Has tomorite grow bag mixture changed?...

mmunro2013

Has anyone noticed if tomorite grow bag mixture has changed. Seems to be more fibrous and strong smell of manure. Also, doesn't seem to absorb the water as well, just drains through?

Farway

Not a direct answer because I don't use Tomorite grow bags, however it seems that nearly all compost mixtures have changed, mostly for the worse, because of the ban on use of peat for domestic retail customers

A lot is now made from composted municipal green waste, and very variable quality

twopenny

I've used one that isn't branded but looked like tomoright and from a reputable garden centre. It's lumpy large bits of wood that are left after watering. Not how it looked at first. 
I'm disillusioned 

fatbelly

Well I've bought two today. One is Westland brand, £5 from Morrisons. The other was £2.50 from Lidl. I doubt there is any peat in either so we'll see how it goes

mmunro2013

Thanks for responses... so far after 2 weeks of tomato plants (after bringing on in kitchen window) being planted out into greenhouse the soil looks dry on surface and water just drains through... plants themselves look a little bit weak (light green leaves, little growth and no flowers yet)

kimwp

I was talking about this with my mum today - I potted on my tomatoes in new compost which seemed to be little bits of wood rather than soil. It was very wet though and the tomatoes have been fine without additional water (after a watering in slosh) through two weeks in a sometimes baking conservatory. When I experimentally added some water yesterday, it immediately drained through the gaps. So I think a good soak in standing water to let the bits absorb the water might be the way (though how this works in the ground, I'm not sure!)

Dustyevsky

Bearing in mind that those at the top of the tree internationally seem hell-bent on punishing anyone non-corporate who has the audacity to produce food in a traditional manner, it may be no coincidence that the standards for 'home gardening' compost have been revised. Didn't a study by the University of Michigan 'prove' home gardeners were far more damaging to the environment than big enterprise?

The shape of things to come, perhaps.

mmunro2013

Thanks once again for comments... an update from me. See the attached pictures. The plants have been in the Tomorite for a week now. As you will see the picture, the water (from earlier today)is still sitting in the plant pot tray, not absorbed up into the plant and the leaves don't look to healthy. We removed a plant from one of the pots and you will see the roots haven't developed at all. We are now considering repotting into good quality compost... thoughts please?

-taff

To be honest, they don't look that bad to me. If you lift the pot is it heavy? I would maybe do an experiment and bury that one in your hand up to the first set of true leaves, then investigate after a week. If the compost is really woody though, and you know for sure it's not working as it should [ never bought tomorite so wouldn't know], hoik 'em out and change it .

Farway

Agree with Taff, give it a chance.

However, if you feel you want to change, this year I'm using Levington multi, from Home bargains, £3.49 40ltrs

Looks carp, like composted straw, but my toms are loving it, so something must be right. Not used long term, so they may just curl up & die next week.

ArbitraryRandom

Something else you could consider is just buying a single bag of something else and mixing? 

Tomatoes really don't like being waterlogged as much as they don't do well drying out, so something with good water retention mixed with something more 'woody' that would hopefully breakdown more over the summer could work well?