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[OTgirl]

Last year our greenhouse tomatoes were badly affected by verticilium wilt so this year we thought we'd have a go at ring culture. DH has dug a lovely deep trench in the greenhouse in readiness - although that was before we read that it only has to be 6-8inches deep and we haven't done anything else yet. Its a big investment in greenhouse space if we get it wrong so we would appreciate any advice... Can you use any plastic / aggregate in the base? We don't know anyone else who has tried growing by this method so are hoping someone can share their experiences / expertise....please

Sorry! forgot the title!!!!

You are stretching my brain cells tonight (doesn't take much though .

I haven't grown anything by ring culture since my plant degree so had to think back....far back That only brought back the memory that it is a good idea to take the aggregate out at the end of the year and leave it exposed to the frosts over winter to help keep pests down. I know we used builders aggregate but I think there are differnt types (not much help am I? )

Then I gave up and went off to goggle and found this link which says builders ballast and sand 80:20 mix makes a good base.

Hope that is some help and you have happy healthy 'matoes this year. Blight got to all mine last year save for those in the greenhouse

Now that's a helpful tip - I wouldn't have known to take the aggregate out in the winter - dh is going to be delighted to have this job I had kind of said that I thought once its set up its done for a few years

We actually have 3 greenhouses (small ones, but all obtained for free from friends or out the paper ) so we are very lucky in that respect but have had problems with disease in all three so we think the area we are using in the garden was infected from before we bought the house as previous owners grew veg too. So we think ring culture is our best chance. I would have thought that using sand and aggregate (is that small stones?)would mean that by the end of the season, the sand would have all washed to the bottom but I know nothing so shall follow that advice too . Thank you

We had blight one year too until someone gave us the tip not to use rainwater for tomatoes and have been okay since then. what's the gardeners expression for 'touch wood'?!