From

Location

Message

Date Posted

Rockland

how deep do a.g. roots grow?

4/18/2006 9:38:45 PM

Ctpumpkin@optonline.net

No one really knows. Even in a loose sandy soil, we cannot excavate the finest roots without breaking them off. There is a picture floating around the internet from the '30's or '40's where a grower mapped the entire root system of some cucurbita sp down to a ridiculous depth like 8+ feet.

I've tried to excavate the basal tap root but it usually breaks around 30-36" even in our sandy coastal soils.

4/18/2006 10:10:30 PM

Wood River, IL (kennyw_49@yahoo.com)

Has anybody ever used the watering tube shown in the "how to" section in the article on 4lb big zac tomatoes? I might give it a shot under one of my plants and see what happens.

4/19/2006 6:29:46 AM

Norton, MA

The SENSE I've gotten is that they go down until they can't any more (due to compaction/bedrock/clay, water, heat) but then just go sideways and don't really mind. My experience has been that the main root spreads right out wide, but only 2 inches down like a spider, but my secondary roots go strait down and break at about 2 ft. when I try to get them up. AleX Noel.

4/19/2006 7:53:34 PM

Simi valley, ca

I cant say how far main roots go down but its most likely dependent on soil cond, & In well drained soils if its watered normaly the ground down deep is still to saturated to have roots!! BUT i can say last yr i ripped up roots from far out secondarys that went out 15 ft before they broke off & i wasent trying to be very carfull, so they could have gone 15 more or so >. PS first yr i did make pit 3.5 feet deep & 6x6 !

4/23/2006 12:09:54 AM