled around the twine as they grow.

[Two_Sheds]

I bought lots of Wilko's half price gravel trays in the autumn sale (50p each I think). I have also used those cheap plastic picnic plates - the bright coloured ones that are everywhere for about a quid
Metal camping plates are good too (2 for a £ in poundshop), or old china dinner plates (charity shops)

[taff]

A cane running horizontally across the greenhouse towards the apex, then either a cane for each resting and tied to the horizontal one, or twine tied to it as Zazen does and twine the plant round the twine.

[Two_Sheds]

if you have them [pots] sitting on trays how do you support the toms?

I grow the tomatoes up taut string, tied to the roof at the top, and to a tent peg in the soil at the bottom

[Florence Fennel]

Hi Folks,

Question, I sit mine in individual pots/buckets with a hole in the bottom to bash the support cane through, if you have them sitting on trays how do you support the toms?

I had loads blow down a few times last year and I watered from the top. This time I'm going to tie horizontal canes to the supporting vertical canes in groups of three to make a kind of frame and stand in saucers. For extra insurance I'm tying them to my fence and I'm only growing half as many as last time. Fingers crossed.

Lots of handy hints for the saucers, thanks folks.

[Kristen]

I grow the tomatoes up taut string, tied to the roof at the top, and to a tent peg in the soil at the bottom

I do the same, but I tie a loop under the plant's bottom leaf joint as the anchor

I have a permanent wire (horizontally, from front-door to back-wall) along the greenhouse roof suspended using blots-with-rings which I tie the strings to.



Greenhouse Nut, Bolt & Ring Set (10)

[Headfry]

What about the cheap tin foil 'Turkey' roasting trays the super markets sell (certain times of year like Easter ect) They may not be strong but they maybe worth a try.