Whether you are a beginning gardener or you have done some gardening in the past, and you are branching out to other projects something you may want to plant are fresh homegrown tomatoes. Planting and taking care of tomatoes may be hard work as it takes a lot of steps to ensure your tomato plants are taken care of properly to ensure growth. And in taking care of your tomatoes one huge part is knowing the best way to water tomatoes. Below we have tomato gardening water tips along with some additional tips to care for your plants so you can have healthy tomatoes.
How Much Water Does My Tomato Plant Need?
The best way to water tomatoes is to make sure you never give too much or not enough water. If you give too much water, you have an increased risk of drowning/over-watering them. If you do not give enough water, it is possible that your plant may dry out and die. The recommended measurements to water your plants are 1 to 2 inches every week. Make sure to water regularly as tomato plants can get stressed and can even grow improperly. You may water them daily, but make sure you always measure the amount of water you use so you do not over-water them.
What Are The Signs Of Over-Watering Tomato Plants?
The biggest sign of over-watering a tomato plant is when your tomato plant develops cracks. Another sign can be if your bumps on your tomato leaves begin to become oddly-shaped. The leaves may turn yellow as another sign. Another sign you can look out for is if your tomato ends up being extremely watery and tasteless. You may also see bugs/insects in your fruit as a result of cracking. If your plant becomes over-watered, your roots will begin to die and wither, which causes the amount of water that your plant receives to decrease.
How Long Can Tomato Plants Go Without Water?
Depending on how big and what location your tomato plants are in also depends on how long they can go without water. You want to make sure you water them at least twice a week, but plants in warmer temperatures may need more water. They are able to survive a couple of days without a water source, but they can dry out easily. It is best to try to get a water sprinkler, wicks or other types of self-watering systems if you are not able to tend to your tomatoes. If you decide to get a watering system, make sure you do proper research on how long to set your timers so you can ensure your plants will be able to receive enough water so they can grow.
When Is The Best Time To Water Tomato Plants?
The best time to water tomato plants is in the early morning. If you wait until late afternoon or during the night, your soil will not have a chance to dry up before the temperatures cool down. The early morning is the best time because tomato plants are able to take in more water and nutrients that are crucial for growth during that time. If you wait too late you also run the risk of your soil being wet throughout the cool night, which can cause your plant to become diseased.
Should Tomatoes Be Watered Daily?
Depending on the location of your plants as well as the temperatures will determine if you need to water your plants daily. While most gardeners suggest watering at least five days a week, it is also recommended to water once to twice a day if needed or if newly planted. They require 1 to 2 inches a week so make sure to not go over the limit. They are able to go a couple of days without water, but you may see your tomato plant start to wither if they are not able to get enough water and nutrients.
How Often Should You Fertilize Tomato Plants?
If you want large, healthy tomatoes, you must fertilize them, but if you fertilize them too heavily you can cause them to not grow properly or become smaller. When looking for fertilizer, the best ingredients to look for are potassium and nitrogen. Another good ingredient is phosphorous. Make sure to never add fertilizer directly to the plant as you can injure your plant. It is recommended to spread your fertilizer at least six inches from the base of the tomato plant. You should put at least two to three pounds of fertilizer in your tomato plant beds to ensure your plant’s roots will soak in fertilizer as well.
How Deep Should I Plant My Tomato Plants?
It is common for many people to make the mistake of not digging deep enough, which can cause your plant not to grow properly. Many experts recommend that you should dig deep enough so that at least 2/3 of your tomato plant will be underground. For example, if your tomato plant measures out to be around 12 inches, you should have at least 4 to 5 inches above the ground. If you dig too deep, you risk your tomato plant not being able to sprout and unable to hit the surface, which is crucial for photosynthesis.
What Kind Of Weather Should I Plant My Tomatoes In?
The best kind of weather that is suitable for tomato plants is warm, sunny weather. If you plant them during the winter or during cold weather, your soil may not be warm enough to allow the tomato plants to live. Tomato plants need warm, sunny weather so that they can produce food on their own (also known as photosynthesis) as well as be able to grow properly. Tomato plants will stop growing when the temperature goes above 95 degrees Fahrenheit, so be sure to make sure your local weather will allow you to plant tomato plants. The best temperature to grow your tomato plants in range from 65 to 85 degrees Fahrenheit.
Although planting tomatoes may seem like it could be easy, there is a lot of research you must put in to make sure you can properly care for tomato plants. Keeping your tomatoes watered well will ensure the right growth and will result in big, juicy tomatoes. With these watering tips you should be ready to start growing tomatoes today. If while you are reading this it is not spring or summer and you want to get started right away you can get a jump on growing tomatoes indoors in a mason jar.
Enjoy and good luck on your gardening journey! And be sure to let us know if we missed anything or we can help with any additional tips!
