On Mon, 27 Apr 2009 14:39:36 -0700 (PDT), Michael B
wrote:

All right, I've read all the comments, and will tell you this.
If she wants tomatoes, tell her to scrap the planter, and do
it a different way. Came from "Crockett's Victory Garden",
I think.

Take a tomato plant that's about 15" tall, and pull the leaves
off from the root ball up to about 10-12".

Cut a little trench about as wide as 3" diameter, and put the
dirt on the side along the trench, after breaking it up.

Put the plant in the trench, lengthwise. Obviously, take the
little plastic root cup away.

Sprinkle CEMENT DUST on the trench dirt, and the root ball,
then put the dirt back in over the plant.

Mud it in.

Interesting. I've never heard or read about using cement dust.

You can strip 2/3 of the bottom leaves before planting and plant as
you describe. Even just stripping the leaves and plating deeper will
develop a strong root system.

Where the leaves are snipped, add a sprinkle of rooting hormone. The
root will develop faster, be stronger an feed/water the fruit better.