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When it’s time to plant tomato seedlings into the soil, which follow below on the windowsill, this old tip could come in very handy for you. It’s an excellent method of planting a seedling into the soil that promises stronger and healthier plants, capable of producing a large quantity of fruit. My grandmother taught it to me and I’ve been doing it this way for years!
What the trick is
The most important thing with tomatoes is to plant the plants so that they form a strong and as extensive a root system as possible . This can use nutrients from the soil much more efficiently and convert them into energy for growth, flowering and later fruiting . It’s important that part of the plant stem is also in the soil , because it will later send out additional roots and thus contribute to an extensive root system .
Planting – lay them on the ground “on their side”!
You don’t need to dig deep holes, this grower found a much smarter way to plant seedlings into the soil. You plant the plant on its side, that’s it !
How to do it?
Place the seedlings with their pots on the soil “on their side”. Leave them like that one, at most two days . As you can see, the plant will begin stretching toward the light and in one spot it will start to bend noticeably upwards – that is the point up to which you will insert the stem into the ground. A plant suitable for side planting must have this typical bend .
Then remove it from the pot and take off the compacted and excess substrate around the roots. The hole doesn’t need to be deep, because it is wide enough even for the tomato stem. The place of the bend will signal to you where the stem should be in the soil . The tomato will thus have a much more extensive and stronger root system, thanks to which it will grow like crazy.
Do everything exactly as shown in the video guide
Add this green wonder into the holes as well
This old planting method was almost forgotten, but it is very beneficial and can help the plants enormously not only during rooting but also later. You have nothing to lose and believe me, it’s worth it!
Nettle in every hole!
Nettle has a very positive effect on tomato seedlings. It can protect the roots from temperature fluctuations and my grandmother always said that it warms the plant from below – tomatoes don’t like cold soil and so at planting you avoid the temperature shock that would slow growth. In fact it also prevents damage during spring temperature swings. The plant is strong and healthy from day one.
Nutrition where the “strong root” needs it – nettle is a very strong natural fertilizer. It will improve the soil and deliver nutrients exactly where the plant needs them. Its trace in the soil lasts for weeks and the tomato plants will gradually take all the good things they need. Through the roots into the whole plant.
Attracts bees – tomatoes raised on nettle somehow smell more attractive to bees. This is due to the oils that get into the roots. When the plant flowers – you’ll have the precious bees taken care of, since such plants are more fragrant to them.
You will save on fertilizer – nettle will do you a great service. When you have it in the ground, it’s as if you gave your plants the best bio fertilizer from nature directly into their veins. During the growing season, occasionally water with a nettle brew and you won’t have to deal with any chemicals or expensive sprays. Moreover it’s also an excellent tip against pests – a nettle brew will reliably eliminate them.
How to do it?
- Dig a hole – sufficiently large
- Put freshly picked nettles into the hole
- Cover with a little soil
- Insert the seedlings – ideally planted on their side
Cover with soil and a bit of compost.
