Westland Peat-Free Big Tom Large Tomato Planter – 50L

Westland Big Tom Peat-Free Tomato Planter – 50L

Big Tom is a 50 litre peat-free planter bag rather than a bag of loose compost: the bag is the container, and Westland print three cutting lines on the front so it takes three plants. It is made deeper than a conventional growbag, which is the whole argument for it — tomato roots go down, and a shallow bag is what limits a crop in a normal growbag.

Westland enrich the mix with seaweed to support fruit set and with calcium to work against blossom end rot, and it carries enough feed for the first six weeks. After that the plants need feeding, and Westland's own Big Tom tomato food is formulated to follow on.

Performance & Benefits

• 50 litres of peat-free growing medium in a bag built to be planted directly.
• Extra depth compared with a standard growbag, giving roots somewhere to go.
• Three pre-marked planting positions on the front of the bag.
• Seaweed enriched to support flowering and fruit formation.
• Calcium rich, which is the nutrient behind blossom end rot when it runs short.
• Feeds for up to six weeks; moisture retention built into the mix.

Suitable For

• Tomatoes grown in a greenhouse, polytunnel or against a warm wall.
• Peppers, chillies and aubergines, which want the same depth and feeding.
• Patios and yards with no border soil to plant into.
• Growers who have had blossom end rot in previous seasons.
• Not for ericaceous plants — blueberries and the like need an ericaceous compost instead.

How to Use

• Shake and knead the bag flat to break up the compost before you cut it.
• Cut around the dotted lines on the front to open three planting holes.
• Make a hole for each root ball, set the plant in, firm the compost around it and water thoroughly.
• Keep the compost moist — daily watering in hot weather — but do not let it sit waterlogged.
• Cut a few drainage slits low in the sides if the bag holds water.
• Start feeding after about six weeks, once the planter's own nutrients are used up.

Specification

• 50 litre peat-free tomato planter, supplied as a plantable bag.
• Three planting positions marked on the front.
• Feeds for up to six weeks. Seaweed enriched and calcium rich.
• Westland publish no NPK analysis or ingredient breakdown for this planter, so none is stated here.
• Earlier store copy claimed up to 35% more yield when used with Big Tom Super Tomato Food; Westland do not make that claim on their planter listing, so it is not repeated.

Care & Caution

• Open the bag and handle the compost in a well-ventilated place, and avoid breathing the dust that comes off dry growing media.
• Wear gloves while planting and wash your hands afterwards.
• Keep unopened and part-used bags away from weedkillers and other garden chemicals; store sealed and frost-free.