Tuesday, April 29, 2008

Great Tomato Trick for Trench Planting

I learned a neat trick to help out when trench planting tomatoes. I always plant my tomatoes sideways in a trench in order to get as much of the stem underground as possible. This allows the plant to produce roots along the buried stem increasing the root system and keeping it from being too leggy in the beginning. This is also a good way to handle a seedling that has stretched too far while growing in the pot. I have accidentally broken off the top of plants while handling them this way. Never again. All you have to do is lay the tomato plant on its side in its pot the day before you plan to plant it. The little tomato plant will reach for the sun therefore creating a curved plant. Aren't vines amazing. The little plants on the right and left above were turned on their sides yesterday afternoon. This afternoon they have a nice little crook to them. When I plant them that little bit turned up will be what is sticking out of the ground. No problem having to try to carefully keep them from breaking off at ground level.
Do y'all have any other tomato tricks I might try this year?
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19 comments:

  1. What a wonderful idea! I've never planted tomatoes before, so I don't have any tricks to share with you. Sorry!

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  2. Now that is clever! I'm amazed that it took them only one day to turn to the sun. (This is just the kind of thing Thomas Jefferson would have loved, I bet.)

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  3. Hi cinj, if the mood hits you grow a tomato you will never want a store bought one again.

    mss, it really worked. I heard the trick in a tomato growing class. I really am going to try to get that Farm Book by Jefferson. Sounds like a great lead.

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  4. Fantastic tip, Debbi! I'll use it with my super-gargantuan 'San Marzano' transplants. Thanks!!!

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  5. Thanks Deb! I'm gonna do ours like this. It only makes sense now. -Jen :)

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  6. What a great tip! And so timely! I plan on planting some tomorrow.

    Excuse me, I've got to go run tip them all on their sides!

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  7. Hi, Ben, Jen, and Sherry, Glad to pass it along. I wish you could have heard my husband when I called and asked him to water them and turn them back on their sides. He did it but didn't get it.

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  8. INTERESTING...I will do just that. Now, what variety of tomato do you recomend for a newbie/first time tomato planter? :-)
    hope all is well, also, I have a new blog.
    Mags/Gardens of Casa Martin

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  9. what a great idea. thanks for the tip. I'm going to try it.
    irena

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  10. Mags, Depends on where you are but two of the easiest are Early Girl and Better Boy. Yellow Pear and Green Zebra are easy heirlooms.

    Irena, Hope it works for you.

    Deb

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  11. I used to know what the name was called when something turns toward the sun--helio something..just like terra is toward the earth..etc. I had no idea putting a tomato plant on its side like that would help root growth. Very clever and thanks for sharing.

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  12. Hi Anna, I will look up the helio something just because I like words. I am happy to pass on a good trick from a good class.

    Deb

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  13. I got to use this info today to help someone and before you know it...had a small group gathered around. Some were old gardeners who already knew this trick and to others it was brand new. Just wanted you to know it came in handy today.

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  14. Anna, That is great. My intention when I started this blog was to share plant and gardening information and document what was going on in my space. Somehow, the monkeys got in the way.

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  15. Can't wait to share this post next week in our weekly round up. This is a great tip!

    Best,

    -reggie

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  16. Thanks reggie, glad to share. Love some of the new stuff on tomatoe casual too.

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  17. Hey Deb--The word is Phototropism. Stuart just posted about it and you can see it in time lapse photography:
    http://www.gardeningtipsnideas.com/2008/05/phototropism_via_time_lapse_video.html

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  18. Yes Debbie, that is a great trick.
    We have easy soil, so we plant our Leggy Plants straight down below the side furrows and have instant root establishment along the stem.

    Your system work well in soil that "sub irrigates poorly.

    Visit our Video series on planting and nurturing the Wonderful Tomato

    Growing Tomatoes for Health and Wealth

    Chuck & Shirley

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  19. Great idea! Wish I read this sooner oh well will try it next year

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