Topic: Tomato ring culture rings

[picman]

Sorry if an old subject , where can i get in UK the 9" or so rings for ring culture ...., they were made of some sort of bitumen felt ? perhaps someone ban them ?

[goodlife]

I think you mean what is/was called whalehide pots....
We have couple of people using these type of pots, though there is new version of them now, the old 'whale hide' ones are not existing no more ( I think), our members did accepted happily the new replacement version that actually is said being better!
We got ours from growell-direct.. though is not in their general catalogue and you might need to give them a ring...and we had to buy them in bulk too(couple of hundred at the time I think), they were not available in small quantities. The new version is called 'culture pots'.

Edit to add...found this page for you and you can follow up to find the stockist from here too.. http://www.william-sinclair.co.uk/gardening/products/pots_and_mats

Failing that..we could do some arrangements to get some from our allotments shop and get them sent for you...

[goodlife]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/9-Ring-Culture-Pots-6-Pots-Biodegradable-/271488201235?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item3f35f53213
http://www.armitagesonline.com/our-store/garden-care/propagation/
http://www.mainlytools.co.uk/shop/garden/accessories/pots

[picman]

Top marks goodlife , Thank you. there are bottomless plastic things but £2.50 each  :)  Im making an automatic watering timer for my plot greenhouse as last year toms were a bit dry , thinking grobags and rings this year... Cheers.

[Tee Gee]

The next time you are driving through town and you are held up by roadworks you may find that the utility company is replacing a main of some description and using large diameter pipes have a word with the workmen for pipe off cuts.

I must have had my rings for twenty five years or more as you can see here:

http://www.thegardenersalmanac.co.uk/Data/Tomato/Tomato.htm

[picman]

Tee Gee text book stuff ... thanks.

[goodlife]

If you are happy with plastic ones...usually people have more than they can cope with just ordinary plastic plant pots..cut the bottoms off and job done....they will last for yeeeeeears and there is no need to pay silly money for them.
I've done that with 'flower buckets'...some shops give them for free as they will only end up throwing them away...you just has to be brave ask.

[picman]

I have tried cutting bottoms !  just thought I would get some proper jobs, have located some at BHGS in Evesham...  A fellow plotter an I are having a tomato competition .....   Cheers.

[goodlife]

The difference with 'proper one's'..meaning those biogradables is that they don't heat up in sun as much as plastic ones, particularly black ones as roots will shy away from hot side of the pots and not using the whole growing area so effectively. If you shade the plastic on the sunny side...it only needs to be something leaning against the plastic 'ring'..it will do the job.
Tee Gee mentioned the cut offs from pipes...they are excellent as they are much thicker and sun won't be able to heat up the soil and root through them...not in this country anyway..and the growing temperature will stay even in the ring.

But, I'm glad you are now sorted.....happy growing and may the competition be success...