Planting Tomatoes Deep

When planting tomato plants, especially tall leggy plants, in a very windy area, dig a deep hole, about twice the size of your plant and at least a shovel width wide. Set the plant in the bottom center of the hole and add just enough soil to cover roots and about an inch of the stem. Add water to the hole as needed to keep moist. The added protection from wind and warmth from the dark soil allows the plant to grow quickly.

As the tomato plant continues to grow, add more soil to the hole, 2-3 inches at a time, breaking off bottom leaves as necessary until the plant grows completely out of the hole, and the soil line is nearly ground level. Leaving a slight depression around the plant creates a "well" for watering and fertilizer as needed. Your tomato plant will be extremely sturdy and will form roots along the stem underground to take up water and nutrients.

I also like to put a gallon can by each plant with both top and bottom cut out. Sink it in the soil about 3 inches. Use the can to water and add fertilizer as needed. This makes it easy to water the plant without spraying the whole plant or garden.

By RocknChr from Central NE