Tomatoes are one of the most basic plants and most gardeners start with them. While they don’t need a lot of work to grow, they do need the right conditions, such as adequate water. Here are the basics when it comes to watering tomatoes.
How often to water tomatoes: Try to water your tomato plants every two days or every day in the height of the summer. Drip irrigation is best as it provides a steady stream of water that will keep the soil moist but not soggy.
How often do you water indoor tomatoes?
If you are starting your tomatoes as seedlings indoors, then you need to ensure the soil is continuously moist. This is especially true if you start with seeds.
Tomato seeds will begin their germination process quicker if there is moisture in the soil. However, if the soil becomes too dry after this process happens, the seeds will dry out and won’t grow anymore.
Seedlings benefit from consistency. If there isn’t enough moisture, they won’t grow properly and if the soil becomes too dry, they won’t be strong enough to withstand the change.
Slowly drip water into indoor tomato plants when they are young as this will ensure they stay strong and grow consistently.
As for mature tomato plants indoors, you will need to water them once every day or two. This is because you will probably have a container with drainage holes and the water will seep out of the holes, thus drying out the soil quicker.
How often do you water outdoor tomatoes?
Watering outdoor tomato plants is determined by how much precipitation there is naturally. If you have a lot of rainfall, you do not need to water your tomatoes.
Likewise, you don’t need to water as often if the temperatures are cooler as water won’t evaporate as fast. In the summer, expect to have to water your tomatoes once a day.
Many gardeners will plant tomatoes in outside containers as this gives you more control over the soil conditions. If you have tomatoes in a container, you will need to water every day as the water will leak out of the pots and the soil will dry out faster.
What is the best way to water tomato plants?
Consistency is key for watering tomatoes. They do not like to have very dry soil or very wet soil.
As a result, you should aim to have soil that is slightly moist at all times. If you need to, test the soil with your finger to see how dry it is.
In particular, look for soil that is moist further down. Containers will dry out much quicker than in the ground, so check to see if there is water at least halfway down the pot to determine if your tomato plant is getting enough moisture.
If you can, install a drip irrigation system for your tomatoes. This releases consistent water that won’t flood the soil.
Water drips out on a timer and allows the soil to fully absorb it. Then, the roots can slowly and steadily absorb the water.
Adding a layer of mulch around your tomatoes can also help with watering. Wood chips absorb extra water and then release the water slowly into the soil. Mulch also provides a layer of shade to the tomato plants and keeps the soil moist for longer.
How do you know when your tomato needs water?
Tomato plants will start to droop if they don’t have enough water. You should place a cage around the plant for extra stabilization and this will also help if your plants start to fall over.
As long as the plants are still alive, you can add more water and rectify the problem. However, if too much time elapses between watering, your tomato plant might be too weak and the fruit might not develop properly.
What are the signs of overwatering tomato plants?
If your tomato plants are being overwatered, they will start to turn yellow. Both the leaves and the stems can form blisters and turn a yellow-brown color.
If you do see that your tomatoes are starting to form blisters, remove them from the plant so energy isn’t directed to them. Then, ease off on watering and if there is still time in the season, your plant will grow newer, fresher tomatoes.
What is blossom-end rot on tomatoes?
Unfortunately, you may see a brown discoloration on the bottom of your tomatoes. This is a very common problem and a few steps can help prevent it.
First, you should know that the discoloration is not a sign of disease. Rather, it appears when the tomatoes don’t get enough nutrients.
It mostly happens when your environment starts out wet and then turns dry. The plant has a hard time regulating the nutrients and the fruit becomes undeveloped.
The biggest cause of blossom-end rot is if the soil is either too wet or too dry. While it can also be caused by too much nitrogen or an imbalanced pH level, water is the most common culprit.
If you see that your tomatoes are starting to turn brown at the bottom, pick them and discard them. This will signal to the plant to grow new fruit and then you can better regulate the amount of water the plant gets to prevent rot from setting in again.
Do tomatoes do well in indirect sunlight?
Tomatoes thrive in full sunlight. If they are in an area that only has direct sunlight, they will not produce much fruit and what they do produce will be much smaller than expected.
Aim for at least eight hours of sunlight for your tomatoes. However, don’t be afraid of placing them in too much sun as they are happy with up to 16 hours of sunlight.
With all this sunlight will come higher temperatures. This is why watering your tomatoes is incredibly important as otherwise, all the sunlight will quickly dry out the soil.
Conclusion
Tomatoes like a lot of sunlight so be prepared to water them well. Aim for consistent water, sometimes every day, so the soil never fully dries out. However, don’t overwater them as rot can set in.
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