Quote:
Originally Posted by seaeagle
OK, I can see where this method may help in cooler climates, but I remain unconvinced in warmer regions,like southern United States.Seems to me, you would want to plant deep and mulch to keep the tomato plant roots cooler in the hot months so it will set flowers and produce more tomatoes.I don't agree with the sentence in the illustration that says,shallow root systems will survive drought better than deep planted root systems.I may be wrong but I think my soil dries from the top down.I guess I'm just skeptical of this method  |
The ONLY reason I trench plants is when I couldn't set them out when they were supposed to be set out and got too tall.
It has nothing to do with warm or cool soils as regards trenching/
As the line picture showed those long stems make roots all along the stem, whch is great and now I need to convince you that those roots go very very deep, deeper than you ever thought, which is a real bonus for those in warm weather areas and it helps, of course in other areas b'c the mass of roots, the fibrous structure one, allows for greater uptake of WATER as well as soil nutrients.
To convince you I took time off from watching tennis, it's the first day of the French Open, so you know what I gave up to scroll through my several thousand faves,
and here it is and please read it carefully.
http://www.soilandhealth.org/01aglib...010137toc.html
Please note that the date is 1927 since it was in the 20's and 30's that the basic parameters describing tomato growth/structual functions were studied. Just scroll down until you come to the tomato section.
And I sure hope that helps.
Carolyn