Staking Toms In Grow Bags

[cecil39]

I am puzzled as to how to stake tomatoes when using grow bags, do the stakes go in the bag and through the bottom? if so won't the holes let the water out? or do they go at the side, which mean the plant will be a long way from the stake, opinions please.

[SlackAlice]

You need something like this

http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/?ie=UTF8&keywords=grow+bag+frames&tag=hydrukspg-21&index=aps&hvadid=57142167367&hvpos=1s1&hvexid=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=11647443559215153739&;hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&ref=pd_sl_81wcg8qsx9_e

I grow my tomatoes in a greenhouse which has a concrete floor. I put the canes in next to the plant and I have a wire at head height fixed to the greenhouse sides and attach the canes to them with twine.

[Buenchico]

Take at a look at this Gardeners' World video (from around 1:50 onwards):
http://www.gardenersworld.com/how-to/projects/fruit-and-vegetables/how-to-grow-tomatoes-in-growing-bags/338.html

[Old_Geezer]

Failing miserably to grow tomatoes for the first time this year, this will be useful, thanks.

For other's benefit, I don't recommend those small plastic growbag "greenhouses" gardening centers and DIY sheds sell. Not only is the flat top a major design fail (it holds rainwater and sinks down, pulling the sides up) the whole thing needs pegging down in order to stay put: which means the patio is not a good location. I'm having to find fixes for the design faults and have already lost about half of the plants that germinated.

[alavahalf]

OG .. Change your tomato's and your growing situation. Get yourself some Maskotka seeds, these are a dwarf tumbling variety that seem to grow best in pots and containers without any support. They only get to about 10" tall, but do they produce vast quantities of fruit.
When the seedlings are big enough to transplant get yourself a builders bucket and fill it with compost. Put a couple of seedling in and leave them to it. There's no pinching out or any maintenance with these. Just water them when they need it (when they wilt).
The idea of the bucket is to keep the toms of the ground. I grow them outside on my allotment using 8" pots with the bottom cut out. The pot is placed in the ground leaving about 4-5" stuck out. This is filled with compost and the plant placed in it. This keeps the toms in good condition.
( I have 20 in the ground at the moment).
Last year I took a picture of one days pickings from 20 plants.. there were more than 1200 toms. They were all frozen and we are still using them now for cooking... http://i62.tinypic.com/b7xmdh.jpg[/IMG]
Highly recommended for a low maintenance east to grow plant.
PS .. I've still got around 100-150 seedlings which I am trying to give away.

[Old_Geezer]

Thanks for the suggestion. I shall bear that in mind. I knew one surely didn't have to buy a £300+ greenhouse just to see if it was a hobby one could take to.

Don't think any of my Indigo Apple germinated. And of 7 germinated Dwarf Beryl Beauty are now down to 5 possibly viable.

Sorry for hijacking the thread cecil :-)

[alavahalf]

cecil ... sorry for getting away from the original question ...

If you don't have holes through the bottom of the grow bag and you happen to over water the plants, you will end up disheartened with a poly bag full of saturated compost and rotten tomato plants .. a sodden mess.
The holes will allow drainage and stop this happening. As you become more experienced, you will know when the plant needs a drink and more especially ... when they don't !
Better to keep them slightly dry than to over wet them.

[cecil39]

Thanks for all your answers, I knew I could depend on you guys for some sensible suggestions.