Tomato and grow bag compost

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strider84

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Tomato and grow bag compost
« on: May 07, 2014, 21:44 »
Hi all,

Last year I grew tomatos in grow bags but they dried out to much even though I watered them twice a day a lot of fruit split etc.

This year I am growing them in pots/sacks and possibly in the ground.

My question being if they are in pots do I need to fill these with grow bag compost or will the plants be fine in normal compost?

Also if planting them straight into the ground what sort of prep do I need to do?

Thanks

Matt

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solway cropper

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Re: Tomato and grow bag compost
« Reply #1 on: May 07, 2014, 22:43 »
I grow all my toms in pots filled with a mix of home-made compost, sieved soil and cheap grow bag material with the addition of some BFB. Just using grow bag compost will require plenty of extra feeding and probably a lot more watering unless you add something to retain moisture.

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Eightball

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Re: Tomato and grow bag compost
« Reply #2 on: May 07, 2014, 22:50 »
I grow mine in the ground. Dig a hole, put some fertiliser in the hole (I use compost and comfrey leaves)and then put the plant in all the way up to the first set of true leaves. Provide something to support the plant as it grows. I also mulch around my plants and only really had to water once a week even in the height of summer last year.
« Last Edit: May 09, 2014, 00:32 by Eightball »

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Sleepingpopman

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Re: Tomato and grow bag compost
« Reply #3 on: May 08, 2014, 09:02 »
Hello   :)
For the last 2 years we've grown our tom's in large buckets with holes in the bottom & then had them stood in cheap garden trugs which we keep about half full of water, (in the greenhouse,) we did this because of being away on hol's, we also added water retaining gell . In answer to your question, the 1st year we grew them in bought compost, 2nd year we used grow bag compost & in our case we got a better harvest with grow bag compost & I asked our local g/c manager yesterday which she would use & she said grow bag compost every time.
Long way round but I hope this helps.
Keith  ;) 

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Headgardener22

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Re: Tomato and grow bag compost
« Reply #4 on: May 08, 2014, 13:41 »
My view is that compost is just a medium, the nutrient is the fertiliser you water them with. So any lightweight compost will do.

Growbags have fertiliser in them designed to encourage fruiting;
Garden compost has no nutrients in it so you will need to fertilise from day one;
Ordinary compost will have fertiliser designed to encourage leaves rather than fruit.

I use growbag compost mixed with sieved garden compost just because I find it works for me.

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DD.

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Re: Tomato and grow bag compost
« Reply #5 on: May 08, 2014, 13:49 »
Growbag compost. Nothing more, nothing less.
Did it really tell you to do THAT on the packet?



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