Allotments 4 All

Produce => Under Glass => Topic started by: tim on April 25, 2008, 10:20:58

Title: Alright, all change!!
Post by: tim on April 25, 2008, 10:20:58
Tried every whichway - bar this.

3 Toms to a bag just to make or break the idea. And, because I support the Co-op, Their £1 bags this year - 40% Peat. First impression - much more hydroscopic than all-Peat ones & seem to take less than the usual gallon to wet initially.

We'll see!!

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/photo04/general/bags1600x450.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/photo04/general/bags2600x450.jpg)

And PLEASE - forgot my sub & can't see how to pay??
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: Truffle on April 25, 2008, 10:39:56
Looks great Tim!
I once gave toms plenty of room, but after experimenting a few years back I'm now firmly in the 'cram them in' camp- the yields are so much higher.

Have you tried using peat free products? Water holding capacity is normally pretty poor, but many are getting much better...
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: gunnerbee on April 25, 2008, 10:43:09
Wow, thats some moneys worth of growbag you got their Tim! what varietys are you putting in them?
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: Deb P on April 25, 2008, 11:29:07
It will be interesting to see how you get on with this type then Tim! ;D
I was going to try Aldi's growbags this year, but they never seem to have them in so I will probably stick with my Arthur Bowers ones although they are more expensive... :-\
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: debster on April 25, 2008, 11:30:59
i use b and q just over £1 each and i find them fine
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: tim on April 25, 2008, 11:34:22
Not so much the toms' problem, Truffle - as much the ease of accessing.

Peat free? Indeed. But I needed a change. So it's 40% this year.

Varieties, Gunnerbee? Not half what many others seem to grow. They all have to be indoors. With the Peppers & Cus. No Aubs this year by family decree. So how do I make Mamta's pickle they love & Involtini & Moussaka??

Irish Gardeners Delight - Real Seeds
Rosada - a baby plum
Red Zebra
Ship Saint - a plum
Costoluto Fiorentino
Soleane - Simpsons'
Nectar - Simpsons'
Black Krim
Rose de Berne

PS Find them fine?. All depends upon comparison?
PPS Sorry, Jeannine - your Keepsake.
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: debster on April 25, 2008, 11:38:07
Tim do the co op deliver to you?
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: tim on April 25, 2008, 11:40:39
Not B likely!
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: Magnolia on April 25, 2008, 11:43:00
I have serious GH envy
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: debster on April 25, 2008, 11:45:19
that is a green house its larger then my house  :o :o
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: gunnerbee on April 25, 2008, 12:10:35
im growing black crim this year first time too! can they go outdoors too?

my trouble is one greenhouse
cukes, toms. aubs, chillies, peppers, not enough room, although the chillies will be o.k on the windowsill i suppose.
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: gunnerbee on April 25, 2008, 12:13:31
p.s whats the difference with Irish Gardeners Delight ? to english?
and dont say you feed them on guiness!!
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: tim on April 25, 2008, 13:25:45
Sorry - what's the difference - Irish or USA?

(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v164/photo04/general/gdusa.jpg)
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: tim on April 25, 2008, 15:35:31
Gunnerbee - sorry - "yes - they can be patio grown".

Not sure about the Cotswolds, but I need to try some through lack of space.
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: aromatic on April 25, 2008, 15:44:46
 ;D Wowww that's impressive tim, look forward to photographs of your progress!!! I can only fit in two grow bags in my greenhouse.... My first attempt at growing them so can I come to you for some advice?

                           (http://www.animated-gifs.eu/vegetables-tomatoes/0023.gif)
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: Tee Gee on April 25, 2008, 15:57:32
Better you than me Tim, I still prefer the traditional method of putting them into the GH border. plus it saves me £25-£30 as in your case.

By my reckoning you will about 70 lbs of tomatoes to break even and thats not accounting for the seed & propagation cost.

Top side mines cost a fiver  ;D and if I sell a few plants I will cover that  ;)

Only joking ............good luck I hope you have a disease free season.

Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: tim on April 25, 2008, 16:24:06
If I had your set-up, TG, I might well go your way. But I can't dig a trench down the middle of mine. Or don't want to!
And how a fiver for all that compost?

Aromatic - follow TG, not me!
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: Gazfoz on April 26, 2008, 08:37:29
Better you than me Tim, I still prefer the traditional method of putting them into the GH border. plus it saves me £25-£30 as in your case.

By my reckoning you will about 70 lbs of tomatoes to break even and thats not accounting for the seed & propagation cost.

Top side mines cost a fiver  ;D and if I sell a few plants I will cover that  ;)

Only joking ............good luck I hope you have a disease free season.


70lbs of tomatoes!

Well by my calculations that means the other 2/3rds of his crop will be pure profit ;) ;D ;D
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: Lauren S on April 26, 2008, 09:21:33
Oh WOW!!!!!!! I want to live in Tim's greenhouse  ;D  ;D  ;D
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: growmore on April 26, 2008, 09:46:50
It is going to be interesting Tim to see how they grow.
It certainly Looks good Tim, but how are you going to keep them all them watered? ..I don't want to be a Jobe's comforter but I think You know how quick growbags dry out  once tom's get growing and how difficult a job it is to get sufficient water in them  if they do ...On that scale I think someone's going to be very busy with the can  :)   Or maybe you have got a plan with some porous hose or drip feeds ...
I hope all goes well .
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: tim on April 26, 2008, 10:39:32
No problem, really. I water with a lance through a fertiliser dilutor giving 1/100 of the mix at every watering. Not too much bending!

Worst bit is when the plants are at different stages, & some don't want fertiliser.

I suppose they get from 3/4l - 1 1/2l a day - each plant, depending on weather.

Biggest problem, which only dawned on me last night, is how the hell do I arrange all the support strings.
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: worldor on April 26, 2008, 10:53:45
Tim, I see that you have your growbags flat this year, didn't you cut halfway and halve them upended last year. Are you going to use those bottomless pots for depth or will the growbag be deep enough as they are.  I don't know what to go for this year.
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: tim on April 26, 2008, 11:34:50
As I said at the beginning, back to the beginning. Flat & helpless, with no adornments!

If the suppliers say 3 to a bag, even though I've never done it, who am I to disagree??
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: Gazfoz on April 26, 2008, 18:00:39
In my opinion tim you have a very cavalier attitude to this years tomato yield.
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: tim on April 26, 2008, 18:55:43
I'm getting to the time, Gary, when it's a question of least effort.

Don't ever go there!!
Title: Re: Alright, all change!!
Post by: worldor on April 27, 2008, 06:54:04
Thanks Tim, I may join you. One for all, and all for one. :)
or is that musketeer - either way it will probably all end in tears.

SimplePortal 2.3.5 © 2008-2012, SimplePortal