[vegikev]

I see no reason why plants which have similar other requirements - e.g. temperature, water - shouldn't be grown in the same trench / tray.

i will be giving it a go then. 1 side with trench and the other growbags then see what happens

[neal]

The feeding is the same as for growbags i understand.

As for the amount of gravel to do one side of an 8ft greenhouse assuming the boarder is 2ft wide would be about 400kg give or take a bit that is at 6ins deep.

As for other crops chillies and peppers can do well with this method as well.

I will be using flower buckets with the bottoms cut out just the right size and for now't
from my local Morrisons they stack them at the end of checkout with the cardboard
boxes.

I think this method is going to be alot cleaner and desease free in the long term just a good wash down when i do the rest of the inside in the autumn  the cost of the gravel is the only drawback. 

[lacewing]

Cheers Neal.

[woodburner]

. . . the cost of the gravel is the only drawback. 

A single ton bag from your local builders merchant will probably cost less than 400kg in 20kg bags, but you will have a lot left over unless you do both sides of your g'house.  

[loam ranger]

I have grown tomatoes useing ring culture for years, as the floors in my greenhouses are concrete I use plastic washing up bowls (cheap bought from pound stretchers) half filled with pea gravel with 1 pot per bowl.  I have always had a good crop of tomatoes growing this way, savs digging.
Geoff

[neal]

I intend to do both sides plus the end of my 10x6 my calculations make it just over one ton.
A bulk bag will cost £35 plus any extra. I will buy that in loose bags if i need to top up.
 

[yorky]

neal

You can mix a few bags of sharp sand in with the gravel. The cheapest place for buying this is just a few miles up the road from you at Swillington nurseries. It might be cheaper than buying some extra bags of gravel.
If you stay with the ring culture method then the initial cost is worthwhile because the sand and gravel lasts forever.

[woodburner]

neal

You can mix a few bags of sharp sand in with the gravel. The cheapest place for buying this is just a few miles up the road from you at Swillington nurseries. It might be cheaper than buying some extra bags of gravel.
If you stay with the ring culture method then the initial cost is worthwhile because the sand and gravel lasts forever.

Ooh is ballast ok then? I was gong to sift the pebbles out of it (about 1/3 of a ton bag left from a hard landscaping project), and use the sand for 'other horticultural purposes'.

[yorky]

Woodburner,

I mixed one bag of sharp sand per barrow load of gravel. Over the years all the sand has washed to the bottom but it still does the job of holding the water. I think you should be okay without sieving your ballast.

[woodburner]

Sweet! That's just the kind of info I like. Time and energy saving.
Thanks.

[pushrod]

  Do we think tomato ring culture would work for other plants, IE. red peppers ,melons, chillies ect.?     

don't know about melons ,but chillies, and red peppers do not need so much water and do not tend to produce such big root systems.

You do not need to use bottomless pots - tomato plants will send extensive roots thru the bottom of large plastic pots. I fill the big wilko pots with new john innes No3 every year and stand them on big deep trays of hydroleca. This is more expensive than gravel but far superior IMO. It  will absorb water and leave more airspaces for the roots and give up the water to the plant more steadily and reduce Blossom end rot and it is very light in weight so you will not wreck your back carrying it or cleaning out at the end of the year.

[neal]

I thought the idea of the gravel bed was to leave it in place so saving the back work.
A good hose down and a douse with jeyes fluid should keep the bed in good order.
Or have i got it all wrong  

[pushrod]

I thought the idea of the gravel bed was to leave it in place so saving the back work.
A good hose down and a douse with jeyes fluid should keep the bed in good order.
Or have i got it all wrong  

over 2, 3  or 4  growing seasons your gravel beds will slowly turn into gravelly soil and you will be back to the starting point of growing in soil that can harbour pests. The gravel has to be carried to your greenhouse even if you are not going to clean it out. I can easily move a  4' tray of hydoleca for cleaning at the end of the year.

Jeyes fluid is a very strong disinfectant with a very strong smell i know you can dilute it down but personally i don't feel right about putting it where the roots of my tomatoes will be.

[yorky]

Ring culture on gravel has worked for me for more years than I can remember.  The Jeyes fluid is used at the end of the season and  any trace of it is long gone by the time that the new season comes around

[neal]

Thankyou for answering my question yorky the gravel is due to arrive Saturday i may need a sledge to move it 20 yards to my greenhouse . I will not pierce the plastic as you advised.