Best Way to Plant Tomatoes - Trenching

A few years ago at a gardening show we were talking with a Master Gardener through the Purdue University Extension Office.  We had just had a bad bout of blossom end rot and I wanted to talk to him about planting and tending tomatoes in the garden.

He said that we should trench our tomatoes for the best harvest, and, while doing so, add crushed eggshell for added calcium and Epsom salt for additional magnesium - a few tablespoons of each.



Boy, was he right!  We've planted our tomatoes that way ever since and haven't looked back.

By planting so much of the stem, the plant will grow additional roots from all those little nodules.  Like these little guys.

Additional roots mean a stronger plant.  With more roots the plant has the opportunity to pull more nutrients from the soil thus helping the plant grow better and produce more fruit.

I save a lot of eggshells each year and crush them in an old food container so I always have them on hand.  Epsom salt is relatively inexpensive so this is a very frugal way to boost your tomato harvest.

Besides the great harvest, I like this method because it means the leggier your seedling, the better off you are which is great for a gal who starts her own seeds.  My plants don't always have the stockiest and thickest stems so this method totally works for me!

Anyone else use the trench method for planting their tomatoes?

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