After careful instruction and oversight, TROY student, Thomas, is ready to plant the new tomato plugs near the fenceline area. Thomas' checklist includes:

1) check the hole in the ground and make sure it has our elephant dung, a/k/a nutrient-rich soil

2) choose a tomato plant at least 6 inches in height (sometimes the elephant dung is so nutrient-rich that a smaller plant may experience fertilizer-burn -- injury such as dehydration of the roots or crown of the plant (plant burn), and a browning of part or all of the foliage, sometimes resulting in the death of the entire plant

3) pack the tomato plant tightly yet gently into the ground, making sure not to cover the bottom foliage with soil

4) tightly pack the ground around the tomato plant so as to avoid airpockets near the root system...airpockets near the roots prevent the roots from making contact with the soil beneath and around it, preventing the plant's ability to grow