Tomato grow rings

hel007, Oct 3, 9:49pm
I am wondering whether any one out there has used them? If so what is your opinion? Cheers

lilyfield, Oct 4, 12:37am
Have just spoken to a friend who used them last year, she was complaining that the drip line holes clog up too easely.

gazzat22, Oct 10, 9:10pm
Brilliant,if drip line holes block drill them out a bit bigger!

donnabeth, Oct 12, 3:10pm
Thank you. I have googled grow rings extensively, and still could not work out how they could possibly work. I bought one last week, but it has no drip holes, and the reservoir is still full of now dirty water.I decided to drill holes in it, but thought that if it should have holes, then it would have come with holes, so I thought I'd better check out in here first. In the past I have cut juice bottles in half and drilled drainage holes in them, before planting beside tomatoes and high needs plants. Being clear plastic, they are not obtrusive, and possible just as effective.

gazzat22, Oct 14, 3:49pm
THe REd Shed(Warehouse) has them for $4,i,ve got 12 but as i said had to drill holes a bit bigger.

bluefrog2, Oct 14, 4:12pm
They definitely helped the cucumbers. I think the ring shaded the young plants, and the soil from drying out on really hot days. My problem was that new transplants would collapse from the heat while I was at work if there was a sudden hot spell, so I would lose a few plants.
I had some problem with the drip holes clogging too. Drilling them bigger is an excellent idea - will definitely be doing that this year.

EDIT: I think the grow rings do help with mildew from water splashing on the leaves as well. I could direct water right to the roots without worrying about the soil being washed away or the roots being damaged.

eljayv, Oct 15, 10:27pm
So where do stakes go ? They need to be reasonably close to plant but not sure if there would be room inside the ring.

bluefrog2, Oct 16, 8:05pm
The warehouse ones have four round holes on the sides for bamboo stakes, to make a bamboo tepee. Or you can put in a wooden stake right next to the seedling when you plant it - down the centre of the hole.

eljayv, Oct 16, 10:33pm
m
Thank you!

kam04, Oct 24, 4:06pm
I grow my tomatoes in pots in the glasshouse. Would these rings work in pots?

mizp, Aug 20, 10:56pm
Considering feeding: Obviously you can use liquid tomato feed, but I am using Wally's Secret Tomato Food - so how would you go about using that with the grow pot/rings?