Planting time

hovermother22 · May 22, 2019

What should I place in the bottom of the tomato planting hole at planting time?

taboule · May 22, 2019

You can place anything you like

For me, I mix in a handful of food pellets (Espoma or other), and when planted, I also water with a fish juice solution to help get the plant going in its new home.

oakley · May 22, 2019

Many choices are appropriate.

I rake with my hand around the planting hole a small amount of TomatoTone. Then top
dress a couple weeks later.
In the past, if I tossed it in the hole as a clump, critters have dug up some my seedlings
to get at the Fert. Probably chipmunks or maybe field mice.

bower · May 23, 2019

I bet you can get a hundred different answers to that question.

I prep the soil first by digging in fresh compost, kelp meal, lime, and some chicken fert if I have any.

In the bottom of the hole I use a six ounce solo of bone meal, dig it into the soil around the hole, and plant.

SteveP · May 23, 2019

I dug big holes ((3-4 gal) holes and mixed garden soil, compost, Epsom salt, granulated kelp, Tomato Tone and Alpaca Poo and watered in with fish emulsion. I also sometimes crumple up about 4" of newspaper in the bottom of the hole that helps retain moisture and gives an easy medium for root growth.

edweather · May 23, 2019

I never put anything in the hole but soil, then fertilize a week later or so after it gets accustomed to it's new home.

nathan125 · May 25, 2019

I dig the hole, Add some soil/compost. Maybe some epsom salt or fertilizer granules if i have any on hand. tomatoes don't seem very picky

JRinPA · May 30, 2019

I guess my beds are pretty well prepped well before actual planting day, nowadays. When the weather looks right and the plants are ready I just go dig a hole or trench and backfill around them.

Tormato · June 1, 2019

A link to the "Earl's Hole" method...

www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=9266

A bit too complicated for me to try, and I also don't want my roots spreading out very wide (but that's a whole 'nother story).

It's very important that composted peat humus is used, NOT peat moss.

throwaway · June 2, 2019

I've mixed a black kow into the planting hole and dressed with a little more after filling. My ground is still pretty cold when I plant out and I figure they can do without the extra stress of a big fertilizer hit straight away - black kow seems very mild.

zipcode · June 3, 2019

After some time I came to the conclusion that it's better not to put anything in the hole. Maybe some very weak fertilizer like horse or something rich in phosphorous, since transplant time is the best time for that P. With chicken pellets I find that too often it delays good root formation. One way would be to thoroughly mix it well around the hole with the soil to minimize the burning effect on roots.

Tormato · June 3, 2019

Quote:

Originally Posted by throwaway

I've mixed a black kow into the planting hole and dressed with a little more after filling. My ground is still pretty cold when I plant out and I figure they can do without the extra stress of a big fertilizer hit straight away - black kow seems very mild.

If you did the hole a day or more before planting, and spread that dug earth out for the sun to warm it, it goes back in not as cold.

May 22, 2019	#1
hovermother22 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Chicago Posts: 69	Planting time What should I place in the bottom of the tomato planting hole at planting time?

May 23, 2019	#6
edweather Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2012 Location: Southeast GA, USDA 9a, HZ9, Sunset Z28 Posts: 393	I never put anything in the hole but soil, then fertilize a week later or so after it gets accustomed to it's new home. __________________ You'll be surprised what you'll never have to do, if you put it off long enough.

May 22, 2019	#2
taboule Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: MA Posts: 903	You can place anything you like For me, I mix in a handful of food pellets (Espoma or other), and when planted, I also water with a fish juice solution to help get the plant going in its new home.

May 22, 2019	#3
oakley Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2015 Location: NewYork 5a Posts: 2,303	Many choices are appropriate. I rake with my hand around the planting hole a small amount of TomatoTone. Then top dress a couple weeks later. In the past, if I tossed it in the hole as a clump, critters have dug up some my seedlings to get at the Fert. Probably chipmunks or maybe field mice.

May 23, 2019	#4
bower Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Newfoundland, Canada Posts: 6,793	I bet you can get a hundred different answers to that question. I prep the soil first by digging in fresh compost, kelp meal, lime, and some chicken fert if I have any. In the bottom of the hole I use a six ounce solo of bone meal, dig it into the soil around the hole, and plant.

May 23, 2019	#5
SteveP Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Joplin MO Posts: 1,398	I dug big holes ((3-4 gal) holes and mixed garden soil, compost, Epsom salt, granulated kelp, Tomato Tone and Alpaca Poo and watered in with fish emulsion. I also sometimes crumple up about 4" of newspaper in the bottom of the hole that helps retain moisture and gives an easy medium for root growth.

May 25, 2019	#7
nathan125 Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2013 Location: Idaho Posts: 111	I dig the hole, Add some soil/compost. Maybe some epsom salt or fertilizer granules if i have any on hand. tomatoes don't seem very picky

May 30, 2019	#8
JRinPA Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jul 2013 Location: SE PA Posts: 963	I guess my beds are pretty well prepped well before actual planting day, nowadays. When the weather looks right and the plants are ready I just go dig a hole or trench and backfill around them.

June 1, 2019	#9
Tormato Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: MA Posts: 4,959	A link to the "Earl's Hole" method... www.tomatoville.com/showthread.php?t=9266 A bit too complicated for me to try, and I also don't want my roots spreading out very wide (but that's a whole 'nother story). It's very important that composted peat humus is used, NOT peat moss.

June 2, 2019	#10
throwaway Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2016 Location: Zone 6 Posts: 92	I've mixed a black kow into the planting hole and dressed with a little more after filling. My ground is still pretty cold when I plant out and I figure they can do without the extra stress of a big fertilizer hit straight away - black kow seems very mild.

June 3, 2019	#11
zipcode Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jun 2010 Location: Romania/Germany , z 4-6 Posts: 1,582	After some time I came to the conclusion that it's better not to put anything in the hole. Maybe some very weak fertilizer like horse or something rich in phosphorous, since transplant time is the best time for that P. With chicken pellets I find that too often it delays good root formation. One way would be to thoroughly mix it well around the hole with the soil to minimize the burning effect on roots.