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Tomatos - rings/grobags/gropots/

Chris314Chris314 Posts: 51
in Fruit & veg
I've been using fancy gropots (the type with an inner ring for feeding, outer ring for water that sit on top of a grobag) for my greenhouse tomatoes for a couple of years.
This year I've been unable to get the extra large grobags that are needed for this.
I wondered whether to go back to simply planting straight into the grobag.
Any opinions on whether the simple 'in the bag' method is as good as the 'pot in the bag' approach ? Preferably based on experience with both ?
Thanks

Posts

  • WilderbeastWilderbeast Posts: 1,415
    No personal experience but my neighbour buys the cheap grow bags and double stacks with grow ring thing in the top
  • debs64debs64 Posts: 5,184
    I just use mine in normal grow bags never had an issue? 
  • clarke.bruntclarke.brunt Posts: 215
    For years, I've used  DIY 'gropots' - they are plastic pots (around 7 inch across) which I've cut the bottom off. Rather than cut out the marked planting area of the growbag, I make two cuts in a cross, just enough that I can get the pot in. The tomato plants - which by planting out time I have in 3-4 inch pots - go with the base of their rootball about level with the bottom of the 'gropot', with added compost around it (sometimes that which I've removed from the grobag to get the pot in). I can add more compost around the tomato stem later if I want. All water and feed goes into the pot - saves the messing around of having to water slowly to ensure the water actually gets into the grobag rather than spilling down the sides. I used to always use cheap/thin grobags. Last year, someone bought me some of the thick ones - crop was very good, but might have been overkill having a thick bag, and then pots on top of it.

    The grobags go in plastic trays on the patio. The tray provides an extra reservoir for periods of dry weather (though I still have to water every day). In very wet weather, the trays can fill up with water and I end up syphoning it out!

    I always grow cordon (indeterminate, single-stem) tomatoes, each with a cane held up with the grobag cane-supports you can get. N.B. When the tomatoes are tall and full of fruit, the entire lot can still blow over - if the need arises, I rope the top of the canes together, and tie them to other fixed objects.
  • Singing GardenerSinging Gardener Posts: 1,237
    I think Wickes are selling extra large grobags this year.
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