The root of the matter

[journey11]

Really good info for those who haven't observed it before. Planting deep is a great way to take advantage of those aerial roots, for those plants that make them.

Interesting about the zinnias. I never thought to plant them deeper. I just wait for them to inevitably fall over, then I stake them back up.

I've noticed the peppers grow better in the heat of summer, but their fruit grow better in the cooler weather of early fall. I get the nicest, juiciest peppers in the fall, right up until that first frost. I plant my peppers in raised rows (maybe 10" or so hilled up) to give the roots a little higher soil temp, then mulch as summer's heat comes on in July. The squash and sweet potatoes benefit from that too.

 

[so lucky]

Great observations and deductions. I would not have come to the same conclusion about the pepper roots needing the warmth. That is good to consider. Wonder if in a warmer climate (warmer soil down deeper) the pepper roots grow deeper?
I like to trench my tomatoes in the row, too, and usually prop them up a little and they straighten up in no time. This past year, the roots were very scant, as were the tops and the crop. Just a bad year all around for tomatoes, in my garden.
For me, cabbage roots just mainly grow straight down, and the main tap root tapers like a big radish. Lots of skinny side roots sent straight out. They really get attached to the ground firmly. Not easy to pull up!

 

[digitS']

Ah, but good for the soiI, those roots.

That tissue is built to hold moisture. Some annual plants make roots that must take several years to decay. Cabbage family probably decay about the quickest, of those mentioned but I really like how they leave the soil.

If they aren't too much in the way, the plants can be cut away and the roots left. It's not especially necessary to remove to compost then carry back to the garden later. Green manure.

I'm always thinking I'm gonna do more of it.

The Tyfon Holland greens that Marshall sent me would make a good green manure. Big, straight down roots ..! Pretty good eating leaves, too. Mustard is an easy plant for seed saving and I'm happy to have lots extra plants for their benefit to the soil.

Steve

 

[so lucky]

In the past, Steve, I have left the cabbage roots in the ground, but sometimes they keep on sprouting. This year I wanted to plant something else there and didn't want those big roots and funky sprouts. Wonder if the cabbage roots would have formed little cabbages? Anyone do this?

 

[digitS']

@so lucky , are you thinking about early cabbage varieties?

What I harvest in early July can regrow very tender sprouts. So, I try to leave some of those plants and we have those sprouts every year.

The roots of neither early or late will ever survive our winters, I don't believe.

Steve