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I was watching the video on amaranth, and was wondering if trenching or hilling plants work better.

black thumb
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    It depends on your tools, and your climate. But usually it is just micro-optimization, so it should not matter. – Giacomo Catenazzi Mar 27 '18 at 07:11
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    @GiacomoCatenazzi I would wonder if a hill method would be better, so that when it rains the water does not build up. With a trench I could see that water pooling up, and maybe kill the plants? – Ljk2000 Mar 27 '18 at 13:10
  • @Ljk2000: you are supposing a wet climate (in summer). – Giacomo Catenazzi Mar 27 '18 at 13:34
  • @GiacomoCatenazzi Correct – Ljk2000 Mar 27 '18 at 13:42
  • it will be more of a wet climate since I don't need to pay for water, and will be going "Back to Eden" with "Lasagna" – black thumb Mar 27 '18 at 16:44
  • Lasagna, huh? How did that work for you before? Have you tried it yet? Grins? We should discuss these new ideas in chat...maybe I am missing something! Thanks, Black thumb... – stormy Mar 27 '18 at 22:37

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So I did some research and I am finding some good information, but it sounds like it depends on what your growing.

I found, for example tomatoes, it is best to trench plant them. Source Here. According to the page the advantage is the tomato will for more roots, allowing the plant to take more nutrients and water, so bigger plant.

Another thing I found Here was using trench and hill method for potatoes. With potatoes you want to hill dirt over the plant as it grows since the potato likes to work its way up out of the ground. Another reason is for easier harvesting. You can take a pitch for and go in from the side of the hill and push the dirt and potatoes out of the ground.

I tried to find more information on what plants should be hulled and what should be trenched. But this is all I found regarding a list.

Zucchini, cucumber, corn, okra, potatoes like to be hilled. Tomatoes like the trench method.

If I need to add something or edit let me know and I will do my best to address you!

Ljk2000
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  • trenches are designed for water distribution for when/if you choose to water your garden. – black thumb Mar 27 '18 at 16:41
  • @blackthumb I see, good to know that. I only use such method for potatoes so learning a little more on this has been rather nice. I might try the trench method with my tomatoes. – Ljk2000 Mar 27 '18 at 17:03
  • No....unless you are growing rice. I only trench corn and only when I've got a thicker clay soil that won't crumble and fill in the trench too soon and only if I have a garden that sustains lots of wind. The trench sides protect the baby plants from the wind. I vote for raised beds with trenches to collect water helping to enhance drainage of the raised bed's soils. Try the trench method in soil you've never grown any of the tomato family to give the test a chance. Did a hole the size of your trench, fill it with water, then time how long it takes for that water to drain into the soil. – stormy Mar 27 '18 at 22:31
  • @stormy Make sure you look at the one website. They don't necessarily have a trench but like a raised bed and the tomatoes are planted on the side. Take a look :) – Ljk2000 Mar 28 '18 at 01:07
  • I did just now. Did not see the sites you listed at first. This 'trench' for the tomatoes on your first site is nothing more than a planting hole on the top of a raised bed...I found that they might be calling these beds, ELEVATED, beds. This is not trench planting. Tomatoes have the rare ability to grow roots from the meristem of the stem stem that is also photosynthetic. I have a tough time seeing that it is beneficial in any way. Healthy tomatoes will form a great root system to support the top growth no matter what you do. Elevated beds with trenches for drainage. – stormy Mar 28 '18 at 01:42
  • @stormy I called it a trench because they called it a trench even though it don't look like a trench and all. But I am sure a regular raised bed would do just as good as the method they showed. – Ljk2000 Mar 28 '18 at 03:12
  • When the pioneers dragged this 'trencher' or spade behind a horse or the grandpa (ha ha ha), then they planted their seeds; usually corn, pumpkin and squash, wheat...that was not trenching. I know, I know, this language for gardening needs more definition for clarity of meaning... – stormy Mar 28 '18 at 04:10