Lay down or bury deep

squibT · July 23, 2008

What is the best way to plant new tomato plants? Lay them down horizontaly in the hole or dig a deeper hole, strip the leaves and bury them up to the eye balls?
Or does it make any difference?

squibt

Hilde · July 23, 2008

I dig deep or horizontally, but I do strip the leaves and bury them down to the neck. I think it will result in a bigger root system, and you get a shorter plant early on. I think both horizontally and vertically has it's advantages. I assume the soil is warmer higher up, so the roots won't be as cold when you plant horizontally, and if you plant deep, then the plant will be able to get to moisture deeper down.

Hilde

elkwc36 · July 23, 2008

I've always planted deep or on an angle if they were really tall. Here they do better if you get the roots away from the top of ground as we get so hot here. But since I've started mulching heavy I think I could plant shallower if I wanted too. The mulch really saves moisture and keeps the soil cooler. JMO. JD

Worth1 · July 23, 2008

I'm too lazy, I just hope I get the roots in the ground.

Worth

squibT · July 23, 2008

worth....

what do you do, throw them from the deck?

Hilde,

I guess on an angle might be the best idea. Best of both worlds for me. I can see how heat from the sun can be good and bad but lots of mulch should take care of it.

Thanx for the input all,

Tim

Tania · July 24, 2008

depending on the soil moisture and temperature:

if the soil is too wet and/or still too cold in the spring, I lay them down horizontally in the hole, as the top level of soil should be warmer.

if the soil is too dry and already warmed to 1' down, I'd plant them vertically.

Tania

squibT · July 24, 2008

Good points Tania.

WVTomatoMan · July 24, 2008

I usually go by the size of the transplant. If the transplants get tall and leggy I trench if not I deep hole them. This year we had a wet (and cool) spring and I couldn't plant because it was too wet. By the time I could plant the plants were leggy so I trenched 24 out of 30 plants. They're all doing great.

Randy

July 23, 2008	#1
squibT Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Nanaimo, BC (7b) Posts: 89	Lay down or bury deep What is the best way to plant new tomato plants? Lay them down horizontaly in the hole or dig a deeper hole, strip the leaves and bury them up to the eye balls? Or does it make any difference? squibt

July 23, 2008	#2
Hilde Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Pendleton, NY Posts: 256	I dig deep or horizontally, but I do strip the leaves and bury them down to the neck. I think it will result in a bigger root system, and you get a shorter plant early on. I think both horizontally and vertically has it's advantages. I assume the soil is warmer higher up, so the roots won't be as cold when you plant horizontally, and if you plant deep, then the plant will be able to get to moisture deeper down. Hilde Last edited by Hilde; July 23, 2008 at 08:31 PM. Reason: Afterthought

July 24, 2008	#6
Tania Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: Anmore, BC, Canada Posts: 3,970	depending on the soil moisture and temperature: if the soil is too wet and/or still too cold in the spring, I lay them down horizontally in the hole, as the top level of soil should be warmer. if the soil is too dry and already warmed to 1' down, I'd plant them vertically. Tania __________________ Tatiana's TOMATObase

July 23, 2008	#3
elkwc36 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2006 Location: SW Kansas Posts: 339	I've always planted deep or on an angle if they were really tall. Here they do better if you get the roots away from the top of ground as we get so hot here. But since I've started mulching heavy I think I could plant shallower if I wanted too. The mulch really saves moisture and keeps the soil cooler. JMO. JD

July 23, 2008	#4
Worth1 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Den of Drunken Fools Posts: 38,539	I'm too lazy, I just hope I get the roots in the ground. Worth

July 23, 2008	#5
squibT Tomatovillian™ Join Date: May 2007 Location: Nanaimo, BC (7b) Posts: 89	worth.... what do you do, throw them from the deck? Hilde, I guess on an angle might be the best idea. Best of both worlds for me. I can see how heat from the sun can be good and bad but lots of mulch should take care of it. Thanx for the input all, Tim

July 24, 2008	#8
WVTomatoMan Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: West Virginia - Zone 6 Posts: 594	I usually go by the size of the transplant. If the transplants get tall and leggy I trench if not I deep hole them. This year we had a wet (and cool) spring and I couldn't plant because it was too wet. By the time I could plant the plants were leggy so I trenched 24 out of 30 plants. They're all doing great. Randy