Can I Bury the Leaves When I Plant My Tomato Plants?

Significance

• It is not necessary to bury the leaves on a tomato plant; the tomato will grow and produce fruit whether all the leaves are above ground or not. However, when tomato leaves are buried, the stem of the plant will send out additional roots. Tomatoes are heavy feeders, meaning they require more nutrients and water than many other plants, so those additional roots help make the plant stronger, more resilient and a better producer of fruit.

The Facts

• When tomatoes are grown from seed, the seedlings should be transplanted into 4-inch pots once they develop a second set of leaves. At the time of this transplanting, bury the stems a little deeper than they were before; do not bury any leaves yet. After the seedlings are hardened off -- or acclimated to the weather they will experience in the garden -- or after seedlings are purchased from a nursery, they may be planted directly in the garden.

  At this time, bury at least the first set of leaves. Some sources, including California Country magazine, recommend burying the plant all the way up to the top leaf set. If the seedling has a long stem, dig a trench and lay the plant sideways in it. Carefully bend the top part of the plant up, and bury the rest.

Considerations

• Burying a tomato's leaves isn't a silver bullet to success, however. Tomatoes require quality soil and plenty of moisture, as well as full sun. Before planting, purchase a soil testing kit from a gardening center and follow its instructions to determine if the soil is in good condition. If it's not, amend the soil, or plant the tomatoes in very large pots with quality potting soil. The University of Missouri Extension website recommends adding a 8-32-16 or 6-24-24 fertilizer to the soil before planting.

Prevention

• Even with excellent soil, tomatoes need deep, regular watering and monthly feeding with fertilizer to stay healthy and productive. They should also be staked at the time of planting and should not be planted too close together. Planting tomatoes 2 to 3 feet apart allows for good air circulation that helps prevent many diseases that weaken tomato plants.