I'm growing cherry tomatoes in 5 gallon paint buckets and larger tomato varieties in 18 gallon containers. I drilled lots of holes into the bottom for drainage. The plants are looking really good so far, they're about 1-2 feet tall and starting to flower.
Unfortunately I looked at the bottom of the containers and noticed the roots are starting to grow out of the drainage holes. I really don't know what to do with them at this point. Any advice would be appreciated!
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rainbowgardener
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Wow!! You must be doing something right! A 2' tall tomato plant has roots coming out the bottom of an 18 gallon container? That's quite a root system for a plant that size.
18 gallons should be plenty big enough for one tomato plant, so I just wouldn't worry about it. The roots that come out will die in the air, but the roots in the soil should still be fine.
Are you watering it enough? The only reason I can think of off hand for extra long roots if it is seeking scarce water -- sort of the opposite of legginess, when the top of the plant stretches for light.
What have you been fertilizing with? A fertilizer high in phosphorus (the P in NPK) might stimulate extra root growth.
18 gallons should be plenty big enough for one tomato plant, so I just wouldn't worry about it. The roots that come out will die in the air, but the roots in the soil should still be fine.
Are you watering it enough? The only reason I can think of off hand for extra long roots if it is seeking scarce water -- sort of the opposite of legginess, when the top of the plant stretches for light.
What have you been fertilizing with? A fertilizer high in phosphorus (the P in NPK) might stimulate extra root growth.
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john gault
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I think I did something stupid... I planted the transplants deep into the container almost up until the first set of leaves. Maybe that's why the roots are coming out already? I put some tomato fertilizer and eggshells before planting and then fed it once or twice with fish emulsion fertilizer.
It's had plenty of water so I can't imagine that's the problem. john are the containers on top of the ground? I'm thinking of moving it from the cement into a different spot where the roots can grow into the ground but it will only get about 6 hours of sun. I can move it into a spot with more sun but the soil there isn't good and I'm concerned about nematodes killing the plant.
It's had plenty of water so I can't imagine that's the problem. john are the containers on top of the ground? I'm thinking of moving it from the cement into a different spot where the roots can grow into the ground but it will only get about 6 hours of sun. I can move it into a spot with more sun but the soil there isn't good and I'm concerned about nematodes killing the plant.
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rainbowgardener
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I think I did something stupid... I planted the transplants deep into the container almost up until the first set of leaves.
Not stupid, it's always recommended to bury tomatoes deeper to encourage good root systems... just seems to have worked more than you expected.
But I don't think it is a big problem. Just cut the excess roots off, you will still have plenty inside the 18 gallon container.
Not stupid, it's always recommended to bury tomatoes deeper to encourage good root systems... just seems to have worked more than you expected.
But I don't think it is a big problem. Just cut the excess roots off, you will still have plenty inside the 18 gallon container.-
john gault
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Yes they are sitting on the ground in my garden area.
I also got two strawberry plants that were dying earlier this year, because of crappy soil, so I put them into some wooden bakset (containers, can't remember where I got them, but they did have some type of christmas-type plant in them), but I also tried to move them and with all the rain and heavy mulch they've (the baskets) basically become part of the ground. When I tried to lift them up I could feel the whole container coming apart; I can only imagine what the bottoms look like. Basically, if I want to move my strawberries I'll have to dig them up and transplant.
I also got two strawberry plants that were dying earlier this year, because of crappy soil, so I put them into some wooden bakset (containers, can't remember where I got them, but they did have some type of christmas-type plant in them), but I also tried to move them and with all the rain and heavy mulch they've (the baskets) basically become part of the ground. When I tried to lift them up I could feel the whole container coming apart; I can only imagine what the bottoms look like. Basically, if I want to move my strawberries I'll have to dig them up and transplant.