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Montgomery, IL

ok might be a stupid question,my seedlings are about 4" tall when i put them in the ground would it help to bury them up to about an inch or will this harm the plant?and should i water them right away? THANKS FOR ANY HELP!!!!!

5/22/2010 1:26:55 AM

El Paso TX.

Best to bury them to just below the cots - the buried part of the stem will then start to grow roots after being buried and it makes for a more stable stem (if you do not bury it then the wind can snap the stem )- before planting them be sure to harden them off for a few days by placing them outside in direct sun for a few hours each day - a bit longer each day so they get used to the full sun - taking them straight from indoors to full sun can kill them (esp. if you are in a very hot location)- and yes you want to water them in when transplanting.

5/22/2010 9:40:40 AM

Pocahontas, Arkansas

rybec... JDFan hit it on the nose. Good advice.

5/22/2010 8:16:27 PM

East Jordan, MI

I concur, the more you get underground on any vine, the more roots it can grow.

5/22/2010 10:10:26 PM

Tinykinville

okay this is where i dont like this board no dont bury up to cots leave an inch or two plant has to tip over and that helps haveing a little extra. burying up to cots leaves very little give. if you disagree with me please tell me monster you grew and email me at jm32812000@sbcglobal.net so i can tell you straight whats up. and by the way best thing to do is plant at 45 degree angle so plant has indication where to go. and rybec please do email me.

5/23/2010 4:28:59 AM

Rhode Island

wow

5/23/2010 5:06:10 AM

East Jordan, MI

Pumkin JAM.
That is what I LIKE about this board. Getting information and advice from different points of view. I haven't grown a monster -- yet -- this is my first year trying, but I have had great success with vegetables that vine, burying them deep to get the most roots for nearly 30 years. In my experience it makes the plant stronger. I buried all 4 of the AGs I'm growing this year to about 1/2 inch below the cots. They all 4 have now lain down (by themselves) and are about 4 feet out and starting side vines, 30 days from filing and soaking the seeds, with absolutely no problems. I agree with the starting at an angle, and I'm absolutely no expert, but I will continue to bury my plants as deep as possible.

5/23/2010 9:34:29 PM

Joliet, IL

bury all the way to the cots. the stump wil still grow after transplanting and add more soil up to the cots. this is for stability and roots. when the plant gets big enough and the second true leaf starts to lean the plant, you can always dig a little away from the stump side to allow the plant to slowly come down without splitting or folding that area. this is what i think works best for me.

5/23/2010 11:18:59 PM

Joliet, IL

Jam, u got mail. lol.

5/23/2010 11:23:09 PM

El Paso TX.

@PJ - If what you say is correct and the vine needs that extra length to lay down properly then explain to me why if you plant a seed directly in the ground outside it will never grow 4" of leggy vine so that it can lay over -- starting them inside under artificial light makes them that way - if they needed the extra length to lay down then nature would have them grow it when planted outdoors - so please don't call another person(s) advice incorrect unless you have some absolute proof that it is in error. There are many methods of transplanting and each person will have a feeling on what works best based on their experiences - I can tell you from personal experience that leaving a seedling a few inches above the surface when first transplanting has a tendency for the wind to lay it down for you and usually not in a good way (unless you like finding the vine snapped at ground level from the first good gust since they tend to snap not bend) - and in this area you want the roots to be as deep and plentiful as you can get them so that they do not dry out in the top few inches of the soil - and as for leaving an inch or two - the plant will grow at least that much or more between the cots and primary leaves after being transplanted before it lays down so I've never found the need to leave it there while transplanting but that extra inch or two can make a real difference in keeping the roots several degrees cooler by being a couple inches deeper in the ground - but as I already mentioned you may feel differently based on your experiences and the area which you live in - Nature has a way of making the plant do what it needs to in order to grow so in the long run either method will most likely work out.

5/24/2010 10:12:50 AM

Montgomery, IL

THANKS,And yes i to like the different points of view,all my plants have been in the ground since friday and doing good.I did move some dirt up around the stem and left about 1 inch sticking up..THANKS AGAIN FOR THE HELP!!!!

5/24/2010 10:14:43 AM

Middle TN

I didnt bury mine up to the COT leaves and when it laid down and started to run it got a horrible up and over bend in the vine :( Maybe it was due to me being a rookie I cant say for sure but personally from now on I'll bury up to the COT's
P.S. my other vine that I DID bury up the the COT laid down and ran perfectly.

5/24/2010 2:57:50 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

I planted up to the cot's, and did not mound up, in front...and made a crucial mistake of not supporting underneath when it laid down, my early plant...small lenghtwize split (has been treated w/ captan & seems to have healed over, with lil Ill effect). Approx 8' lenght now, and put on approx 8" in the last 24 hrs. Secondaries startin to run like crazy...sorta think it might be a SLUNGER!!! Seems to like the warmer weather, and a lil water every day!!! Peace, Wayne

5/24/2010 10:57:33 PM

Deer Park WA

We plant ours level with the top of the pot they were seeded in, but again our seedlings are not "leggy". we then put a plastic ring around the stem to protect from cut worm death and add a bit of soil on the inside of the ring to its top. the cot leaves naturally bend down to the earth and help stabilize the young plant. I like PAPs comment!

5/25/2010 12:12:17 AM

Montgomery, IL

HI,i have heard two people refer to CAPTAN ?? what is this and where can i find it THANKS

5/25/2010 10:19:00 AM

East Jordan, MI

Captan is a fungicide.
http://www.pestproducts.com/captan.htm

Any garden center should have it, very common around here.

5/25/2010 9:09:24 PM

Owensboro, Ky.

rybec, the reason I use Captan, is because of the opening into the vascular are of the main vine, due to the minor split!!! I do not want this small area left open to fungus development. Captan, prevents fungus growth, and also seems to heal (maybe scab over is better description) those open, moist areas running along the vine!!! No pro, just hope it helps!!! I also put some on whenever I prune a vine or a leaf!!! I use Captan dust...in a restaurant style, ketchup dispenser...plastic w/pointed tip on it...just a couple puffs is good!!! I find Captan powder at Wallyworld!! Hope this helps!!! Peace, Wayne

5/25/2010 11:37:59 PM

Tinykinville

well i probably should have waited a moment before posting, i used to plant to cots and had visions of vine i split wide open in my head. kinda touched a nerve and for that i apologize. however this is new growers forum and i will explain benefits of an inch or two versus up to the cots. first of all to help plant go in right direction planting at a 45 in desired direction opposite first true leaf helps plant decide which way to fall. if you plant at 45 with cots touching soil you will have about and inch or two of stem as soon as it stands up unless you added extra dirt over top. i do not advocate having four inches of vine sticking out and in that situation some should be added. but majority should be placed in area where you dont want plant to go. and it should not be just a lump the whole area should be raised to reduce angle when it does decide to fall. Wind protection should be used from day one no matter how you plant if not at some point its gonna get ya and the worst time for wind damage is right when they are ready to come down because they are very top heavy then. the allowance of just an inch or two on stump allow plant two come down a bit earlier. which helps at this stage. the reason they can come down earlier is because cellular structure in stump is mostly one direction as opposed to cots and above where leaves and sidevines start making a knotty type pattern that is less flexible. but keep in mind not too much stem or you get too much flexitbility and not enough support. continued

5/26/2010 1:24:56 AM

Tinykinville

now the advantage of them coming down earlier is less of an arch. if less of an arch is acheived it allows for better contact for main to root and sides as well. stress at any point is bad leading to kinks and as i mentioned splits. Now no method will be full proof but this will aide a difficult time when the plants reach for the sun and gravity start fighting each other. many plants have nice thin flexible vines these, not so much due to breeding, care is needed to land a plant, as shazzy had mentioned sometimes it is necessary to remove some soil to help it down. this may be especially necessary in clay soils because they tend to have less give then a nice loam. becareful if you need to do this, remove cautiously as to not bother roots or damage stump and do not let it fall to fast you can use stakes in an x shape underneath to prevent to much movement at once. its also best to do this when warm so plant is more flexible. no method is perfect so you may still find your dealing with a hard arc that is under pressure after it has come down. in this situation you can add a little soil under landed vine to relieve pressure. now i know plenty of growers bury to cots and have had good luck and will continue too. but if using this method of leaving and inch or two even saves a couple plants it is well worth it.

5/26/2010 1:25:16 AM

Montgomery, IL

P jam and everyone else THANKS FOR ALL THE INFO !!!!!!!!!!

5/26/2010 9:31:51 AM