Trench Planting Tomatoes

Alysha Slater
by Alysha Slater
This is the first year that I'm planting my tomatoes in a trench rather than vertically. I have read that this method will allow the root system have more area to grow. I also upcycled a few milk jugs as a way to get the water to the roots without having to go through the soil. The milk jugs were cleaned and have small holes poked through to let the water go directly to the roots. These tomato plants are two Early Girls and a Celebrity. I can't wait to see what they yield! I also planted a little basil around them because basil makes the tomatoes taste better.
Trench planted tomato plants with slow watering upcycled milk jugs.
Frequently asked questions
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  3 questions
  • Leslie Smith Leslie Smith on Aug 09, 2016
    How tiny are the holes?
  • Dominic Dominic on May 19, 2019

    How long does the water last in the bottle. And how deep do you place bottom of milk bottle

  • Lyn Lyn on Jun 21, 2021

    I still do not see what you mean by “trenching”?

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  • Shari Shari on Jan 27, 2020

    Yes, I forgot to include this latter part, but you're absolutely right. And, if you snip out the bottom of one of those plastic Dixie cups and stick that either over the top or, if you split it all the way up the side, around the stem with the ragged bottom edge stuck just into the ground, you will indeed prevent those hideous tomato "worms" which always terrify me. They just can't penetrate it, eat it, or climb up over it.


    Thank you for incuding the latter part of the instruction. Don't know I could forget it. When young, I just thought my dad was nuts for doing it the "trench" way. He would be so pleased at this exchange between us.


    Shari

  • Cd48x Cd48x on Feb 22, 2023

    TY for sharing. gotta try this (⁠✿⁠^⁠‿⁠^⁠)

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