Can I grow different tomatoes in a single growbag

General tips / questions on seeding & planting

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MikA
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I have several varieties of tomatoes nearly ready to go in a growbag. Can I grow three different varieties in a single bag or will the most vigorous variety suppress the others?
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alan refail
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Hi Mika

I wouldn't grow three tomatoes of any variety in a single growbag; there's just not enough room for three to do well.
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Johnboy
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Hi MikA,
I only use my own made growbags which house just one plant but grow different varieties in close proximity. I do not know if three plants in a growbag is wise or not but certainly you must use indeterminate varieties determinate varieties would certainly crowd each other out.
In the tunnel Tomato plants are spaced at a minimum of 24 inches apart in two rows offset so that you can tend to the back row without interfering with the front row. My outside Tomatoes are grown again in offset rows but with 36 inches apart.
I would have thought that three plants to a growbag is pushing it a bit but perhaps you may get a more definitive answer from somebody who uses the standard growbag. My reason for saying this is because I do not think that there is sufficient soil/compost in a growbag for three plants.
I am very happy to be proved wrong on this.
JB.
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Cider Boys
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A grow bag usually provides 3 slots for planting tomatoes etc. However like Johnboy I think this is pushing it. When using these bags I tend to tip their contents into 2 large pots, the other method is to half the contents and push them to each end of the bag and then to cut the bag in half and stand each half on end.

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MikA
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Thanks folks

I will try the half bag idea with 1 plant in each. This will also allow them to be spaced in offset rows.

Mind you on Johnboy's spacings it appears I am probably being a tad optimistic (a first time greenhouse grower) to try to grow 2 plants of 4 varieties down one side of my 8*6 greenhouse.
I also have 2 melons, 2 cucumbers and some peppers to find space for

MikA
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Johnboy
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Hi MikA,
My growbags are in heavy duty black polythene bags holding about 25L each of my own made comfrey compost. The drainage holes are made in the sides approx 2 inches up the sides. This leaves room for a small reservoir of water in the base.
I know what you mean about space and it is only because I now have the space available that I can take wider spacing but if you can arrange it so that you can get to all the plants and you can go down as far as 18 inches apart but you must be aware that tending to one plant you may accidentally damage another, so care is of paramount importance.
JB.
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Geoff
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You asked originally about mixing varieties as well as whether a growbag will take three plants. I agree with the other posts that three in a bag is not a good idea. There is no problem with mixing varieties in a bag, there is not enough difference in vigour to make a difference.
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I always use one growbag for three tomato plants (albeit of one variety, usually Gardeners Delight) but I have three 8" bottomless pots which I sort of screw into the growbag side-by-side and then plant the tomatoes into the pot. Each plant therefore has a great deal more soil to grow into than just the growbag. Between the pots I also "screw" two large upside down bottomless plastic bottles which are used for watering.

I don't think I would put different varieties into one bag, though.
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Tigger
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I use grow bags on their side with two plants per bag. As my frames hold two bags (either one on top of another or two side by side) we're talking about four or six plants and this year I'm going for 4, only of one variety. This is particularly important if you have F1 seeds, or a mixture of cordons and bush types.

In my little greenhouse in the Cotswolds (as opposed to my two commercial size tunnels in Shropshire) I'm growing cordons at the back and bush tomatoes to the fore to make the most of the room and the heat.
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glallotments
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We have always grown three tomato plants in one jumbo size grow bag and have mixed varieties with no problems. They just need to all grow in the same way e.g. determinate or indeterminate

Last year we used the ring culture method which was very successful and so will be again.

Three rings pushed into the grow bag and topped up with more grow bag compost in the inner ring. Watered and fed using the outer ring.

The ones in the photo had just been planted.
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glallotments
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This has got me wondering - what is the reason for only growing one variety of tomato each grow bag?
MikA
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Thanks everybody for your helpful replies.

I have now invested in Jumbo Planter bags and have split them in half removing a small amount from each half to fill a reasonable size pot.

4 planters have done 2 Cucumbers and eight tomatoes with enough over for a pot of Dwarf French Beans for the patio.

I will probably end up with tomatoes on both sides of this small GH to keep enough spacing. I am standing the bags on gravel trays as the GH is on a patio and the final arrangement will be to have 2 trays down each side. 3 with 2 tomatoes, 1 with 2 melons raised on staging and one across the end with 1 tomato and a cucumber. Extras will be put outside in the borders somewhere or donated to friends.

Any unused space will house Peppers and Tagetes in pots, and maybe one of the wife's smaller Cannas to add a bit of alternate colour. Is this a good idea or not?

I will certainly try the ring culture / 3 to a bag next year.

MikA
rupertwelliams
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As a start up, I would love putting them in a bag if they are still seeds. But if they already rooting then I would have it transfer. Love planting though.
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Welcome Rupert!

I was going to post it is great when some of these old posts come up, makes you think would you change your mind about something you said previously? My answer - of course! Veg growing (well any growing) just evolves to meet what Mother Nature throws at us. I didn't post on this, but remember reading it. I currently avoid grow bags btw, too much rubbish chucked in now days, those precious little roots will have a mammoth job growing around some of the bark chips I've found in them!

Westi
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