Grow bags or no grow bags ?

[Nessie1]

Me and my grandad are in a slight disagreement.....after telling him my plans for using poly pots with manure and compost for my tomatoes in the greenhouse, he thinks I should be using grow bags instead. My reason for not using grow bags is I have about 25 poly pots that hold 30 ltrs of soil and I have an unlimited supply of well rotted manure and compost and I think the plants will do better in this set up that 2 or 3 to a grow bag. Opinions would be much appreciated

[fishpond]

Stick with the pots.
I am not jealous of the unlimited manure
If it was me I would excavate some soil from the Greenhouse, build a bed of compost and manure, cut the bottoms out of some pots, place the bottomless pots on this bed, fill the pots with compost and insert supports and pop bottles for watering, plant toms and stand well clear.

[fishpond]

Ask grandad what was used before Growbags?

[Nessie1]

Stick with the pots.
I am not jealous of the unlimited manure
If it was me I would excavate some soil from the Greenhouse, build a bed of compost and manure, cut the bottoms out of some pots, place the bottomless pots on this bed, fill the pots with compost and insert supports and pop bottles for watering, plant toms and stand well clear.

Trust me you wouldn't be jealous when I'm shovelling it out the stables on a daily basis it's never ending!

That sounds like a god idea, i only got the greenhouse yesterday so open to suggestions, il admit I'm a bit clueless at the moment haha.

Thanks guys knew I would like the answers on here!! Hopefully il prove him wrong when he's eating all my tomatoes! Haha

[WendyC]

Grow bags don't have much depth of compost and are a nightmare to water. Stick with pots.

[Penellype]

I have a loathing for grow bags. Every 10 years or so I manage to convince myself that if other people can use them then I should be able to as well. I end up with a soggy mess and dead plants. Recently I discovered a grow bag waterer which works on the pinciple of a self watering reservoir and spikes with capillary matting over them to water the grow bag. So I tried it with some lettuces. Result - half the bag is growing some very nice little gem lettuce, the other half has got soggy and horrible and all the lollo rossa have died.

My advice is stick to pots.

[skeggijon]

Why pay for growbags when you've got everything you need already to produce some great tomato plants?
I'm not saying don't listen to grandads advice - take on board what he says, but then make your own decisions. the only way to advance is to use a mixture of good advice with your own innovation and experimentation

[Philthy]

I buy a few budget growbags each year. I only want what's inside them though - I find the fibrous nature of the growing medium to be a good addition to my potting mix, giving structure and bulk for considerably less money than bought compost.
I just add some homemade compost, a bit of vermiculite and fertiliser, and I'm good to go.

Agree with skeggijon, it looks like you have everything you need already.

Stick with pots, they're easier to manage

[Jungle Jane]

I don't use grow bags anymore,they're like slug magnets in my garden. Pots are easier to manage.

[Potstubsdustbins]

And I am biased in favour of pots, but there again I would be.

[Bill HH]

Who ever invented grow bags should be dragged round the chelsea flower show naked by a landrover then hung drawn and quartered. Go for the pots.

[Potstubsdustbins]

^^^^^^^^^^^^^ A little harsh William why should we be spiteful I find the .....................landrover quite an acceptable vehicle.

[veggiechicken]

Who ever invented grow bags should be dragged round the chelsea flower show naked by a landrover then hung drawn and quartered. Go for the pots.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^ A little harsh William why should we be spiteful I find the .....................landrover quite an acceptable vehicle.

Hush, you two. For all we know, Nessie's Grandad invented the growbag

[Sarico]

Thanks guys. You made me laugh today. I remember I saw a grow bag and on it where pic of veg including carrots. Lol I would love see some L shape carrots in there.

[spamvindaloo]

Recently I discovered a grow bag waterer which works on the pinciple of a self watering reservoir and spikes with capillary matting over them to water the grow bag. So I tried it with some lettuces. Result - half the bag is growing some very nice little gem lettuce, the other half has got soggy and horrible and all the lollo rossa have died.

Is that the hozelock growbag waterer Pene? My local GC have an offer on, one of these plus a free tomorite planter for £20. I was thinking of trying one for my toms......

I can't speak from experience as prior to this year with my allotment I've been a purely windowsill gardener but an article in another magazine (I won't name it) a few months ago did a trial - tomatoes grown in a) growbags, b) pots, c) the ground and different watering regimes (I think every day, every third day and once a week). The result was that all 3 watering regimes when used with the growbag was better than the other two methods with any regime.