[cjskts]

Evening everyone (well, morning nearly!! lol)

I found some pots that i like the look of on a website (bottomless pot with a extra outer to hold water) and after a bit of searching on the web, i found an old thread on here about making gravel trenches in your greenhouse and then putting a bottomless pot on top. I understand that this encourages longer roots to get to the water in the gravel and that you feed from the top for the shorter roots in the actual pot.

I also love the idea about using a washing up bowl of similar to hold the gravel instead of trenches which is ideal for us. But i have a few questions and wonder if anyone has any experiences? When growing the tomatoes from seeds, do you water from the top as i would have normally done. Then when the first truss has set, move into these bottomless pots and go from there? Will the roots be long enough to do this and allow the plant to water itself, so to speak, or will i need to water from the top until the roots reach the gravel?

Basically, can someone tell me how to water and care for them from planting the seed until the plant is established? 

[Paul Plots]

Using ring culture is a doodle doddle - must be as I can manage it! 

What I do is:

• start the seed off in trays or modules or paper pots
• once the seedling has its first set of true (proper tomato shaped) leaves pot on into 3" pots individually
• when the plant roots are filling the 3" pots transplant into the "ring" / final pot but only fill the ring / 12” pot about half full of compost

Your idea of using a washing-up bowl to hold the gravel is a great one. This year I have used two different methods:

In my dad's greenhouse I've planted into 12" pots and placed these into large flowerpot saucers..... more in a minute

In my greenhouse I've planted into 12" pots and placed these into grow-bags

To help the plants develop their root systems in the 12” pots I soak the compost in the pots with enough water to flow straight through into the saucer or grow-bag below. Future watering is mainly directly into the grow-bag or the saucer rather than at the top surface of the compost in the pot. I only water from the top periodically (maybe once a week).

As the tomato plant grows gradually add more compost around the plant stem in the 12” pot until the pot is almost full to the top - say to within a couple of inches (2 to 3 cm).

The idea is that strong water gathering roots search for moisture so grow out of the bottom of the 12" pot... while finer, secondary root hairs grow from the stem of the tomato.

In theory your plants will develop two sets of roots – the longer, stronger bottom ones for gathering water and the finer roots originating from the stem that becomes covered with compost are there to suck up nutrients.

Once the first truss of fruit has set begin giving liquid feed (according to manufacturer’s instructions) by applying this into the 12” pot. To keep the plant hydrated water at the base (flower pot saucer / grow-bag or in your washing-up bowls with gravel).


I have used “rings” – these can be bought or home-made but this year for speed and ease I’m trying ordinary 12” pots and the roots have developed well by growing out of the holes and into the water holding medium (saucers appear to work but it does take a great deal of time to keep them well topped up – Ideal for my 95 year old dad as he is a keen gardener and can manage to do this through out each day).


There we go….. hope this explanation is not too confusing…. This method works well for me.
In the past my dad has used a long gravel filled trough and rings made from lino.

[cjskts]

Thank you so much Learner. It all makes sense to me now.
I currently grow my toms in a grow bag with pots that i have cut the bottom off. It worked ok, but i'm getting that blossom rot thing on some of them and i'm told that one of the problems is grow bags. They're also a pain to move which i needed to do because the cucumbers were suffering (not doing well on those, but thats a different story! lol)

The washing up bowl idea was someone on this site, they mentioned it in an older post. I might use something different as i'm a cheap skate! lol

[Paul Plots]

Instead if washing-up bowls you might try any strong box lined with a heavy bin-bag..
Just a thought. 

[cjskts]

Was eyeing up hubbies draw tray things in his class room, would be ideal, but no spares. lol

[mumofstig]

cat litter trays can be cheap

[cjskts]

Fab!!!

[griff]

Just stand mine on a bed of straw in a home made hut made of four posts and some plastic sheeting

[Paul Plots]

Good looking toms Griff and a great set-up there!   
Thanks for the photo too - says a thousand words (I guess I should use those more often!  )

I know the drawers you mean cjskts. When my school building was demolished they were dumped (along with too many other things) so I was allowed to recycle a few.  Ask your other half to keep a look out for old ones that are being replaced - it happens once in a blue-moon.

As mumofstig says, "Cat litter-trays can be cheap."

For 12" pots I have used black flower-buckets from supermarkets - ideal with a few holes in the bottom. We had lots of these (used by PTA to hold cash at fund raising events - these also discarded when the school met the bull-dozer!)