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Mill Bay, British Columbia

OK, as a follow up to my earier question regarding the main vine and using myco, I've got a re-occuring issue with roots present when trenching to bury vines.

For instance, while scratching the surface of the soil directly in front of the main vine, in order to create a small drench in which to sprinkle myco and cover the vine, I constantly find roots that have extended out to where I am going to bury.

I have noticed this in previous years, but this year it seems that I have rooting way way out from the plants in areas where I want to pre-dig drenches for the vines to settle in

Is this common and what do other growers do?

6/8/2009 1:44:50 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Good question...sounds like a nice problem to have.
Myself, I trench and bury the vines every 2-3 days or so, depending on how fast they're growing. I realize I'm damaging some roots, but hopefully I'm doing more good than harm in the long run.

6/8/2009 2:39:44 PM

canal winchester ohio

I've always trenched way ahead. Once a secondary shoots off I go ahead & trench the entire length that vine will use.

6/8/2009 2:41:57 PM

Western NY

Don't worry about snapping a few little roots. If you're adding some goodies into the trench anyway, the roots will regrow.

6/8/2009 3:56:01 PM

Farmville, Virginia ([email protected])

Does anyone just cover the vines without trenching?

6/8/2009 4:54:54 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Mark, that was my earlier question and if they did just cover....do you apply myco under the vine before covering.

http://www.bigpumpkins.com/msgboard/ViewThread.asp?b=3&p=302089

6/8/2009 5:52:05 PM

Whidbey Island

Covering the vines without trenching doesn't work as well, IMHO. A little breeze and the dirt just shakes off the vine and leaves the top root buds bare. Down in a trench, that just doesn't happen.
Glen, I suggest you trench well ahead of the vine, before the little roots get there, but a few MIAs are probably not so bad.

6/8/2009 9:08:05 PM

Minnesota([email protected])

Another nice thing about trenching is it puts the leaves down slightly lower. It may make the leaves a little more wind-proof.

6/8/2009 9:27:07 PM

Litchfield N. H. 03052

I have never trenched when burring my vines. I use wind fence and don;t want to have my vines in moist soil.

6/8/2009 10:01:46 PM

Ohio

Glenn, Im with Bill, I have never trenched my vines just because of the very reason your talking about. Ive never had a problem with dirt uncovering itself on the vine.

6/8/2009 11:17:05 PM

Port Alberni, BC, Canada

Glenn, for what it's worth, I trench and cover for both the primary and secondary vines. I try to stay ahead of the vines but it doesn't always work. I also will sever the odd rootlet but there's a thousand miles of roothairs below that plant so severing the odd one isn't a big deal. The benefits of covering far outweigh not covering, IMHO.

6/9/2009 12:16:12 AM

San Diego

I don't trench, just put enough dirt around each leaf node to get the root growing, that's all. Keep vines up and not rotting in moist soil. Anytime I tried to bury, I got rot in my climate.

6/9/2009 12:35:15 AM

Owensboro, Ky.

Dig yur trenches the same day that you put yer plant in the ground...10' out on each side for at least 15 feet from the planting site...no more root diturbing...train yer sides into the trenches that are already there!!! Peace, Wayne
PS...sounds simple, eh?

6/9/2009 2:41:41 AM

Joliet, IL

ditto on what bill, brooks and duster said.

6/9/2009 7:18:33 AM

South Bloomfield, Ohio

If your patch is open to high winds as mine is, burying is the way to go. Just as Andy said, a few damaged roots is worth the benefit.

6/9/2009 7:42:02 AM

Little-TON - Colorado

Pre Trench...&...and I pile compost on top not taking dirt from the growing area of so my mounds are building on top as I bury my mycho..........

6/9/2009 8:35:23 AM

Saegertown Pa.

No trench for me I just put the dirt on top

6/9/2009 10:56:54 AM

Preston CT

If he don't trench, I ain't trenching....

6/9/2009 12:55:02 PM

I do the same thing that Quinn, Bill and Brooks do.

6/9/2009 1:42:50 PM

Midwest

How do you Trench before you know where the secondaries are going to be?

6/9/2009 1:59:31 PM

ordinary,VA

still do both:trench and and cover, haven't seen advantage or disadvantage either way.new thing I'm trying on one plant this year. using bamboo sticks to drill a hole about 10 inches deep under the leaf nodes. hopefully the mycorrhizal and the soil being less compacted will help the roots grow more healthier and less restricted..sure some root damage occurs when pushing the bamboo into the soil but hopefully the new roots under each node will give the plant more deeper and healthier root system..

6/9/2009 2:26:25 PM

canal winchester ohio

I think you might have to take your patch into consideration. If you have little or no wind don't trench. But if you do ( like I do) then it might be a good idea.

6/9/2009 3:36:54 PM

Mill Bay, British Columbia

Thanks everyone.

6/9/2009 6:30:38 PM

Rhode Island

we dig a shallow trench first, sprinkle in some magic dust- mico from a@l labs plus a pinch of kelp meal and dehidrated turkey poo. then lay in vine and cover.

i can also see where a person could take his dirt to cover the vines by making a trench in between the sets of sided , thus you have a trench for water to collect in and feed the roots .
either way would do the job.
pap

6/9/2009 7:10:31 PM

Cameron,ontario Team Lunatic

Hey Quinn

Do you use dirt from your patch to cover the vines or do you use compost to cover them? Thanks.

Phil

6/10/2009 8:40:40 AM

Saegertown Pa.

I use dirt from the patch

6/10/2009 8:58:04 AM

Massachusettts

If Bill R. and Quinn W. don't trench, then I'm going home and filling in my trenches right after work.

6/10/2009 12:25:12 PM

Fresno, CA

Wondering about what Duster said about keeping vines up out of trenches where rot could set in. My vines are out over a lawn that gets sprinkled every other morning. So I'm wondering if I cover vines at nodes with soil if that soil will stay moist long enough from sprinkling to induce rot. My climate is hot and dry though (Fresno,CA).

6/22/2009 5:02:44 PM