Here’s a root system from a tomato vine I just pulled up. It shows quite clearly how the vine will grow additonal roots along the main stem if you transplant…
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Planting Tomatoes – Understanding Root Growth
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Very nice. Great illustration of how tomato roots grow!
This was way back in my younger days….
That double root ball is amazing. I’ve never seen roots like that. We greenhorns appreciate getting to look over your shoulder Bobby.
the way i see the growing of the root system, I think when you transplant the plant, if you add 6 inches soil by adding 1″x6″ x 6″ wood of plywood sourounding the stem will enhance the third layer of root system which still enhanvce the nutrient recovery from the land. ofcourse after one or two weeks after transplanting when the plant stem has grown furture, where you can remove few leaves from lower part of the plant and encrease the depth of rood section.
It’s interesting to me to see you initial take on things a few years back and to see what you do now. I personally do not have a lot of space right now, but am working a bed for next year, and end up planting deep inside of SmartPots. My maters are deep, and the root masses are absolutely MASSIVE! That’s what those pots will do for you though as opposed to planting directly in the ground (which when I finally do I will be doing you lay them on the side method). Thanks again Mr. MHP!
Thanks. It really is a neat situation, seeing plants continuously develop around here. I’ve been growing vegetables nonstop since March 2010. The greenhouses allow for growing all 12 months of the year.
That makes a lot of sense. I’m really liking trenching too, as opposed to digging deep holes.
im inspired by your videos…. i hope to one day have a vegetable farm like yours… life must be just beautiful being around those plants everyday… i cant wait till i get to do this!!!
I have better luck with the trench method up here. Short growing season. The new roots develop faster near the warm surface.
You’re welcome. It works out pretty well.
I just finished up a test of doing that. Yes, it grew some extra roots. But I didn’t see a difference in growth or production between it and any others. It seems that if you just bury it as deep as possible at transplant, thats all you need. Thanks.
Thanks for the tip,this is really clever.
If you added soil periodically to the pot could you get that thing to pop out roots all the way up the trunk and get more nutrients flowing up the trunk to feed the tomato vine. Very intersesting.
Thanks good info
Thank you!
Well, yesterday I have her a good shot of mater food… well see. If this works im fixin to root several for my new little hoop house. Got the plastic this morning from the cutie pie FedEx feller… I tell ya im walking in high cotton this morning.
Yes mam, real easy to do, and several ways to do it. It won’t bloom huh? Is it in the same soil mixture, as in the same nutrients ? From what I’ve seen, suckers will set a cluster faster/lower on the stem than the parent plant.
Have you ever started tomatoes from those little sucker shoots? I started one from one of the little suckers I pulled off, its growing well, but it doesnt seem to want to bloom like the plants started from seed.
Yep, the little tags don’t lie. Put them deep, or dig a trench and lay them sideways. Whatever it takes to cover as much stem as possible.
The little tag that came with my tomato plants told me to bury it up to the first fork… I sat there and debated it… bur figured they had grown more than i had… my plants are doing fine and loaded with little tomatoes. Thanks for explaining why they said to do that.
good advice, thankx
I just had some plants get away from me, grew to 3 feet with nothing but a stem. So I took my own advice, and BURIED those rascals, 24-28 inches deep ! They are in my new pet / raised bed garden. I expect them to do really well.
Hi i been planting my tomatoes deep for about 2 years now !Everyone who grows tomatoes needs to know that great tip for stronger more productive tomatoes specially around here in arkansas where we had a very very bad drout last year and extreme heat they need as much chance to grab water as possible.Thanks paul
wow good good video!
Look’s good! I’ll give it a go