[Ma Lowe]

I have used growbags every year but as I have got some of the big pots from Morrisons  I am going to try these this year for my peppers chillis tomatoes and cucumbers.

So what do you use and what are the benefits of  the different methods of growing.
Also do I need to add anything to the compost that I use in the pots.

[Madame Cholet]

I grow my cherry and tumbling ones in tubs with flowers at home and bush outdoor type Latah in the soil on the lotty. The tubs get  liquid tom feed and ash from the woodburner and topped up every  year with the lumpy bits when I seive out the horizon compost for seeds and the lotty ones nothing just lots of organic matter on no dig beds.

[RookieJim]

I grew three different types last year, Moneymaker, Roma and Gardener's delight, all in a raised bed and they grew well. Lots of fruit for quite some time.

Are you considering just planting them straight into the ground?

Jim

 

[3759allen]

i grow direct in the soil with a trench of home made compost.

my dad grows in old 20l anti freeze, emptied, cleaned and a large hole cut in the largest side, drainage holes drilled and filled with compost.

[moose]

I have used the buckets and had good crops. I drill several holes round the side about 1" up and a hole in the bottom where I put the support cane. I usually have some comfrey leaves available and stuff a load in the bottom, top up with MPC. They then get liquid comfrey feed weekly.

[Ma Lowe]

I grew three different types last year, Moneymaker, Roma and Gardener's delight, all in a raised bed and they grew well. Lots of fruit for quote some time.

Are you considering just planting them straight into the ground?

Jim

I have had some large black pots that the supermarkets give away or charge very little for and will be drilling holes about 10-15 mm up the sides for drainage. As they will hold more soil than the plant would get in a growbag  I will be using these instead for my greenhouse plants.

[cadalot]

Ma - go to the £1 or 99p shop and buy some water crystals and mix that in the bottom 15mm- 20mm of soil

[Ma Lowe]

Ma - go to the £1 or 99p shop and buy some water crystals and mix that in the bottom 15mm- 20mm of soil

Thought I read that somewhere  Thanks Alan will do 

[Sideshoot]

I always use builders buckets with holes drilled in, if you sink them down when you water, you water the feed in the bucket and general watering outside the bucket ensuring the feed hits where its needed. I think its called the ring system.

Because you cant grow them in the same soil year afer year ive never grown them direct in the g/house border.

[tangojulie]

I get better crops in supermarket buckets than grow bags.

Last year I filled the bottom half of the pots with old horse manure (free) and topped up with B&Q compost. I had the best tomatoes ever.

[JayG]

In these home made planters-from pallets - there are 3 of them now, the third one being squarer so I can grow Tagetes in front of the toms. They were made to fit snugly along the available sides of the GH.

Lined with old compost bags with holes for drainage poked through, then filled with B+Q MP compost, they worked well last year - this year I'll add a little Growmore before setting the plants out because as I've mentioned elsewhere I have my doubts about the nutrient content of this and other composts in recent years.

[sunshineband]

Now they look just the business JayG 

I used deep square pots last season that I bought from the supermarket at the end of the previous year, in the greenhouse at home. and the tomatoes in them flourished

Those in the min tunell and those outside went straight into soil with plenty of hm compost: also did well.

I guess it is about making sure watering is consistent and feeding timely.... then we just need  warm weather in the mix 

[Ashurstman]

I used cheap potato planting bags from the pound stores filled with growbag compost last year in the greenhouse and had great crops of Roma and Sungold! So I'll be doing it again!

[Lesleyk]

I use large round plastic pots (about 10l) on the floor of the greenhouse (no chance of growing outdoors up here!).  I've done this for several years and it works really well.  I use a multi-purpose compost and feed once a week.  I always have bumper crops.  Tried grow bags one year and didn't get nearly as many toms.  Gardeners Delight is my favourite and grows like billy-o.  Tried Minibel for the first time last year, in the same size pots but on benches in the greenhouse as they are low-growing - they did well, and I'll be growing them again this year.  This year I have also been donated some Harbinger seeds, so I'll see how they go.  I love my tomatoes! 

[Ma Lowe]

Thank you everyone.
I am definitely going to use the big pots and see if my tomato harvest increases.
I will use the bin & queued multi purpose compost and feed them with the comfrey liquid I have.