From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Buffalo, New York

I know everyones soil is different, but starting from the seedling stage, what is the best way to encourage deep roots ? Water less often ?

My 996* last year flagged everyday during the season due to what i think was having a shallow root system so I want to try to get deeper roots this year right from the beginning even though the flagging plant did produce last year during the heat.

5/2/2013 4:06:05 PM

Springfield, VT

The simple way is not to over water early in the plants growth and let the roots develop a system which will seek out water. Cold soil will limit the development for depth until the soil warms. Over watering can produce a plant which flags in the heat.

5/2/2013 4:27:54 PM

Menomonie, WI (mail@gr8pumpkin.net)

Heat from the bottom...

5/2/2013 5:15:45 PM

ShagHarbour n,s canada

use tall pots coffee cans,,ect,, lots of root hormones also is my two tips i can give

5/2/2013 8:26:13 PM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

AG's are naturally shallow-rooted. I don't think there is anything you can do to encourage otherwise. You can encourage MORE roots my using mycor and having enough available phosphorous.

Flagging is a natural defense mechanism utilized by the plant to prevent excess water loss through the foliage during periods of high heat or intense sunlight and I've noticed over the years that some plants tend to flag more readily than others, indicating a lower tolerance to heat and a genetic relationship. Pouring more water to the plant during times of stress doesn't seem to help and, as nighttime approaches, the plant seems to kick into gear. Shading such a plant would seem the logical solution.

5/2/2013 10:47:35 PM

Rhode Island

all good answers. flagging sometimes is more common in some crosses than others as well.great answer truck tech.very true.
before planting a good deep tilling or subsoiling plus tilling helps. (hard pan soils tend to hold back root movement and also prevents oxygen from reaching into the soil.
a sandy type soil that still has good organic matter helps and also not overwatering to often as noted above.

pap

5/3/2013 9:20:13 AM

Western NY

kill your neighbor's tree that keeps stealing all the water from your patch.

5/3/2013 9:37:18 AM

Question. If a plants' tend to seek out nutrients , would having a layer of compost underneath cause the roots to go down looking for the nutrients ?

5/3/2013 12:00:43 PM

Illinois

I don't think you can encourage a root to grow a certain direction unless it's toward heat and water and that probably has alot to do with what condition the soil is in down there. I believe pap's answer is wise. Loosen up the deep soils. Isn't that where the nutrients flow naturally anyway?

5/24/2013 2:20:29 PM

Fresno, CA

misting in the afternoon keeps em from flagging

5/25/2013 1:55:18 AM