The tomato plant looks like it has been planted incorrectly.
Instead of standing upright inside a deep hole, most of its long stem lies horizontally in a shallow trench.
Only the leafy top remains above the soil.
The technique has been spreading again through gardening videos in 2026, where growers claim it can help tall, leggy tomato transplants establish stronger root systems.
Unlike many viral gardening tricks, this one is backed by established horticultural advice.
Penn State Extension specifically recommends placing the roots and lower stem horizontally in a shallow trench when tomato seedlings have become tall and leggy.
Why tomatoes can be planted this way
Tomatoes have an unusual advantage over many garden plants.
Their stems are capable of producing adventitious roots.
These are additional roots that form from stem tissue rather than from the plant’s original root system. University of Minnesota Extension documents this ability in tomatoes, noting that adventitious roots can form along the stem under suitable conditions.
When part of a healthy tomato stem is buried, new roots can develop from that section.
That gives the plant more contact with the surrounding soil.
When the trick is most useful
The sideways method is especially useful when a tomato transplant has become too tall indoors.
Instead of digging an unusually deep hole, gardeners can create a shallow horizontal trench.
This is helpful when:
- the seedling is long and thin;
- the lower stem has few leaves;
- the soil is still cool several inches below the surface;
- the bed has shallow usable soil;
- digging deeply would disturb hard or compacted subsoil.
Penn State specifically recommends the horizontal trench method for leggy plants.
How to plant a tomato sideways
1. Remove the lowest leaves
Choose a healthy tomato transplant.
Remove several of the leaves along the lower section of the stem, leaving a good cluster of foliage at the top.
Do not strip the entire plant.
The bare section is the part that will be buried.
2. Dig a shallow trench
Instead of making a deep planting hole, dig a trench only a few inches deep.
It should be long enough to accommodate the root ball and much of the bare stem.
Keep the leafy tip outside the trench.
3. Lay the plant down
Place the root ball at one end of the trench.
Gently lay the stripped portion of the stem along the bottom.
Do not sharply bend the stem upward.
The growing tip will naturally begin turning toward the light after planting.
4. Cover the stem
Cover the root ball and bare stem with soil.
Leave all remaining leaves above ground.
Firm the soil gently and water thoroughly.
Mark the buried stem area if necessary so you do not accidentally drive a stake through it later.
Do not bury unhealthy stem tissue
The technique works with healthy seedlings.
A damaged, rotting or diseased stem should not simply be buried in the hope that extra roots will solve the problem.
Poor drainage and excessive moisture can contribute to tomato root and stem diseases, so the planting bed still needs good soil structure and sensible watering.
What happens after planting
The top of the tomato may look awkward for a short period.
That is normal.
The growing tip responds to light and gravity and gradually curves upward.
Meanwhile, the buried part of the stem remains underground, where additional roots can form.
Once established, the plant eventually looks like any other tomato growing upright in the garden.
The unusual part disappears beneath the soil.
The biggest mistake
Do not plant the entire leafy stem underground.
Only bury sections where the leaves have been removed.
Leaves trapped under moist soil can decay.
Also avoid forcing a stiff stem into a sharp angle. Young tomato stems can crack easily.
A long, shallow trench allows the plant to change direction gradually.
Why the trick is going viral
The method works perfectly in a short video.
A gardener holds up an absurdly tall tomato seedling.
Instead of digging downward, they lay almost the entire plant flat in the ground.
The final frame shows only a small leafy top sticking out of the soil.
It looks like a mistake.
But the biology of the tomato plant makes it possible.
That contrast between what looks wrong and what horticulture actually supports is exactly why the technique keeps resurfacing online.
