Dill's Giant Atlantic pumpkin diary

[R2elk]

Interesting! I did not know that. Thank you.

I thought all plants disliked have their roots messed with, to one degree or another.

I had a monstrous potted celery plant that had massive root build up outside the pot. I cut those roots off and it never phased the plant. Those roots are coming back just as heavy as before.

When buying well developed plants at a nursery or garden section of a store, many of the plants are root bound. It is a common practice to make vertical cuts down through the roots with a knife (I usually do 4 cuts) to promote new root growth outward when transplanting the root bound plants.

 

[Sally PB]

I will keep that in mind. For tomatoes, I bury the plant about 5-6" deeper than it was in the pot, to encourage roots to grow out from the stem.

Why do I type "roost" every time I type the word "roots"? You'd think that all I did was write about chickens.

 

[Grannys Backyard Chicks]

I have to start my tomatoes and peppers inside in pots. This is how I do it. I use containers like this.
View attachment 3831368

And cut the bottom off. Then I turn it upside down
View attachment 3831369
And that's my pot. When it comes time to plant, I peel the lid off, and the taper of the sides makes it (relatively) easy to slide up and over the plant, with minimal root disturbance.

Some of those pots are on their 4th year. I'll be replacing a few of them, as the plastic is getting brittle.

Great idea. I'm going to try that next year. Thanks for bringing back many good memories. My Dad always grew Big pumpkins. I'll post old pictures if I can find some. He passed in 2016. He loved putting the Grandkids on a hay wagon for a trip to the pumpkin patch.

 

[R2elk]

I will keep that in mind. For tomatoes, I bury the plant about 5-6" deeper than it was in the pot, to encourage roots to grow out from the stem.

Why do I type "roost" every time I type the word "roots"? You'd think that all I did was write about chickens.

Just don't make your holes any deeper than 8" when planting the tomatoes. The deeper you plant them, the cooler the ground is. I have planted them much deeper and it really slowed their growth until after the stalk roots took hold.

When I pulled them in the fall the deepest roots were only 8" and the original roots that had been planted at least 16" deep were all gone.

When I was growing up in PA, we used to plant bare root tomatoes. We would make a 4" deep trench, lay the tomatoes on their sides and gently bend them up as we covered them. They did great. I have never found anyone out here that sells bare root tomato plants.

 

[Sally PB]

I've never heard of someone selling bare root tomato plants! I have heard of planting them in a trench, though.

I'll keep in mind about digging too deep of a hole, thanks. That makes sense.

 

[Grannys Backyard Chicks]

The kids are in their early 40s now. Dad loved growing pumpkins

 

[R2elk]

I had a monstrous potted celery plant that had massive root build up outside the pot. I cut those roots off and it never phased the plant. Those roots are coming back just as heavy as before.

Celery plant and its roots.

 

[R2elk]

The Big Moose crosses are up. Two of the three Whoppers are pushing up the dirt.

Two of three Whoppers are up.

Big Moose hybrids

Whoppers

 

[NanaK]

Celery plant and its roots.
View attachment 3831509View attachment 3831510

Nice looking tomatoes!

 

[R2elk]

Nice looking tomatoes!