Black grow bags--ideal size for tomatoes?

akgardengirl · February 7, 2006

I plan on using some of the black plastic grow bags this summer. What size should I order? Mostly for determinates but maybe some indeterminates.
Thanks,
Sue

Hi Sherry!

**mdvpc** · February 7, 2006

Sue-what size container do you usually use? Or are you always growing in the ground? If you grow in containers, you can use the same size-the black grow bags come usually in 1 gallon, 5, 10, 15 etc. If you grow in the ground, I would use at least 5 gallon for one plant, see Spuds thread on his containers. Some people would use much bigger ones for even one plant-How high do your temps get and are you growing in a greenhouse or outside?

travis · February 10, 2006

I was amazed early last summer when I visited a local fruit stand that has six plastic growing tunnels for tomatoes.

He was growing very tall, up to 8-foot plants, in what appeared to be 2 - 3 gallon black plastic bags.

The plants were segregated by age, and the oldest plants were fully 8 feet tall, strung up on single wire trelleses with the wires suspended from a steel pipe runnng horizontally down the length of the ceiling.

Each plant was stripped of its lower foliage all the way up to the unpicked ripening trusses about 5 feet off the floor. The size and production of the fruit was amazing.

There was a continuous watering system running, so apparently the size of the black bag you use is conditioned on porousity/water retention qualities of the growing media, availability of water and nutrients, etc.

PV

February 7, 2006	#1
akgardengirl Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Anchorage, AK zone 3/4 Posts: 1,410	Black grow bags--ideal size for tomatoes? I plan on using some of the black plastic grow bags this summer. What size should I order? Mostly for determinates but maybe some indeterminates. Thanks, Sue Hi Sherry!

February 7, 2006	#2
mdvpc Tomatoville® Moderator Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: San Antonio, Texas Posts: 4,386	Sue-what size container do you usually use? Or are you always growing in the ground? If you grow in containers, you can use the same size-the black grow bags come usually in 1 gallon, 5, 10, 15 etc. If you grow in the ground, I would use at least 5 gallon for one plant, see Spuds thread on his containers. Some people would use much bigger ones for even one plant-How high do your temps get and are you growing in a greenhouse or outside? __________________ Michael

February 10, 2006	#3
travis Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Evansville, IN Posts: 2,984	I was amazed early last summer when I visited a local fruit stand that has six plastic growing tunnels for tomatoes. He was growing very tall, up to 8-foot plants, in what appeared to be 2 - 3 gallon black plastic bags. The plants were segregated by age, and the oldest plants were fully 8 feet tall, strung up on single wire trelleses with the wires suspended from a steel pipe runnng horizontally down the length of the ceiling. Each plant was stripped of its lower foliage all the way up to the unpicked ripening trusses about 5 feet off the floor. The size and production of the fruit was amazing. There was a continuous watering system running, so apparently the size of the black bag you use is conditioned on porousity/water retention qualities of the growing media, availability of water and nutrients, etc. PV