Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Some gardeners spend their lives trying to figure out the secret to growing great tomatoes, and there
are a lot of passionate opinions on the topic. While there's no simple answer, I think a good place to start
is with a strong root system, which means planting tomatoes differently than you would other seedlings.
Tomatoes can develop roots all along their stems, so burying a large portion of the stem when you
put it in the ground will increase the size of the root system—and the tomato plants will need less water,
be better at withstanding summer storms, and will likely yield more fruit.
To plant the tomato seedling, begin by first digging a shallow trench—almost as long as the seedling
is tall. Trim off the leaves from the lower portion of the stem (this is the part to bury). Remove the seed-
ling from its pot and loosen the root ball, then lay it horizontally into the trench. Fill the trench with soil
and gently bend the stem upward (don't worry—it will straighten up as it grows). Give the plant water
right away after planting to avoid transplant shock, and then water it frequently (daily if possible) for
the first week or so, until it's settled into its new home.
It is important for new gardeners to understand that this process is only applicable to tomatoes.
Otherwise they could end up killing all the other seedlings in their garden, which would be a disappoint-
ment.
Remove leaves from lower part of stem and lay plant horizontally at the bottom of the trench.
HOW TO PLANT OTHER SEEDLINGS
If you're starting from a young plant, or seedling, rather than a seed,
the transplanting process is
pretty straightforward. First make sure the plant is well watered. Dig a hole in the soil that is the same
height as the plant's root ball, and just wide enough to fit the root ball without forcing or squishing it.
Then remove the plant from its pot and gently loosen the bottom of the root ball.
Now place the seedling into the hole so that it stands straight up; the top of the plant should be at
the same level as the soil (you do not want soil covering the stem), then lightly spread the soil back
around the stem for support. Build a saucer-shaped depression into the soil around the plant's base to
help direct water toward the roots. Then water it immediately at the base. The plant may droop at first (a
new habitat can be a bit of a shock), but with regular watering, it should perk up within a couple days.
STAGGERED PLANTINGS
I find that most new gardeners, especially small-space gardeners, are a little overwhelmed by the idea
of staggered planting, as they've just begun wrapping their heads around the absolute basics. But after
a season of paying attention to how things grow—and noticing that they had an overabundance of their
favorite vegetables all at once—they should find this method makes a lot more sense.
