Hampshire, United Kingdom
Hi
I am wondering what I am going to do with my tomato plants - I usually plant them in grow bags. As I am not going to be able to buy any can any one advise what I should use instead. It got me to thinking what did my Grandad use in his day. Any advice gratefully received
- 30 Mar, 2020
Answers
Thank you for that Grandad - makes sense really I will give it a go.
30 Mar, 2020
garden soil with added leaf litter will work too. have you seen if you can get it on line? you will probably have to feed them more too.
if you have any left from pots used last year you could add that to garden soil too but don't use it if your toms had disease last year.
30 Mar, 2020
Agree, plant them in the ground in a sunny place. Keep adding fruit & vegetable peels to the bed and work it in. It draws in the earthworms and they do most of the work for you. They aerate the soil and add enriched vermi-compost which is the best, most expensive compost you can buy. You'll get it for free and should have great tasting tomatoes.
30 Mar, 2020
Maybe you'll be able to get growbags if you can go to Tesco. I was there today in our local one and they had growbags for sale.
30 Mar, 2020
I believe B&Q is still open...correct me if I’m mistaken. Don’t know about Wickes...but if so..they do home delivery.
31 Mar, 2020
Bathgate that's very ingenious - what a great idea! Have you actually tried it? Just wondering if maybe it might deplete the nitrogen - but I guess not in the sort of quantities you'd be using. Is it more effective than leaf litter?
1 Apr, 2020
No, it won't deplete the nitrogen. I've been doing it for at least 10 years. Every time it rains, you'll get a new dose of nitrogen. Do you get thunderstorms? Well lightening fixes nitrogen as well. It the Fall, add a layer of fallen leaves and just leave it there. That too will draw in earthworms and wood lice, those anthropods which also break it down into mulch. Then just work in the leaf debris in the spring while preparing the bed for planting. It's an ongoing process. `
1 Apr, 2020
Bathgate, Learning goes on and on with this site. I'd no idea that woodlice give such good service. I've always been happy to watch them scurrying around with their armadillo bodies and now I know why they are so keen on the compost bins.
1 Apr, 2020
Your Granddad & mine, just planted them in a sunny border.
Mine added horse poo which I had to go & collect on a shovel when the milkman & his horse called
30 Mar, 2020