RE: [CH] Bigger Root Ball

Parkhurst, Scott Contractor (PARKHURS@LEAVENWORTH.ARMY.MIL)
Thu, 27 Jan 2000 20:06:48 -0000 

	> I just saw a gardening tip about tomatoes, that might
	> work with peppers.
	> It said when transplanting starter plants to remove the 
	> leaves growing from the side of the stem and plant at 
	> a depth that would cover the denuded stem.
	> It said that by doing this the entire stem begins to 
	> produce roots and therefore a bigger root ball resulting 
	> in a bigger yield.
	> Any comments or experience with this?

	     I tried that last year with tomatoes and peppers.  They 
	did produce some roots along the former stem, but not
	nearly enough to be confused with a root ball.
	     I did it not for extra root mass, but for support.  Here in
	the middle of the lower 48, the winds get pretty stiff and I
	have had trouble with young plants getting blown over/away.
	I use bamboo skewers around the seedlings, switching to
	old croquet wickets and finally to tomato cages.
	     I have a lot more problems with C. annuum than chinense.
	I think it's because they grow faster and taller, thus more
	susceptible to the winds.

	Scott... KCK