Next years Tomatoes in home made garden compost?

[Scoot]

Was just wondering if anyone has tried this? I intend to mix it 50/50 with some old compost I grew carrots in thus year. The reason I ask is because I usually grow my tomatoes in shop bought compost which is always good and I dont want to start growing them in home made compost, then get to around June and realise that they aren't growing very well and having no time to start anymore.

I might even add a smidge of BFB to the compost the carrots were in just to make sure the nutrient levels are ok.

[happyhumph]

I do mine in 100% garden compost with a bit of feed (whatever I have lying around ) topped with shop bought to help supress weeds then feed regularly when fruits start forming.

[roitelet]

Grew mine in 100% home made compost this year. Last year it was 2 parts compost, 2 parts soil and 1 part sand with a bit of general purpose fertilizer. They seemed to do better in that mix or it could just have been the weird weather this year.

[Cadalot]

50% Compost and 50% Coir for me and then feeds of comfrey tea for me

[Bigmallly]

I'm not convinced that the medium itself is important. For me the important part is the feeding regime & getting the right minerals into the medium.

[ESBkevin]

Straight into the same soil in the GH year after year (scrupulously cleaned at end of season) and just add some more garden compost and BFB when turned over ready to plant. Feed is the key.

[MarkPelican]

I use 1/3 home compost & 2/3 growbags, partly because I want to increase the amount of compost in the garden and the growbag stuff adds.

[Penellype]

Tomatoes and seeds are the only things that I always use new compost for. Seeds because I want to be as sure as possible that they are not picking up pests or diseases before they are big enough to cope and tomatoes because they form a vital part of my food for the year and if they fail I would be in trouble. Most of my home made compost contains a good deal of tomato and potato material from the previous year so I would rather be safe than sorry. I agree that the most important thing is feed, and bought compost (I use tomato gro-bag compost) gets the plants off to a good start.

I did try a couple of Roma plants in pure rotted horse muck in my friend's greenhouse this year and they did quite well.

[Scoot]

Cheers for the replies. I'll try a 50/50 mix then I think if garden compost and some old verve compost that i grew carrors in last year.

[sparrow100]

I agree with BM - it's not so much what the medium is, but what is in it to nourish the plants. I'm going peatfree next year, so mine will be either in SylvaGrow or my own concoction of hm compost, leafmould, grit, aged manure and fertilisers.

Am looking forward to the experiment!

[Potstubsdustbins]

I end up pretty much 50/50 home made and new. Mainly because I set seed and grow on into 6" pots using new compost, that way I am sure the compost is sterile until I have strong plants.

[Dalrimple]

I usally grow my tomatoes outside but this year I'll be growing indoors (I got a new plot with 2 GH on it) I was thinking of growing grow bags with ring cultures with home made compost in the rings to get plenty of roots on the stems by adding HMC as the plants grow ! what do the gurus think ? Dal

[Potstubsdustbins]

Sounds good to me as long as you use ring cultures, I find with grow bags on their own that it is difficult to get the watering regime correct.

[Dalrimple]

Potty would you water and feed straight into the rings ?
atb Dal

[Potstubsdustbins]

I am no ring culture expert but yes I think I would, any excess water will drain through into the grow bags anyway.