Tomorite growbag update

Gardenerilla

Grafted pepper plant failed to grow in Tomorite compost so last week I repotted in topsoil/farmyard soil improver mix. It has shot up with new branches and lots of flower buds. Probably too late in the season to fruit. I do wonder whether the Tomorite compost had a growth inhibitor chemical in it 

Dustyevsky

Gardenerilla said:

I do wonder whether the Tomorite compost had a growth inhibitor chemical in it 

I don't understand.

Some pretty nefarious things have been done in the past few years that Joe/Joanne Public may not be aware of, but are you suggesting there's a plot afoot to disincentivise home gardening?

I've had an awful season with much of my growing, but it's far from clear how much blame should be laid at the door of new composts. I'm willing to believe my own inability to adjust to them, as well as very unhelpful weather, may have played significant roles too.

twopenny

I'd say it is just the awful compost. 

I buy a tomato growbag to use for seed pots but the recent one was dire. I had to struggle to stop them drying out. However my seedlings grew into good sturdy plants so, annoying as it is, seems alright.

Glad you got your plant growing. Has it been warm and light enough where you are? Hopefully you'll at least get a pepper or two for seed.

Farway

twopenny said:

I'd say it is just the awful compost. 

I buy a tomato growbag to use for seed pots but the recent one was dire. I had to struggle to stop them drying out. However my seedlings grew into good sturdy plants so, annoying as it is, seems alright.

Glad you got your plant growing. Has it been warm and light enough where you are? Hopefully you'll at least get a pepper or two for seed.

The peppers are grafted plants, which makes me think they are hybrids and saving seed from them to grow your own peppers is asking for disappointment in our climate & short growing season

Worth a try if plenty of space & you are not reliant on a crop

twopenny

Good point.

Forgot the 'grafted' but I was given some grafted tomatoes of a type I usually grow. They didn't flourish in the short summer at all and produced almost nothing.

Silvertabby

Were these growbags peat free, by any chance?  Have heard some really bad reports of peat free stuff, even the expensive brands.  I managed to buy 6 sacks of 40% peat multi purpose at the end of last year, which I am currently using for my toms, chillies, hanging baskets, etc.  My toms and chillies are a bit behind the drag curve due to the dismal weather, but all the plants (including grafted toms) are big and healthy.

I just hope that peat free compost will improve by next year. 

peatypete

Bought three Tomorite Growbags and treated the bags as instructed prior to planting and planted 3 cucumbers in each as I have done successfully with similar bags for many years. The plants barely grew and after three weeks in the bags they all died - their almost non-existent roots having rotted. The "finger test" they recommended was like putting a finger into brown slime (wetting agent?). I also used several different composts made by the same company (Evergreen) and all were useless. I'm sure some contained growth inhibitors possibly CCC used to suppress grass growth on golf courses and in parks - I have lettuce and brassicas which reached 1 and 4cm respectively and stopped growing - transplanted some after a few weeks and they grew on but kept the rest "to see what happened" and after 12 weeks still the same height but the lettuce has given up! Using another of their compost for seedings - mainly no germination but about 10% of my sweet corn seeds germinated - useless - and it contained shards of glass - its back to peat composts for me for as long as I can buy them!

Ganga

peatypete said:

Bought three Tomorite Growbags and treated the bags as instructed prior to planting and planted 3 cucumbers in each as I have done successfully with similar bags for many years. The plants barely grew and after three weeks in the bags they all died - their almost non-existent roots having rotted. The "finger test" they recommended was like putting a finger into brown slime (wetting agent?). I also used several different composts made by the same company (Evergreen) and all were useless. I'm sure some contained growth inhibitors possibly CCC used to suppress grass growth on golf courses and in parks - I have lettuce and brassicas which reached 1 and 4cm respectively and stopped growing - transplanted some after a few weeks and they grew on but kept the rest "to see what happened" and after 12 weeks still the same height but the lettuce has given up! Using another of their compost for seedings - mainly no germination but about 10% of my sweet corn seeds germinated - useless - and it contained shards of glass - its back to peat composts for me for as long as I can buy them!

I agree but doubt if we will be able to buy any, i know why they want to ban it but make sure we have a compatible alternative first.

Dustyevsky

peatypete said:

Bought three Tomorite Growbags and treated the bags as instructed prior to planting and planted 3 cucumbers in each as I have done successfully with similar bags for many years. The plants barely grew and after three weeks in the bags they all died - their almost non-existent roots having rotted. The "finger test" they recommended was like putting a finger into brown slime (wetting agent?). I also used several different composts made by the same company (Evergreen) and all were useless. I'm sure some contained growth inhibitors possibly CCC used to suppress grass growth on golf courses and in parks - I have lettuce and brassicas which reached 1 and 4cm respectively and stopped growing - transplanted some after a few weeks and they grew on but kept the rest "to see what happened" and after 12 weeks still the same height but the lettuce has given up! Using another of their compost for seedings - mainly no germination but about 10% of my sweet corn seeds germinated - useless - and it contained shards of glass - its back to peat composts for me for as long as I can buy them!

What you're saying makes sense, and I think it was maybe what the OP was suggesting when they said, "I do wonder whether the Tomorite compost had a growth inhibitor chemical in it." However, they didn't return to elaborate.