Lessons from preparing the planting hole

[RebelRidin]

I seem to remember from late last winter/early spring, a thread in which folks described various methods they used to prepare their planting holes. I can not now seem to locate it though.

Anyway, I would like to invite those who adopted/modified their procedures last year based upon the methods others reported to share their thoughts on their experience. What did you try that you intend to continue or what did you try that you do not plan to continue? What else do you plan to try different this year for plant out?

[sio2rocks]

http://www.tomatoville.com/showthrea...light=earl%27s

Check out this thread I posted earlier with Earl's method and some opinions from other tomatovillians (sounds like we are all villains ). It has many variants but last year I used organic tomato/vege fertilizer from espoma (tomato-tone), bone meal, peat/humus, composted cow manure, and some epsom salts.

Best,
Colin

[PaulF]

I dig a hole and put the tomato plant in it and cover up the hole with the soil that came from the hole. I figure if you put too much stuff around the roots they won't want to spread out; they are too comfortable in the spot where they are and will never develop. If you have well balanced soil, as indicated from periodic soil tests, your plants should do just fine. Amend for the whole garden not just the planting hole.

[habitat_gardener]

I dig deep, put a handful of alfalfa pellets in the bottom of the hole, cover it with a thin layer of soil, and then plant the tomato plant so that only the top 2 sets of leaves are sticking out. If I have homemade compost on hand, I add some of that to the hole. Then I add mulch on top.

[Stvrob]

I know that for trees and shrubs, the current thinking is NOT to amend the soil from the hole, for much the same reason PaulF mentions above

[Worth1]

I always remove the soil and allow air to enter the hole.
Then after the air has been there a bit I remove the air by putting in the plant and soil.

Works every time.

Worth

[Cole_Robbie]

I agree that amending all the soil is better, but I did pretty well with the hole idea. My grandparents have the 'dirt farming' philosophy where, other than some light 12-12-12 once a year, they don't amend soil at all, mulch, or irrigate tomatoes. I think that philosophy worked for a long time, but the weather is so bad the past few years that it just doesn't any more. Last year, the first tomato plants we set out had no hole amendment at all. Most of them froze, but the ones that didn't only got about a foot and a half tall and made 2-3 golf ball size tomatoes. The hole-amended tomatoes also had drip irrigation, but they grew into a huge sprawling patch of 6-8 ft vines full of fruit.

I think it was the osmocote in each hole that made a big difference for me. I also used greensand and a little bat guano. I am going to also use some rock phosphate this year. I can add fertilizer to the drip line with a siphon injector, but from what I read, P doesn't move in soil hardly at all, especially clay like I have.

[Tormato]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I always remove the soil and allow air to enter the hole.
Then after the air has been there a bit I remove the air by putting in the plant and soil.

Works every time.

Worth

Would that be hot air, Worth?

If one has poor water drainage in their garden, scoring the bottom of the hole before refilling helps.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Tormato

Would that be hot air, Worth?

If one has poor water drainage in their garden, scoring the bottom of the hole before refilling helps.

I wouldn't know about poor drainage, I dont have that problem.

Worth

[Tormato]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I wouldn't know about poor drainage, I dont have that problem.

Worth

What about a hot air problem? (it is Texas)

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Tormato

What about a hot air problem? (it is Texas)

What you would call hot air we would call enhanced conversation.

Worth

[Tormato]

Hmm...maybe I'll have that enhanced conversation with my tomato plants. Some say it works.

Gary

[RebelRidin]

Interesting takes on this. I was mostly interested in folks experience when they tried it in an effort to improve their results. It appears that if they have challenges in their soil ammending "the hole" can be a quick path to some improvement, i.e. Cole Robbie's positive experience.

For those recommending amending all the soil or suggesting problems that might arise from it, I have a question... If we amend all the soil does the tomato plant know? Or... does it just notice the soil it makes use of? How big of a hole (width and depth) filled with ammended topsoil will fill a tomato plants soil world. What is the minimum size raised bed one needs to raise one tomato plant?

The great success some TVillians have growing in containers seems to suggest that volume of amended soil (hole size/bed size) does not have to be all that large...

[habitat_gardener]

Originally Posted by RebelRidin

... If we amend all the soil does the tomato plant know? ...

I'm guessing the answer is YES! (assuming you know what your soil needs and aren't adding anything that's going to throw it out of whack) My guess is based on reading about the work of Roland Bunch and Ana Primavesi on nutrient accessibility. The idea is that plants need constant access to tiny amounts of all the micronutrients, and that accessibilty matters a whole lot more than quantity of nutrients. If the roots can find those tiny amounts, they're happy.

Enhanced conversation can't hurt, either.

[PaulF]

To check how extensive the root structure was on some of my tomatoes, I carefully excavated a few of my plants a couple of years ago. While the roots only went down into the soil around 18 inches, they had spread nearly two feet in every direction. That means to me since my plants are placed about four feet apart and there are on average 30 plants every year, that is about 480 sq. ft.(20'X24') of tomato roots pulling in nutrients.

That is my reasoning for having my garden in balance rather than just a hole to put the seedlings. In container situations, regular watering tends to flush the nutrients out more easily and regular feeding to replace nutrients is necessary.

In the in-ground garden, some like to side dress with fertilizer at certain times during the growing season after heavy feeding by the plants just to keep the nutrient levels up. If I feel my soil is adequate for full season growth, I do not fertilize during the year. My plants tell me pretty quickly if they need something. (nonverbal enhanced communication).