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Chapel Hill, NC

Due to some grower error, a couple of my seedlings got leggy. Could I hypothetically, theoretically just bury the stem? Will this cause rot?

4/27/2023 7:39:18 PM

Torrance, Ca.

I've had this happen before ( mostly when experimenting during the winter months ), put a little RootBoost or Clonex brushed on the long stem, placed it into a new pot and buried it all the way to the cots.
Roots will shoot out all up and down on that long stem.

This will not cause rot.

4/27/2023 9:08:02 PM

Chapel Hill, NC

Would the rootboost and clonex be necessary? I do not have these items on hand, and it is sort of an emergency.

4/27/2023 9:39:02 PM

Chapel Hill, NC

Also, would this work with pumpkins, or only tomatoes?

4/27/2023 10:05:53 PM

Colorado

You don't need Clonex for tomatoes. Tomatoes are built to root from the stem when buried.

4/27/2023 11:03:26 PM

Colorado

Yes right up to the cots. That tissue will root some even with no clonex(on pumpkin plants).You can always water in the clonex you got on amazon a day later .

4/28/2023 1:39:02 AM

Grittyville, WA

It might be good to mound the soil up rather than dig the plant downward.

4/28/2023 10:35:48 AM

Syracuse, NY

Another option is to plant it as though it had fallen over in the hole, placing hopefully weed block fabric such as WeedBlock under all of the lengthy stem before perhaps covering it up to the cots to keep slugs and whatnot from being too much of a problem and depending, as such, on how 'leggy' it is (I've seen many that were 'not really' that were considered to be so) the plant can be planted at merely a 45-or-lesser degree angle in the direction of intended growth. Sit on your couch, flop one way or the other to take a nap and you have my suggestion.
Speaking of which...eg

4/28/2023 1:41:11 PM

Ontario

Unless it's about to snap itself, just calm down and wait. Burying shouldn't be necessary

4/28/2023 4:13:09 PM

Chapel Hill, NC

Thanks for all the helpful information! Also, if I bury it will there be any more complications as the season goes on?

4/28/2023 6:27:29 PM

Kutztown, PA

I've never planted a leggy pumpkin but I've planted a couple that gave me a tuff time laying down. I'm wondering if a little bit of extra stem is a bad thing. Seems the main would lay down a little better if you plant it on a 45 degree angle.
Don't know.

5/1/2023 8:50:44 AM

Grittyville, WA

The main benefit I can see is for a leggy plant it might not roll in the wind so much, other than that I wouldnt bury it. As far as roots go, the node roots down the vine will be more important. I'd say save your burying efforts for the nodes farther down the vine, as they wont compete as directly with the main roots.

5/1/2023 10:15:50 PM

Lodi, California

I've done this, the stem started to rot. Once the stem breaks the soil, its just built different. Gotta keep it dry.

5/3/2023 11:52:22 AM