Growing tomatoes in pots

(didn't put this in 2016 tomatoes thread as this is for next year)

Grow my toms in an 8' x 10' greenhouse.

Had a great crop of tomatoes (Shirley) .. but again lost a load due to blossom end rot .... (and also some with same rot at the top) ... and splitting.
Thinking that next year I'll not use growbags, and try pots - to try and avoid the water issues.

I will arrange a framework to tie off bamboos too ... so stability not an issue, I will only grow cordon type, usually to 6 trusses.

Anybody done this ?

# What size pots. .... 20 Litre ?

# Can I put plants straight into the final size pots .. or do I have to do it in stages, up to now bought plants in local suppliers and put them straight into growbags (with toppers)

Do I need to grow them on in something large first ?

# Normal GP compost OK

Any other advice welcome.

Any reason I should not grow cucumbers this way as well ?

 

Be interested how you rate each variety for flavour

 

I never use growbags personally for the reason of watering being so difficult to get right. Apart from growing loads of Tomatoes in the soil borders in my greenhouse I use cheapo buckets and put holes in the bottom of them, It means they are easy to carry about and move round if needed and give the plants lots of room. I personally put chunks of polystyrene in bottom of the buckets for drainage and using polystyrene keeps the weight down.
I grow my own Tomatoes from seed and repot them as the grow up to about nine inches or so tall before they go in the buckets.
Because I grow so many Tomatoes (this year I have 20 in the borders and 20 in buckets)as we all like them very much I don't use pure MPC in the buckets as that require rather a lot of MPC which to me seems a bit of an unnecessary expense.
I use a mixture of well rotted manure, home grown compost, good garden soil and then use shop bought MPC for the top 2 odd inches as this will be pretty weed free while the other stuff won't be and I have enough to do without weeding my Tomato buckets!
I have grown Cucumbers in both the soil borders and in buckets. I treat them pretty much the same as Tomatoes but have them in the greenhouse where it is most humid/damp. ATM I could supply every supermarket for miles around......Only have 3 plants and they are producing at least 15 cucumbers a week.

 

I changed to mini cucumbers (all female) 3 years ago ... much better for us, large ones couldn't use fast enough.
Put in 2 plants - but coming to an end now.

 

Hi Sargan
I use 12" pots with loads of holes drilled in the bottom so when the go in the greenhouse the roots can grow down into the border. I get loads of toms, I start them early in conservatory then attach them to wires on greenhouse so i can lower then as the bottom trusses are used, i can get ten trusses right through the season that way. Attached a pic of plants in conservatory ready to go into greenhouse. i have also started using quad grows.
Regdsalex

 

what are quad grows ?

 

Basically four plant pots with a water tank under them with a wick that takes up water from tank to compost as required. this can be plain water or nutrient rich water.
I have experimented this year.
1) Pots filled with compost + worm compost fed weekly into top of pot with organic fertilizer 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.

2) Pots filled with compost + worm compost Used as directed by quargrow with their chemical fertilizer in tank, (Nutri grow) this water airated with air pump and stone, cleaning out tank every four weeks and replenishing with fresh fertilizer. good crop up until early August when plants suffered nutrient burn. This led to disease entering plants at burn sites. Plants removed

3) Pots filled with compost + worm compost Used as directed by quargrow however using bio bizz organic fertilizer in tank. airated with air pump and stone,
This same results as in 1) good crop and still cropping . However tanks have to be cleaned out every 3/4 weeks or so and replenished as get gunged up.
Will use method 1) next year as this allows me to grow organically and removes any irratic watering as only topping up tanks every four days with large plants.
Note in all cases roots have grown down into tank and are thick and healthy.
google greenhouse sensation quadgrow
Regards alex

 

Googled as you said - not come across Quadgrow before.
Is this the system you used: http://www.greenhousesensation.co.uk/quadgrow.html
I just took a look at the video .... seems quite neat - though 11L pots are not as big as most people advise to use ....and they seem very close for pairs of plants. How do you find 2 tomato plants fair that close to each other ?
Option 1. seem good approach - couldn't find any mention of pump & stone ... is there a url for that ?

 

Hi That is the system
I find 11 litre pots big enough, my pots in the border are 12" round which are slightly smaller.
Dont forget they do not dry out as long as you keep the tank topped up. basically a hydroponic system
The air pump i use is a medo 45 pond airator with a manifold then 6mm pipes to an aquarium air stones situated in the bottom of each tank otherwise the roots growing down may die in stagnant water.
The plants are close but i have no problem as i keep the greenhouse well ventilated.
regards Alex
PS i am retired now so i have time to play around.

 

So you have AC mains to Greenhouse for the pump?

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yes

 

OK just looked at that £145 for a pump is out of my league ... I don't have mains to Greenhouse anyway. Wonder if anyone has come up with solar variant.

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you can get a small solar water pump for a tenner that would do the job
http://www.lightinthebox.com/solar-water-pum