Growing tomatoes with the ring culture method

[Vegaholic]

Last year I grew some of my tomatoes using Terry Marshall's ring culture method (KG April '03). This worked very well and I intend to use that method again this year. But can I use the same ballast/sand mix or should I use a new mix, or could I use a natural product like Growing Success Greenhouse Cleaner for disinfecting it? What do other growers do who use this method? Thanks for any help!

[Geoff]

Thought I should reply as this question seems to have got left.
My copies of the magazine don't go back that far so I cannot read about the method you have used. As I understand it, you can use the same inert layer for several years without trouble otherwise there would be no point in doing it instead of using greenhouse borders. If you have had any blight treating it might be worthwhile but I don't think you need bother.
If you are really worried about it you could grow your tomatoes like I (and many others do) using the ring culture rings on growbags instead of an inert layer. You can reuse the bag contents the next year as a base for making a potting compost; I've just pricked out Sweet Peas into pots filled with used growbag contents blended with some fresh compost for example.

[Vegaholic]

Thanks for the reply Geoff, guess it makes sense that as the sand/ballast is inert then it should be OK to reuse - we'll soon find out....!

[glallotments]

We place the rings on the grow bags too. The idea is to get a greater depth of compost than you would by just using growbags. We have spare grow bags to top up the 'rings.

We used the green plastic rings last year ( in the garden greenhouse)
but will use the fibre sort of rings in the plot greenhouse as they are cheaper

[PLUMPUDDING]

I use the ring culture method, but have the bottomless pots on the soil in the border. I fill them with fresh bought compost every year and also top up the border soil with home made compost so it doesn't get stale. I've been doing this for the past ten years. I have watered the border with diluted Jeyes fluid once, but there haven't been any problems when I haven't. I take the pots out when the tomatoes have finished and grow alsorts of other veg over winter, so it is in constant use.

So the soil level doesn't get too high I borrow some to fill tubs with a bit of slow release fertilizer added.

A good cheap alternative to buying pots is to get some 10 inch diameter plastic drainage pipes and cut them into 1 ft deep sections. My father did this thirty years ago and I'm still using them. It took him ages to saw them all, but I've got 20 very strong bottomless pots.

[Johnboy]

Hi Plumpudding,
What your father managed thirty years ago would, I suspect be exceedingly expensive today. I had to replace some 6" rainwater pipe on one of the barns last year and each down pipe cost me £100.00. so god knows what 10" pipe would cost today.
What you can do is buy some 10-12" Pots and cut the bottoms off and use them upside down or even the right way up would do just as well.
JB.

[PLUMPUDDING]

Hi Johnboy, I hadn't factored in inflation. Still they are still as new and haven't cost me a penny, so at least I'm happy. I hope I haven't started a craze for people stealing drainage pipes!

[Johnboy]

Hi Plumpudding,
In our local garage today were some flower buckets and I thought that suitable doctored they would be perfect for ring culture.
I also hope I am not starting a craze of nicking flower buckets!
JB.

[glallotments]

We thought the same as our supermarket used to give away used flower buckets but hasn't for the past few months - maybe they are in to recycling them now.