Hanging Baskets and Toms

[Lumpy]

Now we have a much smaller garden I am having to 'think outside the box' as to where everything is going to go so.......

If I buy some of those easy frill hanging baskets - the large ones how many trailing tom or Q plants can I put in each one?

[WendyC]

Potty's the man to ask. He seems to get good crops from tumbling varieties in baskets.

[Alison]

I put one in each basket I have, not quite sure if diameter but guessing somewhere between 12" and 15". I have done two and you get no extra fruits as the plants have less space.

[skeggijon]

I grew 10 hanging baskets of Tumbler Tomatoes last year and found that one plant per basket is plenty, but I grew a few lettuces in some of the baskets at the start of the season to keep the compost covered and it seemed to stop the compost drying out as quickly as the baskets that I planted with just the tomato plant.

I was growing in 12inch baskets

[Thelma Sanders]

Just one and even then they take a lot of watering because they don't hold much compost.

Make sure you use a waterproof liner (at least in the bottom half) with just a very few small holes in - or the water just runs straight through.

[Lumpy]

Thanks all

Has anybody used these and if so what do you think about them

2 x Water Storage Gel Liners

[Deano's "Diggin It"]

I can't say as I have Lumpy, but I generally just throw in a slack handful of water retaining gel when setting them up.

And as others have said, one plant is plenty!

[skeggijon]

I'm always wary of using gel products in pots or baskets that are producing fruit or veg.
Acrylamide, which is used in many gels is known to be a neurotoxin.

[Alison]

I'm always wary of using gel products in pots or baskets that are producing fruit or veg.
Acrylamide, which is used in many gels is known to be a neurotoxin.

I avoid them for exactly the same reason

[skeggijon]

I put some shredded paper in the bottom of my baskets to act as a water reservoir. Not sure if it works, but baskets were ok last year.

[Lumpy]

I have seen on U Tube where people use the soaky up section of new nappies as a liner to help with water retention.

I wouldn't have thought that it would contain anything harmful as it would be easily absorbed into a baby's bum.

[Alison]

I have seen on U Tube where people use the soaky up section of new nappies as a liner to help with water retention.

I wouldn't have thought that it would contain anything harmful as it would be easily absorbed into a baby's bum.

No, there's all sorts of nasties in disposable nappies otherwise they wouldn't be able to soak up that much liquid.

[jackarmy]

I always grew mine in the half basket Lumpy , that way they can go against a wall or fence and not be in your way.
I kept it to one plant per basket, obviously you will lose one side of production with a half basket but they still produce immensely and their not hanging in your face all the time .
Watering is a bit of a pain bur simple, little and often is the rule. Water, let it soak in, then water again in ten minutes or so, bush toms ive found are pretty tough reguarding watering, do it well and you can get away with it for a day or two .

Im putting my strawbs into those baskets now though and going back to cordon cherries, although i may squeeze one or two in seeing as i have so damned many thanks to the seed swap

[Potstubsdustbins]

I do 3 baskets every year on a south facing wall. Any 12" basket but the deeper the better, mine are about 9" deep.

To help with water retention nothing fancy is needed, just cut up some old used compost bag big enough to cover the bottom third of the basket and stab some holes in it with a knitting needle. Not to many at first you can always put more in if needed but they are a bu&&er to block up if you have to many.

I grow Tumbler they are prolific and I like the taste. They are also very forgiving, many the time I have gone and found them with a serious droop on through lack of water but after a good soak they always spring back.

One finale point I like to make is that these are not Tumbler Tom which I find less productive and they do not suit my palette. The pics were taken last season.

[Scoot]

Just out of interest what is the most tasty bush tomato? I bought some tumbling tom seed last year, grew 4 plants but wasn't exactly impressed with the taste. There's nothing to them.

Any suggestions as i might give the tumbling tom's the elbow this year.

Anything in the seed swap?