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Never Plant Tomatoes Without Following These Tips

By: Author Daniel

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This article is based on a highly practical video from the YouTube channel Slick Garden, known for its no-nonsense gardening advice and hands-on tips.

In this particular video, the host shares step-by-step instructions on how to plant tomato seedlings the right way—from reviving sad-looking roots to using bone meal and wood ash for stronger, more productive plants.

The goal of this article is to break down the key points from the video in plain English, highlight the most useful techniques, and give you a quick-reference guide you can actually remember when you’re out in the garden.

Key Takeaways
Soak the Roots First: Tomato seedlings looking half-dead? Give their roots a soak before planting—bonus points for adding a spoonful of sugar. Yes, like Mary Poppins. It perks them right up.
Plant Deep, Like Really Deep: Bury two-thirds of the plant underground. Tomato stems grow roots like it’s their job (because it is), and more roots mean a sturdier plant.
Secret Weapon: Bone Meal or Wood Ash: Add a spoonful to each planting hole. Bone meal boosts phosphorus for flowering, wood ash adds potassium and calcium. Both help avoid tomato drama like blossom-end rot.
Blossom-End Rot = Calcium Meltdown: That black mushy bottom? It’s not a fungus—it’s a calcium deficiency, often caused by low pH or wonky watering. Amend your soil and stay consistent with watering.
Water Like a Genius: Tomatoes hate wet leaves. Sink a holed plastic bottle or pot next to each plant and water directly into that. Hydration goes to the roots, not the stems. No splashing, no drama.

The Tomato Planting Bible (Okay, Not Really—but Still)

Tomatoes are picky. Forget the whole “stick them in the ground and pray” method. If your seedlings look like they’ve been through an emotional breakup, start by soaking their roots in water. Add a spoonful of sugar to sweet-talk them back to life. Works surprisingly well.

Next, go deep. As in: “dig a hole that looks like you’re planting a tree” deep. Tomato stems sprout roots wherever they touch soil, so bury two-thirds of the plant. More stem in the soil = more roots = less falling over = happier you.

Fertilizing? Don’t go overboard. Just drop a spoonful of bone meal or wood ash in the planting hole.

Bone meal gives you phosphorus for strong roots and better fruit. Wood ash adds potassium and calcium. The latter is key because the number one issue for tomato growers is blossom-end rot—which looks like someone cursed your tomatoes with butt spots. That’s usually a calcium issue, not a disease.

Watering: Where Most People Mess It Up

Tomatoes hate getting their leaves wet. It’s not just preference—it leads to disease. Surface watering also leads to crusty soil, which locks moisture out. The solution? A buried plastic pot with holes. Pour water in the pot, and voilà—it goes straight to the roots where it belongs. It’s not fancy, but it’s clever.

Tomato Wisdom to End on

Tomato plants have their needs, and yes, some of those needs are oddly specific. But once you’ve figured them out—bone meal, deep holes, root sugar baths—you’ll have tomato plants so productive, your neighbors might start “accidentally” dropping by with salad bowls.

Watch the original video from Slick Garden above, take a few notes (or just rewatch while you’re in the garden), and let your tomato-growing season begin with fewer regrets and more marinara.

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