Tomato root development
I have always planted my tomato seedlings deep in the soil, with just
the top leaves above ground and everything else below. My understanding was that the tomato would root the whole length of the below ground stem so that this method would produce a super root system making the plant less susceptable to variations in water supply. Yesterday, after we finally got our first frost (late two years in a row now) I yanked all the dead plants. The tomatoes had indeed develeoped roots on the below ground stems but only within the top inch and half. The original seedling root at the bottoms were well developed but the only other root in the top inch and a half were very week. This is not what I expected. My soil is very deep sandy loam with lots of organic material resulting from years of applying manure and compost. Any thoughts on this? TIA John |
Tomato root development
"John Bachman" wrote in message
... I have always planted my tomato seedlings deep in the soil, with just the top leaves above ground and everything else below. My understanding was that the tomato would root the whole length of the below ground stem so that this method would produce a super root system making the plant less susceptable to variations in water supply. Yesterday, after we finally got our first frost (late two years in a row now) I yanked all the dead plants. The tomatoes had indeed develeoped roots on the below ground stems but only within the top inch and half. The original seedling root at the bottoms were well developed but the only other root in the top inch and a half were very week. This is not what I expected. My soil is very deep sandy loam with lots of organic material resulting from years of applying manure and compost. Any thoughts on this? TIA John It's not really a big deal - sort of a bonus, these extra roots, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. But, when you planted, did you pinch off the leaves first? |
Tomato root development
On Sun, 15 Oct 2006 13:44:18 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom"
wrote: "John Bachman" wrote in message .. . I have always planted my tomato seedlings deep in the soil, with just the top leaves above ground and everything else below. My understanding was that the tomato would root the whole length of the below ground stem so that this method would produce a super root system making the plant less susceptable to variations in water supply. Yesterday, after we finally got our first frost (late two years in a row now) I yanked all the dead plants. The tomatoes had indeed develeoped roots on the below ground stems but only within the top inch and half. The original seedling root at the bottoms were well developed but the only other root in the top inch and a half were very week. This is not what I expected. My soil is very deep sandy loam with lots of organic material resulting from years of applying manure and compost. Any thoughts on this? TIA John It's not really a big deal - sort of a bonus, these extra roots, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. But, when you planted, did you pinch off the leaves first? Nope. Stuck them in the ground. It makes a difference? John |
Tomato root development
"John Bachman" wrote in message
... On Sun, 15 Oct 2006 13:44:18 GMT, "JoeSpareBedroom" wrote: "John Bachman" wrote in message . .. I have always planted my tomato seedlings deep in the soil, with just the top leaves above ground and everything else below. My understanding was that the tomato would root the whole length of the below ground stem so that this method would produce a super root system making the plant less susceptable to variations in water supply. Yesterday, after we finally got our first frost (late two years in a row now) I yanked all the dead plants. The tomatoes had indeed develeoped roots on the below ground stems but only within the top inch and half. The original seedling root at the bottoms were well developed but the only other root in the top inch and a half were very week. This is not what I expected. My soil is very deep sandy loam with lots of organic material resulting from years of applying manure and compost. Any thoughts on this? TIA John It's not really a big deal - sort of a bonus, these extra roots, so I wouldn't worry about it too much. But, when you planted, did you pinch off the leaves first? Nope. Stuck them in the ground. It makes a difference? John Yep. |
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