In message , Stephen Howard
writes
On Tue, 7 Jun 2005 23:30:55 +0100, "Neil Tonks"
wrote:

I used these last year. They worked OK but having made holes near the base
of the bags (as instructed) I found that water tended to drain straight
through. Consequently they needed watering more often than peat bags. .

I forgot to make the holes!
I did wonder whether they'd retain water - but when I checked them the
other day they seemed fine after their initial soaking a week ago.
Mind you, hasn't exactly been that warm until today...


Well after double checking the instructions when I planted mine this
weekend it doesn't actually say to make any holes in the base. However,
common sense prevailed and I stabbed a few in.

Not sure about the "no need to water for another week", my patio gets
bloody hot!

--
Mike Buckley
RD350LC2
GSF600S
http://www.toastyhamster.org
BONY#38

The message
from Martin Brown contains these words:

Just to clarify, oil of wintergreen - are you saying that this occurs
naturally in composted bark?

Yes. And in reasonable amounts if you choose the right species and
mostly stripped bark. It is pretty impressive to find heaps of bark
steaming in the woods in mid-winter and on a still day the smell of it
lingers in the air.

Willow, I'd guess, some willows' bark is high in salicylic acid.

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The message
from "anon" contains these words:

Just to clarify, oil of wintergreen - are you saying that this occurs
naturally in composted bark?

Yes. And in reasonable amounts if you choose the right species and
mostly stripped bark. It is pretty impressive to find heaps of bark
steaming in the woods in mid-winter and on a still day the smell of it
lingers in the air.

Well that is probably what it is then. I guess it builds up in the sealed
bag and smells pretty strong when it is first opened. It seems to have
calmed down a bit after several days.

Still, just because this chemical is produced naturally doesn't necessarily
mean that it is harmless to grow vegetables in it. Hopefully the
concentartion is too low to be a concern.

Oil of wintergreen is, or used to be, used as a food flavouring, so I
wouldn't worry about it. The smell may be a salicylate associated with
willow (Salix) bark, which contains small quantities of compounds
similar to aspirin (acetyl-salicylic acid), so nothing to worry about
there, either.

If you have a headache, place tomato on head...

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

The message
from Martin Brown contains these words:
anon wrote:

Still, just because this chemical is produced naturally doesn't
necessarily
mean that it is harmless to grow vegetables in it. Hopefully the
concentartion is too low to be a concern.

In this particular case I think the worst that will happen is that the
roots will be less willing to enter the compost.

enlightenment

Ah! So that's how potatoes evolved...

/light

--
Rusty
Open the creaking gate to make a horrid.squeak, then lower the foobar.
http://www.users.zetnet.co.uk/hi-fi/

On Tue, 7 Jun 2005 06:04:10 +0100, Alan Gould
wrote:

In article , Stephen Howard
writes
As to the preservative query, I noted ( I think ) a HDRA logo on the
bag - or at least an endorsement - so I think it highly unlikely that
there's anything untoward in the contents.

Could I ask you to check that logo or endorsement Stephen. AFAIK HDRA
are not yet authorised to issue organic certification for commercial
purposes, although they are moving towards that status. TIA

Alan, I had a look - HDRA is mentioned in an advisory role with regard
to the contents of the bag.

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
http://www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{who is at}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk

In article , Stephen Howard
writes
Alan, I had a look - HDRA is mentioned in an advisory role with regard
to the contents of the bag.

Thanks for checking, but it hardly sounds like a ringing endorsement.

'Nature's own' growbags are available from the HDRA/Chase organic
catalogue @ £7.50 each. www.organiccatalogue.com
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

On Thu, 9 Jun 2005 07:19:47 +0100, Alan Gould
wrote:

In article , Stephen Howard
writes
Alan, I had a look - HDRA is mentioned in an advisory role with regard
to the contents of the bag.

Thanks for checking, but it hardly sounds like a ringing endorsement.

More like a small 'ding'.

They seem, so far, to be working quite well. The six toms I planted up
are growing away nicely.

Regards,



--
Stephen Howard - Woodwind repairs & period restorations
www.shwoodwind.co.uk
Emails to: showard{whoisat}shwoodwind{dot}co{dot}uk

In article , Stephen Howard
writes

They seem, so far, to be working quite well. The six toms I planted up
are growing away nicely.

Good!

FWIW we don't use growbags we grow our tomatoes either in the floor of
the greenhouse, or outside in a veggy bed. They seem to do a lot better
that way, but the usual precautions regarding crop rotation have to be
observed, especially if potatoes, peppers or aubergines are grown.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.

In message , Alan Gould
writes
In article , Stephen Howard
writes

They seem, so far, to be working quite well. The six toms I planted up
are growing away nicely.

Good!

FWIW we don't use growbags we grow our tomatoes either in the floor of
the greenhouse, or outside in a veggy bed. They seem to do a lot better
that way, but the usual precautions regarding crop rotation have to be
observed, especially if potatoes, peppers or aubergines are grown.


My Toms in the growbags have pretty much stopped growing, with the
bottom leaves turning pale. I gave them a feed of Tomorite yesterday,
hopefully this will pick them up.
My bush Toms in pots aren't doing great either. :-(

--
Mike Buckley
RD350LC2
GSF600S
http://www.toastyhamster.org
BONY#38

In article , mike.
buckley writes

My Toms in the growbags have pretty much stopped growing, with the
bottom leaves turning pale. I gave them a feed of Tomorite yesterday,
hopefully this will pick them up.
My bush Toms in pots aren't doing great either. :-(

Tomorite will not help tomatoes which are doing poorly. The problem
could be either over-watering, poor drainage or insufficient light.
--
Alan & Joan Gould - North Lincs.