THIS LITTLE TRICK WILL MAKE YOUR TOMATO PLANTS VERY HAPPY!

[@tracestevens1773]

Thank you for recognizing the wisdom of your father in hilling tomatoes. I am 74 and made plenty of tomato errors in the past. I use oyster shell for calcium when planting and later side dressing. It seems to deter end rot by keepingsome shell on top of the ground as mulch. I just have a few boxes 4 x 8 now that I am older and don't eat much anymore. But I still like to watch things grow and have an English garden with flowers and fruit trees. It is lovely/ and I still mow my 2 city lots myself and weed by hand. God Bless our work of love ! Theresa @ Poet tms Ohio

[@cliffordincalifornia]

Good Stuff Man , im 55 and love too take care of stuff , so i plant a lot of everything when i can

[@thomasbrooks8112]

I'm 70 years old and back growing tomatoes, beans, and peas after a few years off for a hip replacement and three knee replacements. No, I don't have three legs! It's actually three surgeries on the same knee due to some serious infection in that knee. I'm growing a few varieties that are new to me. Cherokee Purple, Brandywine Pink, Black Prince, along with some old favorites, Super Sweet 100's, Early Girl and Better Boy. I'm growing in fabric grow bags, and so far, my plants have really taken off!

[@cliffordincalifornia]

@@thomasbrooks8112 Good Stuff Man !!!

[@wesleyferguson6932]

I always plant mine 9 inches or more in the ground leaving only about 3 or so limbs above the dirt and get big stronger main stems and more than average tomato harvest. Everyone have a wonderful growing season.

[@jeannes4153]

if you dig your tomato plants up you may find it has a second set of roots at a shallower location. Water seldom goes 9 inches deep. Lots of that plant's energy has gone into developing the second set of root and it has delayed flowering and has less time for actual tomato growth stunting the tomatoes. You are right to plant a little deeper but too deep isn't going to work in your favor. Only planting as deep as the fine fuzzies on the stems (usually up to the first set of true leaves) helps tremendously because the fine fuzzy area is a root producing area. Above that is wasted effort. Have a long growing season? Take a side sucker off of your tomato plant and stick it into a jar of water until it grows roots and plant that. Change the water in order to keep bacteria growth down while the roots develop. We grow some expensive tomatoes and it is a really nice way to save money and get more tomatoes of the fancy kind.

[@islandgardener158]

Me too

[@mistycolley7018]

@@jeannes4153h un

[@rebeccagifford8088]

If you like getting early Tomatoes don't bury them deep

[@thomasgrant5339]

What about dry rot?

[@dixiemaybell1062]

A farmer told me a how to grow perfect tomatoes plants. He told me to dig a hole and add some fertilizer and water to the hole and bury the tomatoes all the way to the true first set of leaves. He said that it teaches the tomatoes plant to grow deeper and find water at a deeper depth so that you don't have to water as much. Perfect plants each year.

[@שמשוןהגיבור-כ1ס]

עמנואל הפרזיט🤸אני מתנהגת כראוי משתדלת😆

[@SongbirdRanch2005]

I do the same too!

[@judyjamison9860]

It also produces roots all along that stem you buried so it has a much better root system.

[@jom6320]

Thats right my mom a farmwife taught me that she always had bumper crop

[@chriswhitley3283]

Yep, got you covered. What I do to. I have a dry windy place and this helps the plants stay healthy. Another trick is to poke a hole in a large coffee can or milk jug and bury it next to your tomato leaving the top exposed and you can water the plants and put fertilizer in it and it takes it to the roots. Teaches the plants to go down for water and nutrients.

[@joanmerriken9216]

I am so happy to hear about your process. For 50 years I’ve grown tomatoes by hilling and never cut away any branches, etc. unless they turned yellow. The last two years it never dawned on me why my tomatoes weren’t producing like usual. I was practically scalping them. Tell your dad he and all the wise old-timers KNEW much more than today’s young folks. Leave your dang tomatoes alone. Hill them. Feed them and no haircuts.

[@Mike-uc8dn]

Well you should pull the lateral shoots it makes them flowers dont worry about the tall less foliage tie them to tall poles grow them straight up like one vine you get more tomatoes.

[@reedcollins7783]

I agree, I let my tomatoes grow as mother nature intended. Like The Beatles said.....Let it be. Hahaa. Peace

[@mitchclinton4452]

@@reedcollins7783 I don't I've view mother nature as force to bend and mold and conform her to my will science as nature must also be tamed with a view towards there preservation.

[@tomscott3]

I lived on an old farm years ago in the People's Republic of MA. I never believed any plants needed trimming. My big boys would get at least 10' tall, so thick that I couldn't see through them, and produce a _minimum_ of 60-70 lbs of tomatoes each. I had at _least_ 1,000 cherry tomatoes on one plant that got at least 12' tall. I was lucky: the soil stunk like cow crap when digging in it plus I composted and added organic fertilizer besides. Earthworms had to be in the hundreds, if not thousands. One year I picked 11 watermelons from 3 plants. Another year I picked 40 full-sized eggplants from _one_ plant that got about 5' high. It was the Shangri-la of gardens back then..... Very Best Regards, Tom Scott Author ● Speaker ● World's Leading Expert on the Corrupt U.S. Legal System _Our American Injustice System_ _Stack the Legal Odds in Your Favor_

[@michellebohn2434]

I have again started to plant some veges. Years ago we had a big garden and it was alot of work for all of us. My dad grew up basically on a farm and was a wealth of good information. He has passed away and I'm trying to remember how we grew our plants, etc. Just started watching your videos to gain knowledge on planting vegetables. I'm going to binge watch your videos. Thank you! I needed help with fertilizing these plants.

[@Mr51Caveman]

Westminster SC here. This year I'm trying something different and the results so far are amazing compared to previous years. I dug my holes in raised containers, put a couple Sardines in and planted the plants deeper than usual. No hilling. And as of today I have Tomatoes galore! I've used the same type raised beds for years and adding the fish and putting the plants in deeper is the only difference I can think of.

[@gsmith6026]

Do you have problems with cats digging in your garden to eat those sardines?

[@Mr51Caveman]

@@gsmith6026 Haha. No. Not so far. But we live in an area where we rarely, rarely see a cat. Plus having 2 dogs helps.

[@polywog9591]

Sardines in a tin can? Packed in water?

[@Mr51Caveman]

@@polywog9591 yep.

[@thinkpositive550]

I remember as a kid my dad used fish heads (worked in with the soil) for fertilizer; worked great.

[@johnmarrone8766]

Thanks for the good advice. I am 72 and knew nothing about growing. I am getting better at it thanks to help from good people like you.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Happy Gardening, friend! Glad we can help!

[@Well_I_am_just_saying]

@@gardeningwithhoss Do you prune the suckers on your indeterminate tomato plants?

[@suehamblin9652]

It’s good that you spelled out the word “hill.” I was asking myself, “Heel? What does it mean to heel a tomato plant?” ☺️

[@dong9514]

Right? I thought it was Heal.

[@suehamblin9652]

@@dong9514 😊

[@jenniferlonnes7420]

@@dong9514 I heard "heal" too. Yes, thankfully he spelled out the word "hill".

[@MrKevinStraub]

I thought at first it was "heal" the tomatoes. I was thinking, "From what?"

[@suehamblin9652]

@@MrKevinStraub 😂

[@FarmerC.J.]

I’ve always planted mine deeper, prune the lower foliage and keep on top of pruning the suckers. Last year I used the tying method from above the plant.....that tying method was fabulous! Your garden looks fabulous!

[@gardeningwithhoss]

That's awesome!

[@carolynheidel5646]

I'm an old farmer wife w my late husband an yes we always hilled our tomato plants..at least I did most of the work .he was always busy w his cows feeding hay.. ext..but I always loved working it regardless...an of course I'm ole school..I look forward to some good updated ways..but you really can't beat the old ways!!..

[@jillclark1744]

I have always planted my tomatoes real deep with a can of sardines at the bottom and I will continue to do that but I will also hill them this year and I won't prune the lower leaves like I have in the past. I really enjoy the videos I watch from Hoss, I always learn something and I am 71 and have been gardening since I was a child. I'm just starting my seeds now but come the end of the season I will let you know how my tomatoes did. Thanks for the info.

[@jillywells1232]

Can I ask you Jill why sardines? Thank you in advance!♥️♥️♥️

[@stevemcclure4895]

Jill, do you add any additional fertilizer other than the sardines

[@jillclark1744]

I use one can of water packed sardines per plant .

[@markblix6880]

Instead of buying sardines, I catch bluegills and put them in the hole.

[@BirkirAkureyri]

@@stevemcclure4895 get Alaska fish emulsion , about $10 quart at the big box stores or Walmart. A LOT cheaper than sardines

[@berlyn1187]

The sound of the martins in the background is making me very nostalgic for summer right now.

[@billhendrickson5506]

For those of you who have not done this I highly recommend manually pollenating your plants. Real easy, just wait for the flowers to show and give them a little shake. Tomato plant flowers are male and female.

[@beckystone7994]

I plant my tomatoes on their sides and about 4 “ deep leaving the top 2-3 “ of the plants exposed , this allows the plant to grow extra roots front the start to absorb mor nutrients from the ground and more water to help the plant establish its self faster !! Works great every year for me and I’ve been doing it for years ! And do not pull off the foliage that us going in the ground it will decompose and help feed the plant! Good luck with your tomatoes ! 🙏✝️🙋🏻

[@brandonbell5357]

Nah

[@melissasullivan1658]

Yup, I did an expirement this year when up potting my tomato starts into solo cups from their seedling trays. Half of them I buried the leaves as is and half I snipped the lower leaves off. Every single one that had snipped leaves took over a month to bounce back from it. Having that open wound in the dirt is no bueno. That said, I did another experiment with my larger transplants. I snipped lower leaves, left them outside in the hot sun for a day (aired/closed the wound) and then buried the stem and they just kept on growing without a hitch. So, snipping and burying is fine - just give it some warm sun to close the wound first and they’re right as rain. :)

[@melissasullivan1658]

Ps. They’re massive and healthy now. There was absolutely no detriment to the plant - disease or pests. Aphids love the younger ones but the larger ones are now too strong to mess with. 😈

[@KathyW5]

Thanks for tip. I have always clipped just when transplanting. Never thought to let the wound scab over a bit first.

[@eveny119]

Ill try that too, makes sense.

[@nickjurmann8266]

I plant my tomatoe plants really deep n don't worry about hilling. Been doing this for 17 yrs. I live in southwest mo. N it works very well for me.

[@reginajohnson2218]

I have a very small garden but I always hill mine up. I grew up on a farm and that’s the way my parents always did their gardens

[@AdventuresBeginHere409]

Real good advice I think hilling is the way to Grow.

[@mjk6814]

If your started tomatoes are spindly or weak stems. Lay them on their sides when you transplant them. Just leave some of the top leaves sticking out. They will root along the stem you cover. Works great.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Have seen that as well! A great solution if you have leggy seedlings.

[@nadinesawtell3267]

Make sure to strip the leaves off up to ground level. I usually just buy, my sets the extra roots give you a stronger plant with a thicker stock make sure to leave 4-5 leaves above the soil (set back is ) 2wks

[@lauramaeputnam4803]

I did that and now my one tomatoes plant is overflowing from the wheelbarrow with lots of fruit. The plant is shaken daily lots of blossom. I have been using miracle grow

[@margarettewest254]

@@lauramaeputnam4803 be sure to watch the NPK...N= nitrogen and is mainly for leaf growth....

[@sseptember6301]

Yes because tomatoes are natural ground covers and climbers.

[@SueBMiller60]

My dad would have loved your hilling plow. He was a master of invention and I can picture him creating such a contraption as he was sitting on his garden bench of blocks and boards.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

It's quite the handy tool!

[@teresacahlik6887]

I do hill mine. That high arch was a neat piece of gardening.

[@desertodavid]

But how do you heal them maters??🤷‍♂️

[@rosemarieszalich7282]

Pp

[@jenniferbailey6409]

We call that process "moulding" or "mulching" depending on what is used. When extra stuff is added which is expected to disintegrate over time and become part of the soil like small flowers, we apply them by hand... With moulding we add soil or fertilised stuff to the base of the plant.

[@DeptOFpeople]

@@desertodavid morning lpp

[@lianereid2933]

Yass . Your past experiences are helping the newbies a lot. Trial and error thanks for sharing and anxious to get started

[@chocalatekid8024]

You had me at " let's go heal those plants!"

[@mikewilcox9348]

The tomato hornworms have been doing my pruning for me.

[@maxi20041]

I plant a few slices of large beefsteak tomatoes in a large flower pot in my patio and it did very well, plenty of tomatoes. I used miracle grow and watered them often

[@rga0815]

I did this 1st time 2022 with vine tomatoes slices, looking good so far!!!

[@ronaldclemons5520]

I agree with the way you have done. Planting deep, fertilizing them with triple 15. Then pulling dirt around them help tomatoes plants grow big and strong. I have done both in removing and not removing suckers. Blessings

[@Hope4U61]

My father and I always put 2liter bottles cut both ends off. Put around tomato plants and hill soil around bottle. Keeps rabbits and birds out and a sturdy wall to grow straight.

[@faithrada]

OHhhh ... HILLING... got it! Takes a minute up here in New England. ; ) Man that Georgia soil looks beautiful. Our rocks are pretty too.. in their own way. Appreciate all the grow tips. 🙏

[@gocanes2]

I have found with trimming the bottom branches on mater plants up about 12-16" encourages growth at the tops, its worked really well for me for about 5 yrs now

[@MommaLousKitchen]

I know if you live where it's swampishy, your supposed to give them a good 6+" of no leaves at the bottom to avoid mildew and ect. Definitely doing it this year. I'm in lower Alabama, definitely swampy

[@ginawarren9885]

Enjoyed your video. My dad hilled his tomatoes every year. He used a push plow and threw the fertilizer down before he started to hill.

[@sylviahousner4711]

Saves me time to just plant deep. Roots all grow along the entire stem and plant shoots up from the strong, deep base. Also, blossom end rot is more due to lack of water to access the calcium in the soil. Most soil has enough calcium but inconsistent watering won’t allow access to it.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Water is key

[@jeannes4153]

it's excessive water (over watering and excessive rainfall) washing the calcium out of the soil. Remedy is if you know you have an excessive rainy season then plant each tomato plant with a calcium tablet. It's harder for the calcium to leech away into the water and when the tablet is right near the roots they can access it easier. It works 99.9% of the time. Once every few years I get a black spot tomato so I add more tablets to their soil. Before I discovered the calcium tablets I always got black spot because we have an excessively wet spring...always. Super excessive rainfall can even wash a tablet away. While dolomite is an excellent source of calcium in powder form it washes away too easily. Lots of soils have all the nutrients one needs to grow anything, but some plants require more of a specific nutrient than others. It's always good to research a plants likes and dislikes and do soil testing. I just started getting into soil testing. All my neighbors said the soils where we all live simply is too poor to grow anything. It's rocky and hard packed clay. I have been amending with organics and nutrients to build it up. And I am growing anything I want to grow lately. Except roses, they all seem to die (I think it is grub worms- my next learning project). Everything else is super healthy, and I've been giving away my excess produce to my neighbors and friends etc. BTW if anyone tries to convince you that black spot on peppers is also from calcium, ignore them. Its actually from a fungus and it is already in the seeds before they ever germinated. The remedy is to buy from a reputable seed or plant seller and if you ever get black spotted peppers don't buy that sellers seeds (or transplants)again. It's unlikely you'll get many if any to mature eating size. Clear out all pepper plants and remove them from the garden area. Don't compost them or even burn them but them trash them far, far away. To stop tomatoes from becoming tall and spindly I gently brush my seedlings with my fingertips, and I'll even do that after they are outside. The thicker the stem the healthier the tomato crop. Never buy tomato transplants from a person (the handler) who smokes. Tobacco mosaic virus transfers off of their smoke laden hands and infects tomato plants...not good. It cause nasty leaves. The plants perform photosynthesis through their leaves which stores energy in the plant itself and that stored energy goes into blossoming and tomato growth. Yuck brown leaves aren't doing anything healthy for the plant. One infected the branches can be cut off to help slow down the progression of the disease. I'd rather buy all my seeds from the same sellers year after year and grow all my own healthy transplants where I know what's been put on them and what they have been exposed to. BTW planting too deep causes the bottom roots to die off and the plant in a desperate bid to stay alive will grow a second set of roots which robs energy which should have been going into blossoms and tomato production instead. I plant at an angle and the tops will actually grow straight after a few days. This doesn't get them too deep and they will root all along the way. Planting up to the first set of true leaves (which I pinch off)is always the most productive. There are little fuzzies which sort of marks where extra roots are capable of growing, it's wise to plant no deeper than that because the plant is wasting too much energy on extra root development it really doesn't need to grow a decent tomato. If you want extra tomatoes... pinch off a decent sized side shoot suck and place it in a glass of water changing the water every day to prevent bacteria buildup. Once this develops decent roots plant it. You got a freeby! I grow some expensive tomatoes for the size and taste which we just love for thick sliced bread sized tomato slices that are the best BLT's a tomato lover could ask for. What are my expensive tomatoes? Big Zac. and I got one which was almost 5 pounds about 5 years ago. I don't buy them from just anyone. Big Zac is the offspring of two tomatoes crossbred specifically to make this tomato; one can not get the seeds from a Big Zac and expect another Bic Zac plant even though the parents of a Big Zac are both heirloom plants. The there has to be a controlled pollination of the two parent plants (no third parties allowed) to get big zac seeds. Not every seller knows this and the results are bad for the purchasers! I have to make my own tomato cages to support the weight of my Bic Zacs because the tomatoes are that big. My second choice of tomatoes is Mortgage lifter which gets just as spoiled as the Big Zacs do, and while not as big as the Big Zacs they are certainly a big tomato to recon with too!

[@bridget3694]

Put a couple Tums in the hole before planting with some fish 😉 great harvest, beautiful big plants with no disease.

[@latainekey7884]

Yes I learned from my granddaddy years ago to heal our tomatoes plants

[@oldmillrd8153]

Plant them deep on their sides with just the top leaves showing. Great root production this way. As they grow I trim the side non fruit bearing branches so more air gets in and around the fruit. I grow them in 4 ft tall field fence cages. This works great here in the Northwest.

[@RogerRamjetLips]

you mean bury the whole seedling on it's side except for a couple for the top leaves? Doesn't this just rot the plant into compost?

[@Andriig75]

@@RogerRamjetLips no, the stem grows more roots, so it's more effective at getting more nutrients from soil

[@paulinechapman5669]

Yea brother..we grow ours like you do..great minds..🇨🇦

[@toniaowens4865]

We are just backyard vegetable growers and have always planted our tomatoes very deeply. However I will use your advice on the fertilizing suggestions. Thank you. Rather envious of all your tomatoes.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

👍

[@twobeards6714]

Tomato plants are super easy to propagate by cloning cuttings. Last year I started six varieties, one plant of each and started them a month earlier than normal. I cloned them at thirty days and took six cuttings from each and didn't have a single failure. Edit. I do remove a couple of bottom leaves and plant the stem down in.

[@BillLowenburg]

Thanks, fine video...I plant mine pretty deep to begin with but I'm going to try hilling this season and also some calcium nitrate. Hope everyone's garden grows great this year!

[@susiel.2832]

I've been hilling my plants for years and they develop such a good strong root system which is especially good when the rain is sparse. Also, when I set them out, I leave only the top four leaves of the transplant so the majority of the stem is buried in the ground to help promote root growth. Thank you, very interesting.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Thanks for sharing

[@media333]

Do you plant them sideways? So many suggest to do so, but I'm still wondering what is best.

[@susiel.2832]

@@media333 Cathy, it all depends on if the plants are long stemmed. I try to plant them deep as I hill the plants up and I have learned if they are too sideways, I have chopped some off. Live and learn, I guess. I love these sites as they teach me how to avoid or get rid of cutworms, bugs, and blight. Thank you for asking.

[@ezyjack826]

one thing I like about hilling is it creates a nice trough for water. since it's a few inches from the plant it makes the roots spread out and makes a stronger plant. ty

[@nonnalovepriceless]

I love the singing birds My dad use to heal tomato plants 🪴 we had loads

[@Yin-Yang-444]

Interesting method. ❤️Love, 🌞Light, ☮️Peace🌳 & 🌈Gratitude🦋. “Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited to all we now know and understand, while imagination embraces the entire world, and all there ever will be to know and understand.” ― Albert Einstein

[@ryerob741]

sounds like red wing blackbirds in the back ground!

[@DaveReiminger]

Enjoying your shows sir. I start off growing my plants to 10-12” tall and trench them in after cutting all the leaves off except the three top ones. Leaving only a four inch visible plant. I mulch around each so the rain doesn’t splash spores up onto the leaves. Cutting down diseases on leaves. After 12” more growth I cut off the bottom six or seven inches of leaf stems again. Then tie them to a cattle panel raised up 12” off of the ground. Thanks for your advice!

[@truthseeker3977]

Hey Travis, great information as always. We always enjoy you and Greg's lighthearted ribbing and challenge contests to each other to growing a better garden. Yes, I do hill everything with the the high hill plow. Tomatoes get the first hill just like you did it in the video. Also, later throughout the growing season, (after staking/trellising) I place one hiller to sidedress and throw dirt to the plants one side at a time every chance I get. This is highly beneficial, like you mentioned, after heavy rains because it helps aerate the soil, and helps in controlling weeds. The plants respond very positively. I don't think I would sell this plow back to you for even twice what I paid. It is the most outstanding tool I have ever had for my garden, fun to use, and highly versatile. I understand those of us who own and use the system realize these benefits by now. But this tool always amazes me everytime I use it. Thumbs up!

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Glad you're enjoying the High Arch! All the best!

[@caroltownsend2722]

Enjoyed the vidio on tomatoes. I am a small timer and every year differant. Last year didnt do to good It got to hot and stayed ti hot to long. Had my plants in 5 gallon buckets and the roots didnt grow much cause of heat and water. This year I have them in 2 gallon pots and looks pretty good ex cept the winds has Been hard on then. GOOD LUCK EVERYONE--- HAVE FUN

[@tonymyers5823]

Thank you for this video. This reminded me of my grandparents lessons.

[@dalehursey2377]

I plant my tomatoes on a heel. We add cow manure compost and fertilizer in a row then heel it up with my garden bedder. Plant tomatoes on top of the heels for them nasty spring showers we have here in NC. Thanks for your information and love your videos. We are trying some of your chosen tomato seed this year and going to see how they go.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Sounds great!

[@carolparrish194]

I have been gardening on the small scale for many years and I am still learning. Thanks for the tips and may you grow a bounty of tomatoes !

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Always good to see you here Carol!

[@sueg.9783]

I like to hill all vegetables. Works well even when it's time for fertilizing. Like that high arch wheel hoe. Will be looking for one. Thanks for your videos. Have learned a great deal.

[@davidjudd951]

My retired neighbor showed me the hilling method, and his yields were phenomenal. All organic with no pesticides also. Combined maximum deep planting with hilling was his method. The first year I tried his hilling method, I didn't know about the deep planting. That year, my plants had a lot of the roots established in the hills, up above the ground, and therefore being slammed all day with the near 100 degree daily temps here in Missouri, they produced ok, but I had to water heavily to help keep the above ground hills hydrated and from baking like a cake in an oven in the hot sun. Mulching helped, but still they were hot. Next year, I did his deep planting, combined hill building as they grew. But I used home made compost for the hilling. The tomatoes came on hard and heavy. I literally ran out of people to give them away to, after we had plenty for sauces and canning. And that was only 30 plants.

[@deniseview4253]

I plant my tomatoes root stem facing north. Making sure enough stem is in the ground, bury the plant making sure it’s straight and then Pat the dirt around the plant. I like that hilling tool.

[@mr.d.4175]

Bury them sideways with about a third sticking up. Works the best as roots start along the buried stem. Thanks to my wife.

[@auntiehawmie]

I plant mine in trenches. I hill them when 6 inches. I lay the plant down. I get roots all up the stem. I dont prune outdoors either. Love Your Hiller!

[@annashonestreviews4122]

I dont hill my tomatoes, but I do like to plant them at an angle. This helps develop a larger root system

[@marthalucas1221]

Great video. Thanks. We have always planted in deep holes with some bone meal in bottom, taking off lower leaves and watering in. Good growing to you. Your property is beautiful.🙏👍👏👏👏

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Thanks Martha!

[@djokicmetamora]

I planted mine very deep for a few seasons ( 9-10 inches) and one thing I noticed is they stalled growing for a week or more. Then at the end of the season I dug out the roots carefully to see their condition. I was surprised to see that the original roots on the plant never started to spread but that a new root system started to grow just below the soil level. I grow heirloom indeterminates here in the thumb of Michigan.

[@djokicmetamora]

@Ognjen Mali I don’t know, I have been in the US most of my life.

[@djokicmetamora]

@Ognjen Mali Where are you? My family is in Čačak.

[@bluddyrowdy8757]

Any 'suckers ' pulled off, put them in a jug ofwater for at Least 1 week ( more ! ) prior to replanting, Roots will sprout under-the-water Level, ( some, not all, select the strongest ones afterwards ) Don have to get all the roots under the Soil when re-potting, but the more the Merrier Good Luck !

[@ahavarichardson5426]

When I was a kid in immmoccalee, Florida we owned a road side produce standin in Faulkenburg, Florida! The fields of tomatoes all are Hilled!! I have been hilling mine since!

[@raymondyocum7727]

I finally learned to prune the lower tomato leaves to keep them away from the ground!

[@jackiekitchennowordsneeded587]

I do heel my tomatoes. I do it the way my granddaddy taught me. I like the old timers way of doing it. Thanks for sharing. Blessings!

[@marianazinsou7539]

This is it!!! this is a very very old method, I saw it at my grandparents! I didn't know why they were built up the soil around the plants. Thanks to you I understand the importance now!! From time to time I was using it, but then I was changing with planting them more deeply into the ground( for stronger stability of the plant) So anyway I believe the most important thing is that we are doing it!!! 🙇

[@dorismann702]

I'm in complete agreement

[@suziperret468]

Great ideas...Hilling makes sense for tomatoes 🍅!Thanks!

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Our pleasure!

[@UrbanGardeningWithD.A.Hanks14]

For in-ground gardens, I would think that this is a great idea! In raised beds like I have, I just plant both deep and sideways, for maximum root growth. I also start my seeds around Christmas, and winter over cuttings, so I have very large plants that I can do that with. Here's something new I'm trying this year that perhaps you might try as well: I'm putting a clump of kitty litter at the base of each plant. Cat urine in rich in phosphorus, which is why it glows under a UV light, and litter is clay; additional minerals. 🤓

[@childofgod3675]

What do you mean by plant sideways?

[@UrbanGardeningWithD.A.Hanks14]

@@childofgod3675 I literally lay them on their sides to get more roots into the ground. For example, I have one Everglades that is close to five feet tall already (rooted Halloween cutting), so I will not only plant that one deep, but it's so long that I can spiral it a bit as well. If you plan on planting sideways, lay it down a week or so before planting, and put a block or something where you want it to start pointing upwards.

[@cynthiakeller5954]

@@UrbanGardeningWithD.A.Hanks14 Do you plant all that sideways stalk in the ground? First time gardener here, tia.

[@UrbanGardeningWithD.A.Hanks14]

@@cynthiakeller5954 Hi Tia. Very good question, and yes. I plant as deep as I can, but instead of planting vertically, I make a trench so that I can get all of that stem sideways as well. I typically end up with at least 24" of stem in deep soil. Take your time as you bend the stalk upwards. Try not to break it, but if it snaps but doesn't break off, it will still be okay. At first, it will look like you have tiny little plants, but in a couple of months, you will have so many suckers and shoots that you won't know what to do, other than get them staked up. I know there are people who say to trim, but I accommodate everything. I don't want to hijack this thread, so feel free to use my email if you have more questions.

[@cynthiakeller5954]

@@UrbanGardeningWithD.A.Hanks14 Thanks for your help. Love you channel!

[@junbug9435]

I did hill my plants with dirt. It helps the plants become more healthier Great video! I enjoyed it.

[@angelab4542]

As the tomatoes grow and send the yellow flowers, this is the time to pinch out the new growth at the top to help the growth going down the stem. The leaves do help to protect the fruits from the sun.

[@lincolnsaint5082]

Was taught to always"pull"the dirt to your young plants,all of them.I have found through trial and error that it is a good practice it makes the main stalk stronger.It has always worked for me.

[@lilolmecj]

If you are growing your own starts in a grow room, keep an oscillating fan on them, it makes them stronger. Their little stems get tiny tears and heal them.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

yes, it does make it stronger.

[@hercule1610]

I love hearing all the birds in the background! You must have a nice ecosystem down there.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

We have a mulberry tree and several fig trees that they like to feed upon.

[@Spacecowboy1969]

I learned a simple trick years ago I'm going to share. When I plant my tomatoes I bury a milk jug with holes punched in the bottom in the same hole of course with the opening about an inch above the ground. When I water them through the jug the water goes straight to the roots. Add a little Miracle Grow and boom bumper crop.

[@beebob1279]

It’s not hard growing tomatoes I live. This is just one way to do it. Glad to see you’re working to improve your crop

[@657449]

Great video. I use small raised beds and five gallon pails. Once the tomatoes in the pails get tall, I plan to fill the pails with a few inches of compost. My version of hilling. NJ zone 7a.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Sounds great!

[@barbpayne3081]

Yes, we always add garden soil & manure to the base of the plants and we fertilize as needed. It really works well.

[@afriendtoo6971]

I'm adding a few sardines...Cheap cans from Walmart. The Indians used a fish but I can't source them.

[@bleikrsound6127]

Growing up in SW GA, we had an abundance of ‘burlap’ bags used to temporarily transport peanuts. Place several layers of these around your tomato plants as far out as you can. After an abundant harvest, pulling the plants up will show that the massively long roots have stayed near the surface, using the now composting burlap as an anchor. We actually had one trail to the plants during harvest, so we wouldn’t damage the roots by stepping on them.

[@mr.t3745]

My grandmother taught me to pull the bottom leaves before planting then set them deep enough for roots to come from tbe removed leaves.

[@oldmanfred8676]

Your grandma was correct. After you pinch the lower leaves off dig a shallow trench, not a hole 🕳 and lay the plant in the trench. All those tiny white hairs on the stem are potential roots earning to grow. A Tomato plant gets most of its nutrients from the first 1 and 1/2 inches of the soil. You will see if you plant your Tomatoes 🍅 in a 🕳, when you pull them up this fall all the roots will be near the top of the ground and down toward the “popsicle” there will be no roots.

[@frankdavidson9675]

those bottom limbs you take off can be planted ponch a hole put about half way down keep it damp it will root and you a free plant dont have to buy so many

[@AFineLineA]

@@oldmanfred8676 Thank You!

[@AFineLineA]

@@frankdavidson9675 Thank You!

[@maryloujohnson8610]

@@oldmanfred8676 This how to get a strong plant that will produce MANY MANY TOMATOES...AS YOU SAID, dig a long trench, pull the bottom leaves leaving only the very tops, and lay the plant down sideways in the trench. WATER WITH EGGSHELL WATER AND WATCH THEM THRIVE.

[@angiecarter7628]

I always plant my tomatoes as deep as I can to get a good strong root system and later on I do hill them! Really makes a difference! Good luck!

[@gardeningwithhoss]

👍

[@mariabudram4538]

@@gardeningwithhoss don't want your advertisement

[@albertbassett2298]

Yes, let gravity do the hilling.lol

[@maggsbufton1969]

Listen to all those birds! Lots of starlings hanging about ..

[@TejasToolMan]

they bring weeds too lol

[@piahess9738]

Hello,just learned lot's of good information.Thank you and your tomatoes are going to rocknroll this year.Your Dad's got some competition now I think.Be well you all.Love,Pia&Family in California.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Thank you! You too!

[@uncleboss100]

I always plant my tomatoes side ways in a trench. I dig it down 6 to 8 inches and lay it on the side. I keep only the very top leaves out of the ground. They grow well and don't have that knot above the root ball to bother with. Roots form all along the stem thats was buried in the trench.

[@asquithmainlines699]

I have been doing this myself for years also. Sprinkle some Epson Salts around the plant to prevent blossom rot and you are set.

[@ritacarver5852]

We learned to use Tums for calcium. Beautiful plants every year.

[@brucesmith6868]

I normally just put my hand on one of the big potato leafs and say you are healed . Ha ha

[@MarkWYoung-ky4uc]

I definitely do. The last time I plow mine, I put the listing disks on a roll as much dirt up around them as I can.

[@fionag8869]

Alaska brand fish fertilizer is amazing!! I had one plant that was almost dead and i used fish emulsion and it sprung right back and is doing great

[@edmcwv]

I have never seen anyone hill a tomato plant before. I’ll try this.

[@cavemanjon6952]

I plant them deep and train the first two laterals / suckers sideways then add soil to cover them, you basically get 3 plants with a large root base. I also clone other laterals (nondeterminate tormatos), they grow faster than the mother plant, which gives me a rolling harvest.

[@jakesyaseen8494]

Never heard of the word hilli before . Now we know great to learn. Thanks 😊👍

[@ElimanGibba]

Thank you for the #education. I was doing it all wrong & gardening happens to be my passion. I am rooting for you & will subscribe to learn more from you.

[@blackbones15]

Makes sense to him up around the tomatoes, I've heard they are part of the potato family so hilling or mounding make perfect sense, plus all those tomato hairs turn into roots for greater stability in the wind. Thanks 😊!

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Yes, they are in the nightshade family along with potatoes, peppers and eggplant.

[@frasersgirl4383]

Wow! That birdsong is amazing!!!

[@GirlMomma]

We all "heal" our veggie crops down here in Tennessee too!!😂 I understand the accent perfectly!😉😆💜

[@organicinohio5398]

I got it too!

[@GirlMomma]

@@organicinohio5398 😆

[@carolcole570]

Mrs. B. GOT IT, TOO ! From Georgia. ❤️

[@GirlMomma]

@@carolcole570 😅

[@GirlMomma]

@@carolcole570 hello my georgia neighbor!!

[@cliffordmorgan262]

Look like it's a great idea love it keep learning.

[@jackbrammer9418]

I plant my tomatoes sideways in the soil. I get all those little roots growing and the top of the plants reach to the sun. Haha i love it

[@lilolmecj]

I am astonished! I have never n so many tomato plants!! I don’t have the room for a garden of that size. I have 7 tomato plants and a handful of volunteers that I am not sure where to put.

[@richardvardamansr1925]

I use a hiller for my tractor and hill all my plants including tomatoes. I also plant seed on hills. Been planting on hills for several years.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Sounds great!

[@flasheaux]

Enjoyed your video. I've been planting mostly heirloom tomatoes in my back yard garden in Toronto for over 20 years and have my hills formed before transferring the plants from my greenhouse. I usually have room for about 15 plants, set deep into each mound and the troughs between are routinely fill up during watering so the roots spread out chasing the moisture. Miracle-Gro has been used routinely and we've had great crops over the years. Always enjoy harvesting the green tomatoes at the end of the season and making my wife's French Canadian green relish. Good luck with your crops.

[@cjwalker3846]

I makes my own compost. Vegetable peels, egg shells, coffee grinds, banana peels and leaves. Works well.

[@peteeichert1478]

I heal my tomatoes always have I’ve been watching you for a long time and you garden just like I do 64 years old and still guarding been anyway I just thought I’d give my two cents makes very good sense what you’re doing

[@dannydenham8141]

Nice tomato patch, I’m looking at around 200 plants myself, 5 kinds. I have wire tubes made out of concrete reinforcement wire.

[@georgeredford9856]

I use the same thing. I stake my cages with a 5ft. piece of rebar..

[@redlinecatlaroy4468]

My wife and I are rookies so, thanks for the help..

[@nanette7fl]

I have always hilled my plants to give my plants plenty of room to make roots. Here in Florida it's just so important to keep all plants especially corn and nightshade plats we'll watered and hilling helps keep them moist longer.

[@yedidyah-jedshlomoh1533]

Thanks, Uncle Perlis.

[@islanddave8606]

I participated ina Tomato study with the University of Tn research station in Crossville Tn. We realized we made a mistake by planting different varieties in the same rows. We were studying 5 different types of compost. Black plastic, straw, nothing, and a couple others. Because each variety had different requirements, we didn't have a lot of success. Also be careful not to put too much Nitrogen, lots of beautiful but not as much fruit.

[@sueeason275]

I’ growing in bags this year ..keeping my fingers crossed ..

[@dovey6259]

They need nitrogen in the beginning, but less as the flowers start to form. Then they need phosphorus and potash more.

[@mattwaters6987]

I like the hilling idea. Gonna try that. Thx!

[@markymark8665]

I plant a couple plants up against the south side of my suburban home in the flower bed for lack of a better spot. Have had poor results the past couple of years. Appeared to be a blight but was told that herbicide in the pine straw that was installed there as mulch could be the issue. This year I installed a small raised bed and was sure there’s no pine straw nearby. Will see if I get better results. Usually add some granular fertilizer at planting and then MiracleGro liquid for tomatoes on the end of their hose end attachment when watering.

[@conniecasale3593]

Hi. Good to see you. Your tomatoes. Are great. We had been doing longer then you. In time. You’ll be number one ☝️ 😎🤗🙏🤪

[@ThirdCoastGardening]

I’m growing 13 tomato plants this year. I might plant a couple more. Hoping my fruit looks and taste good this year.

[@gardeningwithhoss]

👍

[@gkarenstratton]

Grateful for the spelling out of "hill" ... I was googling 'heeling' and 'healing' tomatoes n coming empty! (But I LOVE the Southern drawl!)

[@gardeningwithhoss]

Thanks for joining us