Greenhouse border soil question for tom's

[wetwalnut]

I have a home made greenhouse on my allotment for mainly growing tomatoes.

Last year I decided not to use growbags, because I would have needed 12 growbags to go round my greenhouse border and I wanted to try my own mix of soil ingredients and see if I get better results.

I cut out the ply floor around the border of my greenhouse then raised it with 4x2 timber.
I then dug the ground quite deep while adding homade compost and Orgro ( concentrated natural manure ).

I will add some pics when I get home from work later.

The results were good, not sure if it was that much better than growbags tho.

However I still plan to do the same this year, and very determined to get excellent results with Chadwick Cherry Tomatoes from real seed.

My concerns are if I need to change the current soil, which is spent and quite dry.

I've just been told tomatoes love a sprinkle of ***** fluid over the soil a month or more before planting

Or should I add some fresh homemade compost to the soil for a nuitrient boost, and mix well ?

What do other people do for this method ?

Any ideas or advice ?

Many thanks

[wetwalnut]

thats J E Y E S fluid

[SlugLobber]

Last year was my second year doing pretty much what you do i.e. planting in the ground. I disturbed much of the soil by weeding (about this time of year). Then I added manure and some home made compost (both in plentiful supply here!). The only thing you have to watch is naughty seeds from last year's crop! I had squillions of the little blighters spring up, so instead of having around 12 plants (from seedlings), I had about 20! It was like day of the triffids in there last year, but I got an awesome crop! I didn't add any disinfectant of any kind. No blight last year, either (and I did get it the first year)!

Oh and I would also have a dig around for nettle runners, too, especially if you have added any manure or have grass surrounding the greenhouse. The first year I had a nettle problem, but last year it was just the corner. I'm hoping that I will crack it, this year, as I'm really going through the soil and digging them up.

[Thelma Sanders]

It isn't a good thing to use on soil/and isn't licensed for that use - cos it kills lots of the good stuff.

The addition of home-made compost adds good stuff so is a much better option

[Chippy Minton]

Phew, J e y e s, wondered what the fluid was for a moment....

Should be OK, my Dad grows tomatoes in the same greenhouse and I don't think he does anything to the soil and gets a reasonable crop. Worth putting some nutrient back in though...

[Kristen]

Consider grafted tomato plants for repeat cropping of greenhouse soil perhaps?

[wetwalnut]

[wetwalnut]

here are some pics from the tom house last year, thanks for all replys, i will definatley look out for nettle roots as they surround the greenhouse.