Tomato alternate growing systems

After yet another disappointing year on growbags ... looking at moving to either large pot growing or possibly the central watering idea ... small pots continuous watering.
I tried 'BigDrippa' system - but not impressed with dripping nozzles.

Mentioned here was Quadgrow ........ also seem mention of Autopot


Welcome advice from users .. also anybody compared these 2 against each other ? - or any other recommended system.

I want to try and purchase the right thing first time.

 

ditto my post on quadgrow, follow the link above by JWK.
i ended up digging out border so i did not lose height on the quadgrow.

 

I did read the posts on Octogrow ... I have been looking at Quadgrow ... as an option with the 'holiday' add -on unit.
Greenhouse is solid floor - so no option to 'sink in bed'
I currently use growbags on tray of gravel and have growbag toppers fitted - so probably not a huge difference in height.

 

You can knock up a system pretty easily.

 

The issue I would have is as mentioned above greenhouse floor is concrete ... your drawing shows top up bucket at lower level .... to achieve this I would have to raise pots ... losing height ... but I do understand the concept you explain

 

The topup bucket only needs to be deep enough for the water level and a miniature/low profile float valve. The overall height of a 10L bicket including the 2" reservoir underneath would be a foot at most (quadgrow is 36cm). If height is an issue you can easily train plants to grow horizontally

 

I bought 2 sets of the 'Big Dripper' system this year ......... not very good at all. Nozzles were the issue ... get them all right one day .. not working the next - they just can't cope with changing pressure as water in bags drops.

 

Hi all
My quadgrows are sunk in the greenhouse border, however as previously posted i used one quadgrow in the conservatory as a trial before buying more. i stopped the tomatoes at five and six trusses as this would have been the height they reached in the greenhouse without sinking them.
I used the tank with water only the pots i filled with Cana terra professional potting compost + 20% worm compost with the following additions 50gm FBB, 20gm Cal/Mag, 100gm seaweed meal and 20gm mychorrhizae fungi. kept the tank between a quarter and three quartes full of water.
Fed the pots once fruit had formed twice per week with Bio Bizz grow and bloom. I had the best crop ever from four plants and they were better tasting than toms grown in greenhouse border.
Not a single tom with blossom end rot.
I bought more quadgrows and experimented with different feeds and should have stuck with the trial method. see my post follow JWK's link to the page. Next year i will be reverting back to my trial method. I only changed method due to all the fertilizer supplied with the quadgrows
Hope this helps Alex

 

I did look at JKW posts but he does not seem to have got on well with Octogrow.
I am looking at Quadgrow ... and your post suggests you were happy with the system and results. So no Tomorite or similar in the water ? .... you feed teh posts and only use plain water.

 

i was talking about my post on the same page as JWK's
Yes i feed the pots and only have plain water in tank

 

What was the price of the canna compost,calmag,biobizz nutrients etc, £50?

 

thereabouts. However £50 for 5 months supply of tomatoes is not a lot if i were to buy the amount we eat ( by end of season I estimate 180lbs) it would cost a fortune and they would be tasteless balls of water.

 

Have you carried out any control using GP compost & a standard liquid feed .... would be good to evaluate how much difference your extra costs generate.

 

Only as previously posted

See below from my diary

2016 experiment.
Quadgrow x 2
1) Pots filled with Canna compost + worm compost FBB, seaweed meal mychorrhizae fungi, and Cal/mag.
Fed weekly into top of pot with organic fertilizer (Bio Bizz Grow and Bloom) using only water in tank for constant supply, this water airated with air pump and stone. This has eliminated blossom end rot and a great crop of tasty toms. Still cropping. 19th Sept

Quadgrow x 2
2) Pots filled with Canna compost + worm compost FBB, seaweed meal mychorrhizae fungi and Cal/mag Used as directed by quargrow with their chemical fertilizer in tank, (Nutri grow half strength) this water airated with air pump and stone, cleaning out tank every four weeks and replenishing with fresh fertilizer.
Good crop But not as tasty as in 1) However tanks have to be cleaned out every 3/4 weeks or so and replenished as get gunged up. This has eliminated blossom end rot and cracking/splitting, good until early August when plants suffered nutrient burn. This led to disease entering plants at burn sites. Plants removed

Quadgrow x 2
3) Pots filled with Canna compost + worm compost FBB, seaweed meal mychorrhizae fungi and Cal/mag. Used as directed by quargrow however using bio bizz organic fertilizer in tank. airated with air pump and stone,
Good crop and still cropping . However tanks have to be cleaned out every 3/4 weeks or so and replenished as get gunged up. This has eliminated blossom end rot and cracking/splitting, great crop of tasty toms. Still cropping. 19th Sept

Note in all cases roots have grown down into the tank and are thick and healthy.

4) Eight plants of four different varieties grown in bottomless pots in border, filled with Garden compost + worm compost + rotted horse manure, FBB, seaweed meal mychorrhizae fungi and Cal/mag added Border consists of soil and home made compost. Pots fed weekly with maxicrop tom feed.
These toms suffered blossom end rot and cracking. Plants also produced much less fruit and the taste was OK but not half as good as quadgrow in 1) Plants now finished cropping.

Will use method 1) next year as this allows me to grow organically and removes any erratic watering, Also removes the need to dump tank contents and renew.
Tanks only require topping up every four days with large plants.
Will use all the nutri grow for my flowers.
Regards alex