Droopy transplants

[kriket]

I put in some tomatoes yesterday. I got the plants from a reputable garden center. I came home today and they are looking droopy. A dog kicked some dirt up on them yesterday when I was planting them I am hoping that isn't it.

Any suggestions? I watered them a little, we are going to get a lot of rain this weekend so I didn't want to over do it.

Should I stake them?

[choli]

Originally Posted by kriket

I put in some tomatoes yesterday. I got the plants from a reputable garden center. I came home today and they are looking droopy. A dog kicked some dirt up on them yesterday when I was planting them I am hoping that isn't it.

Any suggestions? I watered them a little, we are going to get a lot of rain this weekend so I didn't want to over do it.

Should I stake them?

When you transplant you need to water the plants in very well, and firm the soil around them well. I would definitely give them some more water asap.

[kriket]

I did "water then in" as my mom calls it. I don't know if that's what everyone else calls it! I gave them more water, but we are getting a lot of rain. One perked up, and I think the other is one the mend.

I always thing the worst. I was sure my soil was made of fail, or lava, or grub beetles

[JamieCatheryn]

I put mine in today. You do plant them deeper that the starting soil was, burying the stem up a bit. That helps get them to stand up better. If they're getting big already you can stake them.

[Chicky2]

I always take the bottom branches off and bury 80% of the plant. I also took a few this year and took off the bottom brances (couple of layers, not just the very bottom ones), and laid them down sideways in the hole I dug. Then covered 80% as usual. The latter was just something I read and decided to try this year.

I always have nice strong plants.

And yes, you will need to stake, cage, or trellis your tomatoes before they get much bigger.

[kriket]

hum, I didn't plant 80%, probably more like 40%. I did pinch off the bottom few leaves and dug the holes super deep.
The rain is here, I swear you can *watch* things grow when it rains! Hopefully that is all they need.

You really do 80%? Is it just tomatoes? or are there others that you plant deeper?

[Chicky2]

Originally Posted by kriket

You really do 80%? Is it just tomatoes? or are there others that you plant deeper?

Yes, I really do 80%. And I also do my pepper plants like that. I always have great peppers.

[kriket]

All kinds of peppers? I start my peppers really close to the light so they get nice and bushy, there isn't much stem. I have noticed they get really leggy in the garden and 2 years ago, I only had 2 anemic little bell peppers. Humm... I think I need to do an experiment. I have never had problems with hot peppers, just the crackin' bell peppers. I wonder if DH will kill me if I put in another raised bed

[tankgirl73]

Tomatoes are somewhat unique in that they will grow roots from what used to be stem, when that stem is buried. Not all plants do that, so planting them extra deep is kind of pointless.

I've also read about "trench" planting (laying the stem sideways and burying). The plant still ends up growing straight up as it reaches for the sun. I did a bit of that last year, it's very helpful when planting tomatoes in a shallow SFG.

[Chicky2]

Yes, all kinds of peppers.

I disagree about planting tomatoes deeply being pointless. I find that my plants are consistently MUCH stronger w/a thicker main stem than when not planted deep. I've only once had more than one stem come up from under the soil. I just pinched it off and it didn't grow back.

[tankgirl73]

I meant that plants OTHER than tomatoes would be pointless. I stated that I do the same with my own tomatoes.

Apparently it works for peppers too -- they're from the same family so not a big surprise.

[Chicky2]

Originally Posted by tankgirl73

I meant that plants OTHER than tomatoes would be pointless. I stated that I do the same with my own tomatoes.

Apparently it works for peppers too -- they're from the same family so not a big surprise.

Oops, I misread--sorry!

[tankgirl73]

No worries -- when I re-read it I saw how it could have been confusing.