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04-10-2003, 03:42 PM

(Scott) wrote:

Can anyone recommend a source where I could find out how deep various
plant roots need to be to survive? This would be nice to know when
preparing a new garden bed - obviously a carrot needs a deeper bed
than a radish or lettuce, for example.

Thanks!
Scott

I think you also have to judge how vigorous growth needs to be. I mean
a carrot is *A* carrot. But a tomato plant may grow 20' of vine from a
single point in the dirt and grow many pounds of fruits. I think roots
will grow wherever they CAN grow. I think whatever depth you provide
large plants, they will take advantage of it. Small plants that are
naturally limited in size when mature probably won't have 2' roots
even if it is there.

Howevere, If I put a tomato at the end of a trench container I will
find roots throughout the container, even at the other end (assuming
conditions are not inhibiting growth). My 12x12x10deep containers with
tomatoes and peppers are solid with roots. I can lift the entire cube
of dirt up with the plant.

Which brings me to ask the group...

...is that bad for next season? Having a container with so many
roots? Will they rot away by spring or are they going to take up space
from the next root system. I've already dug up the main root
ball(shook loose the dirt and discarded).

At some depth the roots are going to encounter more compressed clay
and rock. That is where the roots will probably stop growing
vigorously. Although I'm sure some will wind through cracks and spots.

I dug out 18-20 inches of bed and weeded out stones (I admit, somewhat
obsessively, only the smallest pebbles got by). I found that about 10%
of the plant bed was rocks. Now I went farther and deeper than many
do, but as a first season gardener THAT plant bed did excellent for
me. Surprised my neighbors and even their friends who have been
growing veggies. I don't know if it will produce in future years but
despite the rain and the cold my plants seemed to do well. Two tomato
plants produced 26 lbs(150 tomatoes) and I still have 11 lbs(90
tomatoes) on the vine. Not bad for a guy who has murdered a few
houseplants in his time.

My containers are typically 10-11" deep and none thrived the way the
prepared bed did. I planted two bell peppers, one in the prepared bed,
one in the soil next to it. The prepared bed has grown much larger and
produced twice as many peppers(25 to 13).

DiGiTAL ViNYL (no email)
Zone 6b/7, Westchester Co, NY, 1 mile off L.I.Sound
1st Year Gardener