When you bury a tomato very deeply, there is a space on the stem, where no leaves grow; you effectively have two sets of roots.
Ever thought of asking yourself why there is that space?
Roots CAN grow anywhere along the stem on indeterminate tomatoes, & that gap does not occur if they are planted shallower.
On the very deeply planted tomatoes WHY, if extra roots are beneficial, does the tomato plant choose not to grow roots in the space?
Remember, tomatoes have tap roots that can access water & nutrients FIVE FEET DOWN, & the surface roots need to BREATHE OXYGEN as well as drink.
What possible benefit could the tomato plant gain from growing an extra set of surface roots when it already has access to all the nutrients & water in a root system far better designed for the purpose?
The reason that very deeply planted tomatoes grow an extra set of roots, that do not reach all the way down the stem, is that it gains no benefit from those in the gap.
Logically, this means that if you plant them at a shallower depth, where the new roots DO reach the old ones, they are in the depth where there are no new roots grown on the very deeply planted tomatoes, & it thus follows that the old roots are no longer functioning, or merely sharing the same function to the same extent,
I don't need to prove anything to anybody. As an angler I go on 3 day sessions quite a lot so need the plants to look after themselves that's why I have the gutter system, self opening windows and the same mechanism for the door. So watering and air / insects are catered for. I know I get a better quality of tomato the way I do it. Very little splitting due to irregular watering and a very good set per truss. As my tomatoes are grown in buckets they are in a prison so need to be cared for. All roots on all plants take up water and nutrition so the way I see it my plants have an easier life , less chance of stress. I'm just letting every body know how I do it. You could always try it yourself, don't expect 100 % extra fruit from those naturally occurring stem roots though. Which brings to mind why does a tomato plant make those roots even when the stem is just laid on the soil ?
as they would were they buried at just the level you would with ordinary plants.
Certainly, you have every right to do whatever you like with your tomatoes, & I would not stop you if I could, but like I said before, this is a forum with many members, a lot of them relatively inexperienced & they should hear all views, preferably without the aggressive undertones.
If you lay a plant on its side it will produce roots all along the stem, because that's where they will be useful, however, they will take time to adjust, as the taproot will then have to regain its depth.
