Tomatoes in grow bags or?

Hi all, I'm after some feedback on best methods of planting out tomatoes and wondered what everyone uses? Personally I have a severe dislike of grow bags, they've always done a good enough job but I'm always looking to improve my methods.

I'd much prefer pots and water troughs and I already have watering computers to maintain conditions but don't want to change things if the collective advice is to stick with grow bags.

My greenhouse is only small (8x4) so I'm also looking to optimise space.

 

Some people use growbags with success,depends on the quality of compost and amount of feed,on gardeners world I think it was they tested different amounts of plants per bag.The best result came from a bag cut in half and upturned with 1 plant in each half.
I use ring culture,10" pot with no bottom on top of grow bag to give more depth.In the polytunnel I use fresh ground and grow direct but will have to change the top 12" every year but I use growbag compost mixed with well rotted compost to refill.

 

Best method I've seen is like you say one grow bag is designed for 3 plants, so you need 3 plants, 2 grow bags, 3 10" pots No bottoms, 3 3 to 4" pots and the feed of your choice.
When you got the grow bag roll on its side and break up the compost inside roll back flat, take the pots cut round the bottom of the pots so you have 3 holes in grow bag push these down into grow bag make sure you don't hit bottom otherwise roots have no where to go but the pot, use the other grow bag to fill up the pots obviously with the plants in the pots. Now to avoid disturbing the soil around the root ball take the 2 3 to 4" pots take to bottoms of these then at the front of the grow bag position these between the other bigger pots cut round push in and then you can maintain the watering and feeding thru these. This method helped me produce hundreds of cherry toms off 3 plants problem was the never seemed to make it into the kitchen. This method also makes sure you don't water the leafs thus preventing the leaves from scorching. Hope this helps. Just remember when supporting the plants its best to use the 3 cane method as 1 or 2 won't suffice.

 

In the greenhouse at home I use growbags that I buy from Aldi's early in the year for £1.20 each, I cut them in half to make two big puts when put on end. I empty the contents, break it up then fill about one third up, then plant my tom plant and remove most of it's lower branches, then fill the rest of the bag up, remember to punch some holes in the bottom of the bag for drainage.

Last year in the Polytunnel I planted 3 foot plants, 18inches deep, direct in the ground, and by the end of the season the six inches of stem above ground level had roots coming out of it, so I will employ some ring culture to Polytunnel grown toms this year.

Both methods gave me a great harvest.

Steve...

 

Mine just go into "cheap" B&Q buckets bought years ago, I clean them out with "Jeyes" fluid, fill them with "Wickes" finest compost and feed once a week, once the first fruits develop, works for me and I'm doing exactly the same this year :D

 

Thanks for the advice, looks like I'm kinda stuck with the damned grow bags then LOL!

I've just ordered half a dozen ring culture planters to do the job of firsttimers suggestion, so fingers crossed!

 

Having just skipdived 15 38 litre pots I know what I'm going to be using this year.

 

Nice find!!!

 

Bit late now, but for future
Go to a supermarket and buy their old flower buckets 99p for 8, cut the bottoms out

They are not on obvious display, and I did not know about this until pointed out on GC They are usually under the tables of the plant section
stacks of 8 with a yellow band on them
They also make excellent plant pots, but you need to Drill/burn drainage holes in the bottom, Very carefully or they split

Jack McHammocklashing

 

You and me both Vince! I bought cheap B & Q buckets some years ago and made holes in the bottom for drainage, then filled with B & Q multi-purpose compost and had good plants and crops in them. The only draw back is they're bright orange!