[chrissie B]

recently posted with a problem of my tomatoes ripening with yellow blotches , got some good advice thankyou and now i find that one sick plant down the back that i have pulled up has big lumpy roots , checking my book it says club root or it could be ell worm  both pics look the same !!! i have destroyed the plants but the book says no toms on this site for 6 years , i dont have an allotment and my garden isnt massive
WHAT CAN I DO.
i love my veg , all other stuff growing in the same area seem ok , chillis and bell peppers, basil.
will this affect other plants ? if it dosent could i grow other things in that space and if so what .
chrissie b

[WG.]

I don't think tomatoes get clubroot so eelworm is more likely.  Eelworm will affect toms and tatties so maybe steer clear of them.  A heavy application of lime will help so grow brassicas after that.

 :idea: You can always grow tomatoes in containers

[mushroom]

the book says no toms on this site for 6 years , i dont have an allotment and my garden isnt massive
WHAT CAN I DO.
chrissie b

Regarding tomatoes, have you considered growing them straight out of the compost bag?

[chrissie B]

how big would the bag have to be , we get 10 lt 20lt but are not long like uk ones
chrissie b

[mushroom]

how big would the bag have to be , we get 10 lt 20lt but are not long like uk ones
chrissie b

the ones ive seen here seem to aim for 4 plants per 25 litre bag. Maybe 6 can be had per bag but for 20l I'd go for 4. Bag can be any shape as long as it's a convenient shape  

[brucesgirl]

We always grow ours in pots.

[WG.]

:idea: You can always grow tomatoes in containers

I'd suggest a 25 litre container per tomato.  Especially with the rapid water loss you'd get in Greece

[mushroom]

Especially with the rapid water loss you'd get in Greece

Aaaaagh i forgot about the water losses there, it is so hot and dry

[splodger]

in my experience - for success with toms - grown in bags - i think it pays to cut the bottom off a couple pots - and plant your toms into the pots - then embed your potted up toms in the growbag.

ensures good root growth and is easier to water - as the water runs well through the pots - feeding the roots that need the nutrients.

[mushroom]

but the whole point of bags or pots regarding the original problem is to isolate  from the natural soil because the soil has some kind of lurgy affecting the tomatoes

[WG.]

but the whole point of bags or pots regarding the original problem is to isolate  from the natural soil because the soil has some kind of lurgy affecting the tomatoes

That isn't what splodger means.  Picture a flowerpot on top of the growbag to give greater depth.

I'd still go with 25litre buckets for the heat

[mushroom]

That isn't what splodger means.  Picture a flowerpot on top of the growbag to give greater depth.
I'd still go with 25litre buckets for the heat

aha ok i understand, cheers

[splodger]

i lost almost all my plants at the lottie - to blight - but the ones at the house are fine - this year i actually put them in an old plastic dog bed -it's for a large dog (my three spaniels used to cuddle up together in it )

but i still use the bottomless pot method for shallow planting of toms - as the roots continue to grow up the stem - and the like it deeper than you would think.

wg's suggestion is also valid - if you have enough 25 ltr pots - but dependant on situation / weather / wind - i think staking individual pots with toms in is sometimes tricky - as is giving them extra protection if they need it.

[WG.]

staking is a breeze - arrange pots in groups of 4 - knock a bit of wood in the ground between them - tie to stake with a pair of tights.   A piece of 50x50mm stake ought to be heavy enough (2" in the old money)

[chrissie B]

thanks for all the ideas everyone , i think i will go for some kind of container and just not have so many plants . i have a concreat area that runs along side the house that has flowers on i could put them there and it has a fence so tieing up is no problem, not as pretty as flowers but some times you have to sacrifice.
chrissie b