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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