How to Plant Tomatoes Deeply

Encouraging the development of a robust root system is key to getting large, healthy tomato plants and big yields. How you plant your tomato really impacts the ultimate size of the plant's root system. Tomatoes have tiny "root hairs" on their stems that grow into roots when they come in contact with soil. Burying as much of the stem as possible helps increase the size of the plant's root ball. But, tomatoes grow best in warm soil, so the common advise to "plant tomatoes deeply" can be counterproductive because the deeper the hole, the cooler the soil. The following trench tomato planting technique takes advantage of the plant's root hairs without exposing the roots to cool soil.

Instructions

1. Tomatoes are native to Central and South America, which means that they like warm soil and air temperatures. Planting your tomatoes when the soil is less than 70 degrees F puts the breaks on root development and slows down the maturation of the plant. Wait to plant your tomatoes until the soil is at least 70 degrees F. (In many U.S. climates, planting tomatoes 2 weeks after the last frost date is a good rule of thumb.)

2. It's important to only plant healthy, vigorous seedlings. Look for plants that are about 6 to 8 inches tall, dark green and stocky. Avoid lanky plants with a lot of space between leaf sets and plants with pale green or yellowing leaves. Also, before you purchase a seedling, pull it out of its pot and check the root system. Look for plants with white roots that hold the soil in place but are not tightly wound. Don't buy root-bound plants or ones with brown or black roots because that can indicate that the roots have a rot problem.

3. For each plant, dig a 6-inch deep, 18-inch long trench. Plan to space your plants 3 feet apart. This spacing gives the plants plenty of room to grow and promotes optimal air circulation. Now, take a look at the stem of your tomato seedling. The little hairs growing on the stem will develop into roots once they are buried in soil. By planting your tomatoes in a trench rather than a deep hole, you can bury a large portion of the stem without exposing the tender root hairs to cold soil.

4. Get the seedling ready to plant by snipping off all but three sets of leaves. Then, take the plant out of its pot and gently work the roots apart. Lay the plant horizontally in the trench. As you backfill the trench with soil, carefully bend the stem of the plant up so that the remaining leaves stay above the soil line. Don't worry if your newly planted tomato looks like the leaning tower of Pisa. It will straighten up as it grows.

5. Water the plant in well. Then, pour two cups of diluted fish emulsion fertilizer onto the soil at the base of the plant. Put a 3-inch layer of grass or straw mulch around the bottom of the tomato plant. The mulch should extend out from the base of the plant at least 2 feet. This mulch layer helps the soil stay evenly moist.

6. Prevent disturbing your plant's growing root system by placing a sturdy tomato cage around each tomato immediately after planting.

Resources

• DigginFood