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Grittyville, WA

Is the root coming off a vine usually a tap root or pair of tap roots about a foot deep? Has anyone carefully compared the depth vs the lateral spread of the roots that come out of the vines? And is there a useful comparison of these roots to those at the base/stump... Wondering what you have observed in terms of general differences between the roots at the stump and those that grow from the vines...thanks.

12/18/2018 9:53:40 AM

Central Illinois

some info on Cucurbita pepo https://www.soilandhealth.org/wp-content/uploads/01aglibrary/010137veg.roots/010137ch33.html

12/18/2018 10:41:08 AM

Grittyville, WA

thanks. I should have made more detailed observations before everything rotted but my nodal rooting was not great anyhow. Anyone care to give me a ballpark idea of the depth and spread of healthy nodal roots ... off the main vine? Vs secondaries? I have seen the roots at the stump can be a large extensive network. Thanks baitman... Looks like the density of roots right at the base of the plant is higher than I might have assumed.

12/20/2018 8:44:58 AM

oxygen/compaction=depth
I once grew a few vines over big pile compost and 6 foot tall rabbit manure pile

12/20/2018 2:38:41 PM

Little-TON - Colorado

Don has a 6 foot tall rabbit?

12/20/2018 3:22:21 PM

Grittyville, WA

I know you had a really nice one going earlier this year Don.

I always thought to some extent plants must move oxygen to their roots, they are plants after all (and plants make oxygen). But I guess really the leaves make oxygen, whereas the roots use oxygen??? This article says rice is one of the few plants that can transport oxygen down into the roots.

http://www.mofga.org/Publications/The-Maine-Organic-Farmer-Gardener/Fall-2009/Organic-Matter

I’m starting my fourth year at this. I would think I would know all the basics by now... fourth year and I still belong in the new growers forum!

12/20/2018 4:59:30 PM