Ring system or direct soil?

I have been reading up on different ways of greenhouse gardening? These two methods get mentioned a lot...is sterilising soil a regular thing if you do direct planting?
Jackie

 

For tomatoes, if they are going directly in the border, it is reccomended that the soil be sterilised or changed, every year.

 

Hi Jackie,I prefer the more sterile approach g/house floor solid and polytunnel floor 6" of gravel over a membrane everything grown in containers it's easy to keep the pests out,if you are going to use growbags for your toms try cutting them in half length ways and stand them on end one plant in each if you puncture the bottom of the bags and stand them in a tray it's easier to control the watering.

 

In our greenhouse which has a concrete floor, I grow toms in big pots filled with grow-bag compost and in summer they need watering daily,and often twice daily!
In our small polytunnel toms get planted in the soil and only need a good watering every two or three days. I change the soil every year and dig in a good amount of well rotted compost.
Ring Culture is something I've not tried, though my father did it with success. Here's a link which may help you make up your mind >
http://chat.allotment.org.uk/index.php?topic=13386.0

 

I'm growing in the greenhouse soil for the first time this year.

I have grown, at previous houses, using ring culture (bottomless pots of soil on a gravel base), grow bags and pots.

I've become more serious about it since we moved to this house two years ago.

This year I've dug all the soil out of the greenhouse (heavy clay, so wanted to start afresh) and put in a mix of my own compost and well rotted manure. My plan is to move this out each year and use it as the compost for the vegetable garden. (I use a 5 year crop rotation, and will put the compost where the Spud have been so that any Tomato diseases can be shared with the diseases the Spuds have left behind, and Potatoes won't be planted in that bed for another 5 years.)

I grew in pots last year. Watered twice a day during the summer. Not watering so often this year will be good! although I will visit the greenhouse 3 or 3 times a day anyway.

 

Thanks everyone, that'sreally helpful. I am happy to sterilise soil each year if that's best. I want to have tomatoes/auriculas (on benching)/a brugmansia in winter (outside in better weather)....so will read a bit more.