"Loki" wrote:
The roots grow down - away from light and reacting to gravity,
water etc.

I think roots grow in a generalized direction out, with gravity
maintaining a constant pull so there is a slight downward pull
to their outward growth. Most seems to follow along the same
guidelines that electricity follows... meaning they take the path
of least resistance. Trees seem to have one main trunk that
goes down and branches sprawling in all directions in the
ground, and this would make sense, because resistance is
low to start and as the main trunk dives deeper, the resistance
increases, so the branches that sprawl outwards underneath
get more water being near the surface, so there is a slight
"hunger" to stay near the surface. An increase in the amount
of area by the branches spreading out in the ground provides
a mechanism to support the main trunk above the ground and
provides a greater surface area to drink from.

One thing to keep in mind about this as well is that it's like
diving, and the deeper you dive, the greater the pressure
is on you. All that water above you has a weight and that
weight is expressed as a pressure, psi (pounds per square
inch). There is a limit to depth that you can dive, I don't
know it is off the top of my head, because once you reach
that depth, the pressure becomes so great that you could
die from the compression. Submarines have a maximum
depth they can travel, each type of fish have a maximum
depth, and I imagine the same applies to the roots of trees.

I let some pigweed grow here and was interested in it's
rooting. When I pulled it from the ground, the main trunk
dove straight down. I let it grow to about 5 feet in height
before I pulled it. The main root that dove straight down
was the strongest and it only dove about a 16 inches at
most. The main branches that came off it sprawled in all
directions about 12 inches in every direction. I imagine the
sprawl was actually greater, because those branches were
a lot thinner than the main trunk and they decreased in size
and strength farther out. They broke at the outer lengths.
Those branches in the ground are what provided the
support for the height.

I think the factors that control rooting a
1) There is a slight pull from gravity,
2) Thirst for water means there is a sprawl away from the
main stem,
3) Rain being a source of water provides the most effect (in
the beginning) at the surface and that effect decreases the
deeper you get, UNLESS you have an underground supply
of water. In the latter case, it will be water plants that would
flourish.
4) As far as tomatoes go, they seem to love a RICH WET
soil and they seem to love a bottom fed water supply. I'm
having great success with four plants in a clay pot (1 quart),
which I keep in a bowl and I keep the bowl filled with
water. It's kept in the shade of a tree it's got some stakes
for support and fence nearby that I'm hanging the longer
vines upon.

I don't know whats right or what's wrong, but the tomatoes
seem to be very happy.

With tomatoes being set upside down, there is still that pull
down on their branches in the dirt. Once they hit a wall, the
roots would tend to grow away from the wall or along the
traveling in the path of least resistance. If the least resistance
happens to be up, the growth should grow up. I think I
can almost argue that light has nothing to do with root
growth, other than it's light that does whatever it does with
chlorophyl or whatever it is. The nutrients are drawn from
the soil and light does something with chlorophyl. Thus the
greenery is up top where the light is, and I don't quite have
a grasp of what actually makes the roots work, some kind
of energy created by a thirst for water and the leaves up top.

I don't know how much of what I said is 100% fact. It's all
just my own thoughts on root growth. Don't take it at face
value. I found it interesting and thought I'd leave some of
my own thoughts on it.

--
Jim Carlock
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Jim Carlock wrote:
"Claire Petersky" wrote:

Since tomato blight is a common problem in our state, one of the
advantages of growing them upside down is that they may be easier
to keep ventilated and from moisture staying on them, encouraging
these problems.


Anyone else find that tomatoes love to be bottom fed? I mean sitting
a clay pot in a bowl and filling the bowl with water during the morning.

I've got four plants in a little 1qt clay pot that are doing just wonderful
underneath a tree (they don't seem to like the Florida heat). I don't
think the water is evaporating during the day too much, and the water
is always gone by the start of evening. Could be squirrels coming by
for a drink I imagine, though. I've got a few other tomato plants
growing in the ground but they just don't seem to be growing like the
ones in the clay pot. Maybe I'm only imagining it and have to give
them another month ?

--
Jim Carlock
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Based on my experience with potted tomatoes last year, I'd say your
plants are taking in the water (not the squirrels). The fact that you
have to fill the pot liner every day means your plants have a good root
system. You may want to think of transplanting to a much larger pot. I
tried 3 plants in a single 17" diameter pot last season and had great
success.

http://www.minifarmhomestead.com/gardening/tomato.htm

"Chris Thompson" wrote:
You may want to think of transplanting to a much larger pot. I
tried 3 plants in a single 17" diameter pot last season and had
great success.

You mentioned the diameter of your pot with 3 plants as 17".
the diameter at the top of my pot is maybe 6" or 7", maybe 8"
deep.

I pulled my first caterpillar off a leaf yesterday. Yikes! The temp
dropped with not much wind, and we did get a little rain. I'll post
a pic of the pot in the binary group.

--
Jim Carlock
Please post replies to newsgroup.

Jim Carlock previously asked:
Anyone else find that tomatoes love to be bottom fed? I mean sitting
a clay pot in a bowl and filling the bowl with water during the morning.

"Thyro" writes:
I tried the upside down tomato in a 5-gallon bucket last summer after
seeing an article in Organic Gardening. Everytime I'd water, the water
would drip down onto the stem and leaves and the result was instant
disease. Did I just set it up wrong?

I can see the problem: your plant's stem is emerging from the lowest
point in the pot, and that's where excess water will drain to. Not good!

How about taking a standard pot or bucket and gluing a half-inch length of
wide-bore hose inside around the drain hole to raise it above the pot's base
and using PLENTY of glue to ensure the join is watertight. Now, to allow
excess water to drain, you'll need to make a new hole in the base and
I suggest drilling it nearer the edge of the base. Water will down drip
out of this new hole instead of the original centre one, and to stop it
dripping onto the foliage you could attach a short length of plastic hose
to channel the water down through the plant. Don't poke the hose into the
hole, but glue it all the way around it outside the pot. Cover the
opening over the hose with nylon flyscreen to keep potting mix out.




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When you water the plant, water around the perimeter of the pot so that
water is not poured directly above the centre hole. Avoid overwatering.

Just a suggestion, not something I've tried.
--
John Savage (my news address is not valid for email)