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Grow Bags divide tomato growers.
Do they:
Provide an all in one, convenient container for 2 or 3 tomato plants
OR
Result in uneven water distribution and unsatisfactory root space.
One way to overcome potential drawbacks with grow bags is to upend and halve them, resulting in narrower but deeper bags.
I gave it a try.
Materials:
- Standard Size Grow Bag
- Scissors
- Empty Plastic Drinks Bottle, bottom and lid removed
- Cane
- Twine
Method:
- Flip and fold the bag backwards and forwards where the divide will be to move the compost away from the middle.
- Stand folded bag on its ends.
- Cut across top of fold.
- Push compost back down into either side.
- Cut across bottom of fold.
- Bag is now in two halves.
- Compost compacts, so empty into holding container and break up.
- Snip/pierce holes in base of bag for drainage holes.
- Place bag in position.
- Return compost to bag to provide bottom layer.
- Add bottomless water bottle.
- Put in cane.
- Add tomato plant.
- Tie plant to cane.
- Return rest of compost to bag around tomato plant.
- Water through the bottle, checking it drains through.
I included the watering bottle to direct water down to the base as it’s now quite a deep container. However it looks crowded!
I’ve put 4 plants into upended grow bags but am not sure about them. The bag doesn’t sit right and the plant doesn’t look very at home. I don’t have the option to secure the cane into the ground but that might’ve anchored it . The whole thing look a bit makeshift.
So 1st impressions not great but I’ll stick with them and see how the tomatoes do .
{ 8 comments… read them below or add one }
I think your arrangement with the grow bags will work out fine. We use an old cement mixer to add manure and bone meal to the compost,including some soil from the garden to bulk up the amount,and we then use the rolled down bags ( which held the bought compost ) side by side in the greenhouse,which gives more growing space for the tomatoes than the largset of pots could provide.
We stake each plant,and then use a cane tied across the tops,to give strength to the supports. This has proved to be a good way and is now our usual practice.
We stab the bag to allow drainage and keep well watered on a daily basis
Hello Vera,
Thank you so much for getting in touch and for your vote of confidence ! Your cement mixing set up for compost sounds amazing. I haven’t really got to grips with how to improve my compost this year, it’s as it comes out of the bag but it is on my list for things to build on for next year. Interesting you mention stabbing the grow bags for drainage. I did this for the upended ones but then I have used the bigger ones ( post to follow) and on the instructions it said not to pierce the base so I haven’t ! So much to learn – so thank you for sharing your knowhow.
Sally
Have you thought about contacting any horsy people or riding stables ? If you have the space,storing some stable manure for a few months to add to your compost once it is rotted down is a fantastic way to get good results.
I know from my own children ( who have horses ) that getting rid of the manure is a problem for them . I collect with the old gardening compost bags and if it is fresh I put it in one of the compost bins.
I use it also as a feed by putting some in an old stocking and adding it to a bucket of water. I never buy the commercial stuff ever.
Mistake ! I do buy a mix of blood and bone granules which I also add to my compost,along with the rotted horse manure.I have also in the past added to my mix,the ash from from daughters wood burning stove.
Great Suggestions. Thank you. I will definitely look at ‘brewing’ and mixing my own ! Everyone who does gets such good results. One of the 1st people I spoke to about tomatoes ( see interviews ) was Jim who had a similar set up with sheep manure – he called it ‘sheep soup’.
Just found your site, aha, yes, tomato fans ahoy! Summer w0uld not be the same without our supply of garden grown toms, especially Gardeners Delight. This year I grew them from seed, first time ever, and have consequently rather more plants than usual! They are in growbags, pots, troughs…
Am also trying some GD in hanging baskets but cannot decide whether I should pinch out side shoots or let em have their heads. any thoughts?
Love the site.
Cheers, Jan
Hello. Thank you for stopping by and getting in touch. Great to hear that you liked the site… and like me have had to find anything, everything to put your tomato plants in ! Such small seeds – and then such large plants but it’s so easy to get carried away !
I really like to try tomatoes in a hanging basket – its one of the thing still on my tomato wish list! With the GD I guess the question is – can you reach to take out the side shoots !? and if you leave them will the plant actually have time to produce tomatoes off of those shoots – if not then they are taking up energy that could be going to the trusses that have got fruit that will ripen….. On the other hand in the book from the River Cottage Chef he said he once just left all his tomatoes to get on with it – no pinching out, no feeding etc. And whilst the crop wasn’t as bountiful – it was still fine.
So it looks as if either would be fine !
Good Luck and I hope you get lots and lots of lovely tomatoes !