What is a soil pocket?

huntsman · December 29, 2009

Read this in an early thread, but no comprehendo, I'm afraid...

"If I were in your situation, I think I'd probably err on the side of caution and try to make a just a bit of an informal soil pocket for each transplant (let's say 4-6 inches deep, feathering/blending that pocket out about 6-8 inches or so from the plant."

Is it perhaps the donut shaped dam of soil that would pool water at the plants stem??

GunnarSK · December 29, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntsman

If I were in your situation, I think I'd probably err on the side of caution and try to make a just a bit of an informal soil pocket for each transplant (let's say 4-6 inches deep, feathering/blending that pocket out about a 6-8 inches or so from the plant.

In my understanding a soil pocket is simply a small amount of good soil surrounded by bad one (rock, clay, sand or whatever). The good soil could be bought in a nursery, or you could mix it yourself if you have the means. But that is only my opinion, and I could well be wrong, English not being my home language.

Wi-sunflower · December 29, 2009

I think Gunnar has the meaning right. At least i think so.

The problem is that that advice has been disproven a long time ago. At least it has been with things like tree and shrub transplants.

If you make a nice small area of rich soil right around the plant, the roots will be slow to venture out of that rich area. Eventually the plant becomes stunted do to the roots becoming "pot bound" in that pocket. It's better to build up your whole soil bed than just a little pocket.

Carol

huntsman · December 29, 2009

Yeah, that does make sense, Carol!

Read that in a 2006 post, but I guess a lot has changed since then.

Hey Gunnar! Great to hear from you again, my friend!

Paul

habitat_gardener · December 29, 2009

Yes, Carol is right, planting a tree or shrub in a soil pocket is like planting it in a small container. Why would the roots venture out of their cozy pocket?

But I planted my tomato transplants in soil pockets one year when I'd piled a foot of horse manure on my garden plot in the fall, and by spring it was down to 6 inches or less. I thought it had decomposed enough, but still, I dumped 5 gallons of homemade compost in each hole.

Soil pockets may also be advised if you've done lasagna gardening or sheet mulching, and you want to plant small transplants before the layers have fully decomposed. Or if you want to do some direct seeding and don't have a soillike layer to seed into.

GunnarSK · December 30, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntsman

Hey Gunnar! Great to hear from you again, my friend!

Paul

Here it is winter now (and frost), so basically we are doing nothing in the garden.
In your place (and generally in the Southern hemisphere) it must be summer, and in your case very hot. But I don't know if your climate is humid like Florida, or more dry like Southern California, or in between as Southern Texas.
I registered here to read about potatoes (mostly from Tom Wagner), and also read some of Carolyn's (carolyn137) advice on tomatoes. Most often I don't recognize people if they don't use ythe same monikers as in IDig, and of course I didn't look into your profile to find out, that you are breewding/farming cockroaches. I hope yor tomatoes are doing well, and I will also try them on a bigger scale next year.

huntsman · December 30, 2009

I was actually concerned that this phenomena might occur, so when I was preparing the veg patch this year, I dug the entire patch to a depth of 3' and composted heavily.

Lasagna gardening and sheet mulching are concepts not yet known to me, but I'm sure I'll get there in time. "-)

Zana · December 30, 2009

Gunnar,

Welcome to Tomatoville! It looks like you picked three beautiful cities in which to "study and work" for a "retired" person.

Haven't been to those three in 20 or more years, but I remember my trips there fondly. I used to live in Luzern, CH and London, UK and like most students spent allot of time travelling about as cheaply as possible. And later while working as a retail buyer, I travelled again to many European countries to meet with suppliers of goods that I imported to Canada. So I got a chance to go back to some of those same places, plus added more to my list. I've got a bucket/dream list itinerary for the future, and Prague, in particular, Denmark and Poland are definitely on it.

Hmmm.....getting itchy feet to travel again, just thinking about it. I look forward to hearing what you plan on growing there.

Zana

Suze · December 30, 2009

Quote:

Originally Posted by huntsman

Read this in an early thread, but no comprehendo, I'm afraid...

"If I were in your situation, I think I'd probably err on the side of caution and try to make a just a bit of an informal soil pocket for each transplant (let's say 4-6 inches deep, feathering/blending that pocket out about 6-8 inches or so from the plant."

That was me.

I also said:

Quote:

Don't make the soil pocket too rich, though, or the plant roots won't want to leave that area. Maybe just a mix of bagged compost or topsoil mixed by about half with native soil.

In context, my suggestion was made to KCMO_Don because he had a lot of organic matter in his beds that had not yet broken down, and was a little concerned about it.

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=527

However/in general, I agree with what Carol and others have said earlier in this thread.

GunnarSK · January 12, 2010

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zana

Gunnar,

Welcome to Tomatoville! It looks like you picked three beautiful cities in which to "study and work" for a "retired" person.

Haven't been to those three in 20 or more years, but I remember my trips there fondly. I used to live in Luzern, CH and London, UK and like most students spent allot of time travelling about as cheaply as possible. And later while working as a retail buyer, I travelled again to many European countries to meet with suppliers of goods that I imported to Canada. So I got a chance to go back to some of those same places, plus added more to my list. I've got a bucket/dream list itinerary for the future, and Prague, in particular, Denmark and Poland are definitely on it. Zana

Thank you for the welcome, Zana. I haven't been to Prague for a very long time since I finished studying and made my degree(s) back in 1982. Of course I worked in Denmark most of the time, and I had the opportunity to be in Poland for two years and participate in the introduction of digital cell phones (GSM) there in 1996 after the fall of communism. After a Car accident in 2006 I lost my job and spent several months in hospital, and I'm now on disability (so the "retired" label is correct, and I guess I should continue this in "conversations").

Marko · December 30, 2009

I planted one tomato and one pepper plant in soil pocket this season. Soil pocket was small, ~1 cu ft, consisted of bought pot soil mixed with garden soil and hygromull. Both were growing much better than other plants.
Yes, It's true that tomato roots did't venture out of soil pocket, but who cares when you double your yield

.
This is just my observation, not scientific research.

huntsman · December 31, 2009

Thanks for the clarity and the contributions -

Good recollection there, Suze! 'Twas indeed you that posted, but soooo long ago...

I have trouble remembering what I had for breakfast!

December 29, 2009	#1
huntsman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa - GrowZone 9 Posts: 595	What is a soil pocket? Read this in an early thread, but no comprehendo, I'm afraid... "If I were in your situation, I think I'd probably err on the side of caution and try to make a just a bit of an informal soil pocket for each transplant (let's say 4-6 inches deep, feathering/blending that pocket out about 6-8 inches or so from the plant." Is it perhaps the donut shaped dam of soil that would pool water at the plants stem??

December 31, 2009	#12
huntsman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa - GrowZone 9 Posts: 595	Thanks for the clarity and the contributions - Good recollection there, Suze! 'Twas indeed you that posted, but soooo long ago... I have trouble remembering what I had for breakfast! Last edited by huntsman; December 31, 2009 at 02:14 PM.

December 29, 2009	#3
Wi-sunflower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Nov 2008 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 2,591	I think Gunnar has the meaning right. At least i think so. The problem is that that advice has been disproven a long time ago. At least it has been with things like tree and shrub transplants. If you make a nice small area of rich soil right around the plant, the roots will be slow to venture out of that rich area. Eventually the plant becomes stunted do to the roots becoming "pot bound" in that pocket. It's better to build up your whole soil bed than just a little pocket. Carol

December 29, 2009	#5
habitat_gardener Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: California Central Valley Posts: 2,543	Yes, Carol is right, planting a tree or shrub in a soil pocket is like planting it in a small container. Why would the roots venture out of their cozy pocket? But I planted my tomato transplants in soil pockets one year when I'd piled a foot of horse manure on my garden plot in the fall, and by spring it was down to 6 inches or less. I thought it had decomposed enough, but still, I dumped 5 gallons of homemade compost in each hole. Soil pockets may also be advised if you've done lasagna gardening or sheet mulching, and you want to plant small transplants before the layers have fully decomposed. Or if you want to do some direct seeding and don't have a soillike layer to seed into.

December 30, 2009	#7
huntsman Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: Johannesburg, South Africa - GrowZone 9 Posts: 595	I was actually concerned that this phenomena might occur, so when I was preparing the veg patch this year, I dug the entire patch to a depth of 3' and composted heavily. Lasagna gardening and sheet mulching are concepts not yet known to me, but I'm sure I'll get there in time. "-)

December 30, 2009	#8
Zana Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2007 Location: Southwestern Ontario, Canada Posts: 4,521	Gunnar, Welcome to Tomatoville! It looks like you picked three beautiful cities in which to "study and work" for a "retired" person. Haven't been to those three in 20 or more years, but I remember my trips there fondly. I used to live in Luzern, CH and London, UK and like most students spent allot of time travelling about as cheaply as possible. And later while working as a retail buyer, I travelled again to many European countries to meet with suppliers of goods that I imported to Canada. So I got a chance to go back to some of those same places, plus added more to my list. I've got a bucket/dream list itinerary for the future, and Prague, in particular, Denmark and Poland are definitely on it. Hmmm.....getting itchy feet to travel again, just thinking about it. I look forward to hearing what you plan on growing there. Zana

December 30, 2009	#11
Marko Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Aug 2009 Location: Slovenia, Europe zone 7b Posts: 300	I planted one tomato and one pepper plant in soil pocket this season. Soil pocket was small, ~1 cu ft, consisted of bought pot soil mixed with garden soil and hygromull. Both were growing much better than other plants. Yes, It's true that tomato roots did't venture out of soil pocket, but who cares when you double your yield . This is just my observation, not scientific research.