How deep do tomato roots go?

deltzy · Thu Jan 20, 2011 10:53 am

Hey guys I got a little patch of good fertile soil which probably goes down about 10 inches and I was going to raise it anyway and was wondering how much I should raise it by (anywhere up to about 1.5-2 ft) so that my tomatoes can make the most of the depth of soil.

Does anyone really know how deep the roots go?

Note that my patch is only 11ft by 8 inches and I really want to squeeze in as many plants as I can (about 9?)

gumbo2176 · Thu Jan 20, 2011 11:28 am

One and a half feet should be sufficient. Not sure how deep tomato plant roots go even though I've grown them for many years. I do know they pull up pretty easy when they are done.

Mel Bartholemew (sp) was an advocate of Square Foot Gardening and he would plant many fairly large growing plants in a 12"x12" space so that in a raised bed consisting of 16 sq. ft., he'd have 16 plants.

Personally, I would only put about 7-8 plants in that space since it is only 8 inches wide.

hardland · Thu Jan 20, 2011 11:38 am

Iv'e pulled up some roots when my tom plants have diied before and have found roots as deep as 18 inches, in ground. My containers are 13 inch wide by 13 inch deep, about 7 gallons.
I don't crowd my plants, to many probs with fungus etc, I leave a 2ft space from stem to stem when planting, which usualy means the leaves are touching at maturity. I couldn't imagine putting 16 plants in a 4ft x 4ft space, maybe I missed something?

TZ -OH6 · Thu Jan 20, 2011 12:24 pm

If you let them, tomato roots will go five feet or of more in all directions, including down.

https://www.soilandhealth.org/01aglibrary/010137veg.roots/010137ch26.html

deltzy · Thu Jan 20, 2011 1:13 pm

Thanks for all the information guys, because I have such a small space Ill probably increase it by 2 ft. Fill it with 60% compost 40% top soil should be a decent mix.