Allotment Gardening Advice Help Chat
Growing => Growing in Greenhouses & Polytunnels => Topic started by: Lardman on May 03, 2014, 20:44
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http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-6245-tomato-trellis-clips-100-count.aspx (http://www.johnnyseeds.com/p-6245-tomato-trellis-clips-100-count.aspx)
Now why on earth can't I find a UK supplier ?
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They look somewhat similar to chicken rings...
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I've got a few of these ones Lardy, the green ones, but I like the look of the others too!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Plant-Flower-Garden-Gardening-Clips-Rings-Securing-Support-Supporters-UK-/170839810793
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You have just reminded me of the thin wire split rings my dad used to have for sweet peas .... I remember having to take them off the netting at the end of the season. Well - I haven't thought of them for years!
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From what I can see the hinge area has as a space for clamping the vertical support string and the front area has a jolly big hole to support the stem, all in 1 hassle free (cheap) clip. No string rotting, no knots to slip and nothing to dig into the plant stem.
I've found a US seller on fleabay who ships to the uk but the postage is more than the clips :ohmy: but even so I'm very tempted to order a job lot.
Found another seller offering free international delivery :ohmy: so I've order 100 for £7.40 ::)
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They look jolly useful :D
Please let us know if the ones you receive are up to th job, won't you?
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The clips in GA's post are sold in B&M
Dmg
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Clips arrived from Israel this morning, 9 days not bad at all ! Initially Im very impressed, the plastic is a little harder than I thought but not enough to damage the plants. The hinge grips the poly twine, the polly braided twine and jute string without problems and holds very well. There seems plenty of room around the stem when the clip is closed and I had no problems releasing the wedge style latch to move it around. No mess, no fuss, no hassle as long as they don't disintegrate in 5 minutes I'll be very happy with them.
Here's a Sungold modelling one for you. ::)
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Lardman, I also bought these this year and finding them great. One question. Do you ground your string to a stake to make it taught or allow the weight of the plant only to do this? I've seen both methods and went for the second option.
I also tied them using a hitch knot so I can tighten or slacken off when required.
(http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p564/Wavertree/Allotment/D76A64F7-BDC5-4B79-9B46-2B33D607C53C.jpg) (http://s1156.photobucket.com/user/Wavertree/media/Allotment/D76A64F7-BDC5-4B79-9B46-2B33D607C53C.jpg.html)
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I have a wire running horizontally at the top of the dwarf wall which I tie onto, there's also a wire on the roof which I tie to so I can adjust the length should I need to. (So I guess the answer is I don't know which is correct :nowink: )
I'm keeping the string with about 2" of play from vertical to allow for messy growth but to keep them pinned where I want them to grow, things aren't easy in the bottom greenhouse the sides on it slope inwards which makes "vertical" a loose term.
I'll grab a picture - it's easier ::)
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Cheers Lardman. After noticing that the rings were digging in to the branches using my initial method I changed it today. I used 2 stakes either end of the greenhouse and used bailing twine to form a taut horizontal line. Then I just attached the rings to the vertical strings. Better I reckon.
(http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p564/Wavertree/67F50825-8497-4761-8EEB-EA4FB505FD11.jpg) (http://s1156.photobucket.com/user/Wavertree/media/67F50825-8497-4761-8EEB-EA4FB505FD11.jpg.html)
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I've got a few of these ones Lardy, the green ones, but I like the look of the others too!
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/New-Plant-Flower-Garden-Gardening-Clips-Rings-Securing-Support-Supporters-UK-/170839810793
The 99p & £1 shop has these ones from time to time, I use them on my toms the metal spring rusts when used outside but for a £1 they are great
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The clips in GA's post are sold in B&M
Dmg
Yes I got some from there, think they were about £1 for the pack.
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Going great guns. Much less faffing using the rings.
(http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p564/Wavertree/Allotment/64BCED67-F4BE-4685-A5F9-50B7762B051D_1.jpg) (http://s1156.photobucket.com/user/Wavertree/media/Allotment/64BCED67-F4BE-4685-A5F9-50B7762B051D_1.jpg.html)
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Going great guns. Much less faffing using the rings.
Ohh look at those nice tidy and orderly tomatoes :D (although you've missed a side shoot on the middle one ;) ) Mine are far more of a straggly, spaghetti mess ::)
I'm finding the clips so much easier too, they're proving especially useful training the cukes up strings, wish I'd bought more than 100 now as I've used at least 2/3rds already.
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Going great guns. Much less faffing using the rings.
Ohh look at those nice tidy and orderly tomatoes :D (although you've missed a side shoot on the middle one ;) ) Mine are far more of a straggly, spaghetti mess ::)
I'm finding the clips so much easier too, they're proving especially useful training the cukes up strings, wish I'd bought more than 100 now as I've used at least 2/3rds already.
Hehe cheers. First time I've grown them in a greenhouse so being quite obsessive about side shoots etc. I bought 50 so should just about do the toms.
My cukes are quite small and may end up in flower buckets which will make stringing them up awkward. Plus the other side of greenhouse is all chillies :). Put a pic or two up when you get chance.
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Put a pic or two up when you get chance.
Im almost ashamed to - it's such a mess in comparison. ::)
You can see from the tomato picture how I've struggled with the irregular growth this year, but on the cukes it's been very easy to clip every 10-12" the iznik and the diva are about 5' vertical and heading to the ridge.
My cukes are in plant halos ontop of flower buckets (which just happen to be the right size) their strings are attached to the same top and bottom wires as the tomatoes.
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Wow I didn't realise cukes grew so huge! Luckily the greenhouse has high eaves so shouldn't encroach too much.
Your tomatoes look very healthy and robust with a nice number of trusses judging by my very limited experience. :)
I noticed you're using that Nixol paint, any good? As I'm new to greenhouse growing I'm on a steep learning curve and discovered very quickly that most plants hate direct sunlight soon after germination and scorch easily. Notice the French beans on the floor. Here's the other side of the greenhouse taken a couple of weeks ago - with buckets of chillies, yum.
(http://i1156.photobucket.com/albums/p564/Wavertree/Allotment/66820E15-151D-42FF-8756-FDA4EB45BA9A.jpg)
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I noticed you're using that Nixol paint, any good?
It's a bit early really for me to tell, normally I use netting and only applied the paint last week. Since then it's been mostly dry and sunny. I certainly haven't noticed it be any less opaque than when I painted it on at any point.