[viettaclark]

This year I'm going to grow in large pots rather than growbags as I can water them easier.
Would it be ok to put slimy semi-rotted compost and rotted manure in the bottoms to conserve water?
I know tomatoes like potassium but can they do without the nitrogen? I will be feeding them too.

[Kristen]

Too much nitrogen and they will grow leaves, rather than fruit, but other than that I'm not sure whether moisture-retension of manure is better than additional Nitrogen.

[viettaclark]

I thought the rotting process uses up nitrogen?

[skewball]

On a similar-ish vain, I plan to grow bush variety cherry tomatoes (various types to trial as it’s my first year ‘in the garden’) on the patio in containers.

I’m working on the premise that I will sow 8 weeks from when they can go on the patio day and night so working back from say end of May I should not sow until first week in April…

But that feels a little late.. everyone on here seems to have tomatoes on the go, should I just get on with it??

I wont have a lot of room inside the house but do have one of those plastic mini greenhouse things that may or may not help..??

[mumofstig]

I’m working on the premise that I will sow 8 weeks from when they can go on the patio day and night so working back from say end of May I should not sow until first week in April…

Sounds fine to me

A lot of us have greenhouses or polytunnels and that's why we start early.
The few that I am growing outside this year haven't been started yet, so no need to panic 

[andy135]

I've just sown all my toms today, indoor and outdoor types. They're sitting on the kitchen window untill they get to about 6" then they'll go in the coldframe for a while to harden them off a little.

[viettaclark]

I'm bumping this up because I still don't know if unrotted compost is ok. 

[solway cropper]

I'd be a bit bit careful if you're not exactly sure what's in the compost. A couple of years ago I did something similar with some home-made compost that had potato and tomato debris in it. End result...all the tomato plants got blight so since then I don't ever put anything from a potato or tomato on the compost.

[viettaclark]

I thought blight spores are airborne? And when it comes to compost, food scraps won't carry it? I suppose if you put blight infested stuff in the compost....but I don't do that....I put it all in the nice council green bag (don't buy council compost folks...although their tips are incredibly hot...)

[gillie]

I thought blight spores are airborne? And when it comes to compost, food scraps won't carry it?

You are correct.  I think people make too much fuss about blight from compost, or from neighbours' plots.  Blight spores are in the air, and if they find your tomatoes they will increase rapidly.

However I would not  use half rotted compost in the bottom of the pots because there is no way of knowing how much available nitrogen it contains.  Better to use grit and better still stand your pots in gravel trays.

Gillie