GardenBanter.co.uk - View Single Post - Post Hole Digger And Dry Farming Tomatoes This Season

Brooklyn1 · 06-04-2011, 04:03 PM posted to rec.gardens

On Wed, 6 Apr 2011 10:26:44 -0400, (EVP MAN)
wrote:

This year I'll be trying an experiment in a portion of my tomato garden.
Instead of double digging the whole patch, I'll simply use a post hole
digger and dig down about two and a half foot deep where each plant will
be placed. When I replace the soil, it will be nice and lose to this
depth. This should allow the roots to deep!

Digging with a hand powered post hole digger to that depth is a lot of
hard labor, especially if you hit large rocks or clay... and I see no
point to your experiment, tomato plant roots need to be encouraged to
grow laterally, not deeply. If you feel you need better soil and want
a little extra depth after normal tilling plant in a built up mound of
extra rich top soil. But tilling to about 12" is more than adequate
for a vegetable garden, and certainly for tomatoes which are not a
root crop. And since roots take the path of least resistance I think
all you'll accomplish by planting tomatoes in a deep narrow hole is
have rootbound plants.
http://www.soilandhealth.org/01aglib...10137ch26.html