How often should tomatoes be watered in open ground?

Tomato is the most popular vegetable that is grown in vegetable gardens and greenhouses by vegetable growers in different Russian regions. It is important not only to choose the right varieties for growing in a particular area and the best place to plant them, but also to provide these cultivated plants with the necessary care at all stages of their development.

One of the important stages of caring for tomato bushes is watering. At the same time, you need to know how often and with what kind of water these vegetable plants are watered, whether it is possible to combine watering with the application of fertilizers, how to water tomatoes from the moment of growing seedlings until harvesting. Tomatoes are particularly sensitive to high air humidity. And if it dries out quickly in garden beds, then in greenhouse conditions you will have to work hard to significantly reduce this figure.

Basic rules and methods of watering

When growing tomatoes, it is very important to follow the basic rules of watering, since at different stages of tomato development they require different amounts of water. Typically, moisture is applied to these vegetable plants at intervals of one to two days. More frequent watering will cause the tomatoes to grow mushy.

You should also not water the tomato bushes in small portions of water throughout the day. As a result, the plants will get used to receiving water often, but little by little; their roots will be close to the surface of the earth and select moisture only in the top layer of soil. And if for some reason watering becomes less frequent in the future, the plants will quickly take all the water out of the soil and begin to dry out.

If watering is rare - once every 6-8 days, then this will become an incentive for tomatoes to more actively increase the length of the root system. It will quickly begin to grow deep into the soil to extract moisture from there. This will be a plus when growing tomatoes in sandy or sandy loam soil - such soil quickly heats up under the sun's rays, so the deeper the roots go into the soil, the less they suffer from the heat. And in heavy clay soils at depth it is much colder, so the roots there can be affected by fungal diseases.

In addition, when watering, you must adhere to the following water requirements:

• for watering adult bushes and tomato seedlings, ideally you should use melt or rain water;
• for irrigation you need to use settled water, tap water is not suitable due to the presence of special impurities in it, it is better to boil it before use;
• the temperature of irrigation water should be above +21०С, and cold water can provoke the development of fungal diseases;
• In order for the applied fertilizers to be most effective, they must be diluted with water and applied under the tomatoes along with watering;
• it is important that there is no deficiency of iodine in the soil, which helps fight pathogenic microorganisms;
• To prevent drops of moisture from falling on the vegetative parts of plants when watering, it is necessary to use convenient containers for watering;

• drops of moisture can be lenses that enhance the effect of the sun's rays.

Watering tomato bushes can be done in various ways, using convenient containers.

Under the root or along the leaf?

Tomatoes are usually watered only at the root. In this case, you need to ensure that drops of moisture do not fall on the foliage or stems - this can lead to the development of fungal diseases. Usually, unmulched beds with tomatoes need to be watered using a watering can with a sprayer so that the soil around the bushes does not erode during watering. If there is a layer of mulch in the root zone of this vegetable crop, then watering can be carried out over it, without trying to get strictly “under the root”.

But you cannot water tomatoes on the foliage, as this can lead to the development of various fungal diseases. The only reason why tomatoes can be sprinkled is if the humidity in the greenhouse is too low (below 40%).

Hose

Tomato beds are usually watered using hoses or watering cans on small private farms. At the same time, it is very easy to water the plants strictly at the roots, without getting on the leaves or shoots.

But watering from a hose has a serious drawback - the water coming out of it is cold, which negatively affects the root system of young tomatoes. And only in mature plants the roots become strong and can easily withstand watering with cold water. In addition, with this type of watering, it is impossible to control the volume of liquid that is poured onto the beds, the soil is heavily washed out, and the plants may be watered unevenly.

Many gardeners first pour water into large metal barrels and leave them to warm up in the sun. And then the heated, settled water is poured into a watering can and the tomato bushes are watered.

Through a plastic bottle

Drip irrigation of tomato beds can be done using two or five-liter plastic bottles. To do this, cut off the bottom and remove the lids. Then the bottles are turned over and pushed with their necks into the ground up to their shoulders near the tomato bushes.

Then water is poured into the bottle, which will gradually seep into the soil, gradually moistening it. At the same time, the top layer of soil will remain dry, so the plants will not be affected by late blight and other fungal diseases. And the bottled water will be heated in the sun, so it will reach the soil at the required temperature.

In addition, the top layer of soil with this type of watering will not be moistened, so it will not have to be loosened regularly, breaking the dry crust on the surface.

Into the hole

Some vegetable growers make holes around the bushes, into which watering is carried out from any containers. This method is quite convenient, since you can water the plants from a hose, watering can or any other device without getting into the vegetative mass of the tomato. And the water is evenly distributed throughout the hole, which is made approximately along the diameter of the vegetative mass of the bush; as a result, the roots are moistened all at the same time.

Arychny

Ditch irrigation is something between drip irrigation and watering into holes. In this case, tomatoes are planted in two rows in the beds, the tomatoes are hilled, and a ditch like a ditch appears between the rows. A layer of straw is laid out in it, where a hose is placed to water the tomatoes.

Such a ditch is filled with moisture in about 20 minutes, after which the hose is transferred to the next ditch-deepening. And in this way all the beds with tomatoes are watered - and this method of watering is one of the easiest and simplest.

Drip irrigation

Drip irrigation is the most convenient irrigation system not only for tomatoes, but also for other vegetable crops. At the same time, water is used sparingly, is not spent on irrigating weeds, and does not fall on the leaf blades and stems. Therefore, the risk of fungal diseases appearing on tomatoes is reduced. Another advantage of such irrigation is that fertilizers can be added to the soil along with watering.

A drip irrigation system can be purchased at a specialized store, or you can make it yourself. Ideas for such irrigation can be found on the Internet.

But still, despite all the advantages of this type of irrigation, not all vegetable growers install it on their plot. The fact is that at the stage of purchasing pipes and all the necessary mechanisms for installing drip irrigation, the summer resident has to spend a lot of money. And although this system quickly pays for itself in the future, the initial investment can be too large.

And it is best to arrange such irrigation in greenhouse conditions, then watering will be carried out without the participation of the vegetable grower. But at the same time, the level of soil and air humidity will be optimal, and the plants will regularly receive the required amount of moisture, so they will actively develop and bear fruit.

Automatic watering

It is also convenient to install automatic watering in the tomato beds. However, this method is expensive, so it is usually used when growing tomatoes on an industrial scale, when the irrigation area is too large, so watering the plants using other methods will be too labor-intensive.

Watering rules

It is necessary to water tomatoes in open ground, following certain rules:

1. Tomato seedlings do not tolerate surface watering well; water from the leaves quickly evaporates and does not reach the main source of moisture - the roots, so it is better to water the bushes at the roots.
2. After each watering, the soil should be slightly loosened and the surface of the earth should be sprinkled with mulch - a thin layer of peat or dry compost.
3. Before watering tomatoes, water from the tap must stand for at least 24 hours to allow harmful impurities to evaporate.
4. When watering, the varietal requirements of tomatoes are taken into account. Tall tomato bushes require more water than their short counterparts. Early ripening varieties need to be watered more often, they develop faster, and this requires water.

The rules always imply exceptions to them, so gardeners, when growing tomatoes on their plots, are guided by real actual conditions: climate, composition and fertility of the soil, the presence or absence of water sources. Different conditions force gardeners to adjust some basic rules.

Natural bodies of water where summer residents take water for watering tomatoes (rivers, ponds and lakes) contain substances dangerous to plants: fungal spores, cells of viral diseases, harmful microorganisms. An additional rule when using such water is its purification. Cleaning is carried out in different ways:

• chemical treatment with chlorine-containing preparations;
• use of folk remedies for water purification: iodine, potassium permanganate, soda ash, ash;
• use of modern cleaning systems.

Rain water is very useful for watering plants; tomato bushes come to life after the rain, are replenished with energy and are ready for further development. Collecting rainwater for watering tomatoes is another additional rule that should be followed every time there is precipitation.

Water quality

The water temperature for watering tomatoes should be between +23 and +27°C. This can be achieved by placing the tank in a sunny place or placing it in a greenhouse. Watering tomatoes with cold tap water is not recommended for the following reasons:

• a sharp drop in temperature will provoke the dropping of fruit ovaries, stopping their formation;
• Tap water contains chemical compounds harmful to plants: chlorine, heavy metal molecules.

You can increase the rate of heating water for watering tomatoes by using barrels painted in dark colors under the tanks. This type of painting absorbs sunlight well, and the water heats up quickly. The coolness of the night will cool the water, but by the time of watering, it will be warm enough to be used during watering.

Consumption rates

The amount of water required for watering tomatoes varies at different stages of the tomato growing season. Gardeners who have been growing tomatoes for many years find their own optimal options based on the variety, growing technology, and weather (climatic) conditions. We have placed some averaged data in the table in the next section.

What water to water

Usually, tomato bushes in garden beds or in greenhouse conditions are watered with settled warm water at a temperature of about 22-24°C. Watering with colder water can cause late blight to develop on tomato bushes.

Typically, water for irrigation is preheated in the sun in any sufficiently large container. When the water overheats too much, it should not be used for irrigation either - it must first be diluted to reduce the temperature to the optimal one.

Many vegetable growers collect rainwater, which is considered the best for watering vegetable crops in their beds.

When is the best time to water?

It is difficult to make a clear choice in favor of morning or evening watering. Each option has positive and negative sides:

• If you water plants in the morning in hot weather, then the beds must be mulched, since the soil will dry out quickly. When watering in the evening, the soil will retain moisture longer. However, if the tank is in an open place, the water will be too hot for evening watering;
• If the weather is cool, the water in the irrigation tank will warm up within a day. However, watering in the evening will cause humidity to rise at night, which can encourage the growth of fungal diseases. If you irrigate the beds in the morning, you will have to use cool water, but during the day the excess moisture will evaporate and by night the air humidity will be normal.

When choosing morning or evening watering, you need to take into account not only the time the summer resident has to carry out the procedure. It is necessary to take into account weather conditions, watering methods, and bed area.

Signs of excess and lack of moisture for tomatoes

Excess moisture in the soil is also harmful to tomato bushes, as is its lack.

If after watering the soil is constantly too wet, this will negatively affect the condition of the tomato bushes:

• the root system of plants will begin to rot;
• other fungal diseases may appear;
• ripening fruits burst.

If there is a lack of water in the soil:

• bushes slow down growth and development;
• the foliage begins to curl inward;
• the emerging ovaries begin to fall off;
• the process of photosynthesis stops.

Therefore, it is so important to add moisture to the tomato bushes in a certain volume so as not to harm the plants.

How to determine the need for watering

Tomatoes are not moisture-loving plants. Moreover, dry air is preferable for normal and healthy development of bushes. But insufficient soil moisture will slow down the growth of the crop; the ovary may drop during the flowering phase. Or the fruits will not gain the required weight, which will clearly affect large-fruited varieties. Excess moisture is also undesirable - the tomatoes will turn out watery and will take longer to ripen.

Experienced summer residents recommend a special way to check soil moisture. Use a lump of soil from a depth of 10-15 cm. If the soil is dry and crumbles, then the beds need watering. If the lump is squeezed and water oozes out, then the soil is moistened in excess.

Advice! Sharp jumps in watering volumes will affect the quality of the crop - the fruits will crack. Therefore, uniform soil irrigation is recommended.

Air humidity

When growing tomatoes in garden beds, there is no need to regulate the level of air humidity - it changes under the influence of wind and other weather conditions. But in a greenhouse this indicator needs to be regulated, since the humidity in closed ground can rise sharply after watering.

The optimal level of air humidity in greenhouse conditions or in film greenhouses when growing tomatoes there is about 55% (or slightly higher). If the humidity is too low, sprinkling can be used. If the humidity level is too high, then the greenhouse should be ventilated. Otherwise, fungal diseases may develop on the plants.

Mechanical watering of tomatoes in a greenhouse

Mechanical and manual watering methods are very similar in principle. True, to create a mechanical system you will need a larger number of different devices. But, having once made such a structure, you won’t have to worry about watering the seedlings for a long time.

Important! Mechanical watering requires virtually no physical effort.

To create such a system you will need:

1. Plastic pipes and hose.
2. Drippers of any type of irrigation.
3. Source for water supply. This could be a water supply pipe or a regular well.
4. Equipment for pumping water.
5. Electric Energy.
6. Deep container or reservoir.

The first step to creating a mechanical watering system for tomatoes is to install a pump to pump out water. A person without experience in this area is unlikely to cope with the installation, so it is better to contact a specialist. Then the work will be completed according to the instructions, and in the future there will be no problems with watering. Pumping equipment is turned on and off by a special remote control, which can be located directly on the pump itself or in your home. This directly depends on the type of pump itself and the method of its installation.

Then the pipes from the pump are laid to the reservoir. If the power suddenly goes out, you can water from this tank manually or with a hose. After this, the pipes are placed in the greenhouse itself. Some install from above to irrigate the soil more evenly. Others place pipes on the surface of the soil. You can also deepen them into the soil using drip irrigation.

Attention! It is best to use plastic pipes to construct a mechanical irrigation system.

They are no less strong than metal ones, and at the same time much easier to work with. This material is easier to cut and fasten.

Taps should be installed on each pipe. Thanks to them, it will be possible to regulate the water supply. The taps will reduce the high pressure, and the plants will not be harmed during irrigation. And if a pipe suddenly breaks down, it can be closed. Then the system as a whole, as well as the plants themselves, will not suffer. It will take a lot of time and effort to prepare such a system for watering tomatoes. You will also have to use expensive equipment and materials. But this is a great way for those who have large greenhouses with a huge number of plants. This device will save a lot of time and effort in the future care of tomatoes.

Watering frequency depending on weather conditions

The frequency of watering tomato bushes directly depends on the weather conditions in the region where they are grown. And vegetable growers need to know how often to moisten the beds with tomatoes in the heat, during rains or in normal weather.

Normal weather

In normal weather, tomato bushes are watered 1-2 times a week. At the same time, up to 5 liters of water should be added to each bush of low-growing varieties. Up to 10 liters of moisture are added to the root zone of indeterminate tomatoes.

Important! The water temperature should be the same as the soil temperature.

To determine whether the beds with tomatoes are sufficiently moistened, you need to dig the soil in the root zone to a depth of 8-10 cm and squeeze a lump of earth in your hand. If the soil sticks together and then crumbles easily, then the soil is sufficiently moistened.

After each watering, it is recommended to loosen the root zone of tomato bushes in order to remove the dry crust that forms on the surface - it does not allow air and moisture to penetrate to the roots.

Watering in hot weather

In hot weather, you need to water tomato bushes more often - once every two days, but you can do it more often. The main thing is that the soil is constantly moist. To prevent moisture from evaporating quickly, after watering the root zone is mulched with a layer of dry grass, sawdust or humus. The thickness of such a layer should be 4-5 cm.

Also, in hot weather, watering is carried out in the early morning or evening, strictly at the root, so that drops of moisture do not remain on the foliage or shoots of tomato bushes.

It is also important to loosen the soil after watering, and only then lay out a layer of mulch. Mulch prevents the rapid evaporation of moisture from the soil, and also prevents the growth of weeds, which take up nutrients from the soil.

Watering in rainy weather

In rainy weather, reduce the amount of watering of tomatoes so that moisture does not stagnate in the soil. Excess moisture in the soil can lead to the development of fungal diseases. Therefore, after rains, it is recommended to spray tomato bushes with copper-containing preparations to reduce the risk of pathogenic fungi appearing on the green mass.

Also, you should not water tomatoes in rainy weather in the evenings, since in cool weather excess moisture can provoke the development of fungal diseases.

Do I need to water tomatoes in cold weather?

If tomatoes are grown in greenhouse conditions, then the air temperature does not affect the volume and frequency of watering these vegetable plants - they need to be watered as usual. The only note is that it is better to water during the day so that the irrigation water has time to warm up.

But in open ground everything is different. If the water for irrigation is cold, it will cool the roots of the plants, which will lead to a slowdown in metabolism in the tissues. This can trigger the development of diseases in tomatoes.

Therefore, when the air temperature drops, the volume of watering and its quantity are sharply reduced until it stops completely until the weather warms up again.

Folk remedies

Late blight

When a glass of salt is diluted in 10 liters of water, a solution is formed, which, when applied to the foliage of tomatoes, forms a thin film that protects the bush from fungus. Some gardeners refuse to use this method for fear of damage from salt.

Phytophthora absolutely does not tolerate garlic and preparations based on it, primarily garlic water. To prepare it, take a vegetable head and several shoots. Plant materials are crushed and mixed with a small amount of manganese. The mixture is dissolved in water. The volume of liquid is taken with the expectation that about 500 ml of infusion will be spent on each bush.

Important! Spraying should be repeated at least once every two weeks.

For constant protection against the disease, a mixture is prepared based on rotten hay, urea and saltpeter. The specified ingredients are poured with water, infused, after which the product is ready for use for its intended purpose. It is believed that using this homemade fungicide can actually remove fungi and their spores. For preventive purposes, spraying is carried out once every week and a half.

Late blight on tomatoes

The fungal disease late blight is treated with the help of another fungus - tinder fungus. It is thoroughly crushed and poured with boiling water, about 10 liters of liquid per 1 kg of raw material. Spraying is carried out when the first symptoms of the disease appear. Then it is necessary to re-treat after 15 days.

To treat late blight, some remedies from the home medicine cabinet are used. Thus, iodine is used to prepare whey in milk with a fungicidal effect. 15 drops of iodine and a liter of skim milk are diluted in 10 liters of water. Treatment is carried out every two weeks. If the plant is too weak, then dilute 10 drops of iodine in a liter of milk and spray the crops with the resulting solution.

The simplest, but very effective remedy is a solution of brilliant green. It is prepared by dissolving the drug in a bucket filled with water. 45-50 drops are enough.

If plants are planted in greenhouses, it is recommended to regularly open and ventilate them. This is an effective preventive measure against fungal diseases.

Ventilation of greenhouses.

Brown leaf spot

You can increase the resistance of tomatoes to this disease using horsetail. 3-5 tbsp. l. heat in a liter of water and bring to a boil, and then add another 5 liters of liquid. Seedlings should be sprayed with the resulting preparation several times during the season.

Two weeks after planting plants in open ground or a greenhouse or polycarbonate greenhouse, it is allowed to use a kefir solution for treatment. The procedure can be repeated every week throughout the growing season.

Care after watering

After each watering or rain, the soil in the root zone of tomatoes requires special care. The fact is that a dry crust immediately forms on the surface of the earth, which prevents air and moisture from penetrating the soil to the plant roots. Therefore, after watering, the root zone of tomato bushes is loosened to remove this dry crust. At the same time, it is necessary to remove all weeds from the beds along with the roots - harmful insects and their larvae can hide in it.

Why is watering needed?

Tomatoes consist of 80% water, fruits 94%, the remaining 20%, and in fruits 6% are dry substances from which the body of the flora is built: roots, stems, leaves. Water is necessary in the metabolic processes occurring inside the seedlings.

1. Transpiration is the process of water movement inside a plant, from the roots to all organs, and evaporation by its outer parts, mainly leaves. Moving along with water, nutrients freely enter all plant cells. The process is also responsible for thermoregulation, protecting tomato bushes from overheating and from the destruction of proteins under the influence of heat.
2. Chemical reactions are the conversion of nutrients and microelements into energy and enzymes necessary for the growth and development of tomatoes. Such processes can only occur in aqueous solutions.
3. Photosynthesis is a process in which the energy of sunlight is converted into the energy of chemical bonds of organic cells. Simply put, as a result of photosynthesis reactions, oxygen and glucose molecules are released from water, which are necessary for the life of the plant.

With a lack of moisture, healthy and strong tomato bushes become incapable of life and wither.
Weakened plants spend the remaining vital forces solely to preserve the roots, and the stems, leaves, and fruit ovaries dry out and fall off. Watering restores lost energy and brings tomato plants back to life. Attention!
Tomatoes receive water from the soil after watering or during rain. 90-97% of this moisture is spent on metabolic processes. It is necessary to make up for such losses, which means that it is impossible to do without organizing proper watering.

Signs of improper watering

It is very important to follow the basic rules for watering tomatoes, since a lack of moisture in the soil is just as destructive for them as its excess.

If the soil is too dry, the development of these vegetable plants will slow down, tomato bushes may be suppressed, their foliage will begin to turn yellow, and the fruits will become smaller. As a result, the yield rate will decrease.

If you water tomatoes too much, this will negatively affect the root system - it will begin to rot. In this case, the vegetative mass of tomatoes will grow too actively to the detriment of the formation of ovaries. Excess moisture in the soil also leads to cracking of ripening fruits.

How to water tomatoes

It is better to water along the furrows or directly at the root: there is no need to water the fruits, leaves, ovaries and stems; such watering may cause fungi to appear.

And if water drops remain on the leaves or fruits, then in the bright sun such a drop becomes a lens, leaving burns.

• It is better to water the tomato at the root, which provides a sufficient amount of water to the entire plant and at the same time the air humidity remains the same.

• Water for watering tomatoes should be settled and warm, preferably at the same temperature as the soil.
• Watering with a hose is not recommended as it can damage the roots of the plant.
• To reduce the hardness of water, it can be mixed with manure or compost. The best water for watering tomatoes is rainwater containing carbonic acid.

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Frequency of watering at different stages of the growing season

Tomatoes at different stages of their development need to be watered at different frequencies, since they will require different amounts of water at the stage of growing seedlings or in other cases.

Watering tomato seedlings

After the tomato seed material is placed in containers with soil, the surface of the soil is regularly sprayed with water from a spray bottle and then covered with film to create a greenhouse effect inside. In this case, the seeds will germinate much faster.

After the sprouts have sprung up, the film is removed and the plants are watered once every 3-4 days. Water for irrigation should be settled at a temperature of about 22-23 degrees Celsius.

Some gardeners boil water and then dilute it with cold water to obtain moisture at the desired temperature. However, during the boiling process, water loses the oxygen needed by plants, so it is better to simply let the moisture sit at room temperature so that it warms up to the desired level.

Watering after planting in the ground

When transplanting tomato seedlings to a permanent location, pour 3-4 liters of water into the planting holes, then plant the seedlings and water the plants again. Then the soil around the tomato bushes is mulched.

After planting the seedlings in a permanent place, they should not be watered for 1-1.5 weeks. And then young plants are watered once every 6-8 days, or more often as the soil dries out. Apply 4-5 liters of water to each bush.

Watering during active growth

During the period of active growth of green mass, tomatoes especially need moisture, since the growth and development of plants depends on its amount. Watering is carried out in the early morning or evening with warm, settled water strictly at the root, while drops of moisture should not fall on the leaf plates.

During this period, tomatoes need to be watered depending on weather conditions - more often in hot weather, less often in rainy weather, but on average, at least 3 liters of water are added to each tomato bush twice a week.

Watering tomatoes during flowering

During the flowering period of tomatoes, it is especially important to ensure that irrigation water does not fall on the foliage and flowers, since sprinkling causes flowers to fall off and the formation of ovaries slows down.

And with increased air humidity, tomato bushes can be affected by fungal diseases. Therefore, the volume of water when watering a tomato during flowering is reduced to 1-2 liters.

Watering during fruiting

During fruiting, tomatoes should be watered up to 2 times a week, spending up to 12 liters of moisture per square area. And up to 5 liters of moisture are added to each bush, depending on weather conditions and soil moisture.

If watering was skipped and the soil dried out, then the amount of moisture should be reduced to 1 liter for each plant. Otherwise, the tomatoes may fall off or burst, and the tomato itself will be vulnerable to pathogenic fungi.

About a couple of weeks before the mass harvest, watering of tomatoes is stopped so that ripe tomatoes do not burst.

Which planting method is best to use for a greenhouse and open ground: tips

Previously, various types of planting tomatoes have already been considered, both for greenhouses and open ground, taking into account the height of the plants. Therefore, the gardener himself must choose the necessary method, or rather the scheme for planting tomatoes, depending on the conditions, irrigation systems, and size of the area.

The best way to plant tomatoes is lying down.

Option for planting tomatoes lying down

The main thing is that each plant is provided with the necessary amount of sun, moisture and air circulates between the stems, so that bacteria and harmful microorganisms that lead to tomato diseases do not accumulate.

Medium-sized tomatoes are usually planted at a distance of 55 centimeters from each other. Low-growing tomatoes are planted at a distance of 45 centimeters from each other. Also leave a convenient passage between plants for watering and processing tomatoes.

Planting tomato seedlings in strong winds on the site

How to save overgrown seedlings

Watering tomatoes in a greenhouse

Tomatoes growing in greenhouse conditions should be watered more abundantly than in garden beds. Typically, for one watering, at least 2 buckets of water are added to each square of the greenhouse area. However, such abundant watering leads to an increase in soil and air moisture in the greenhouse, and this increases the risk of fungal diseases.

Tomatoes like the soil to be constantly moist, and the air humidity to be 45-60%, but even constant ventilation of the greenhouse cannot provide such air humidity. Therefore, many vegetable growers install drip irrigation in greenhouses. In this case, the top layer of soil will remain dry, which will provide the necessary air humidity, and the soil near the roots will be constantly moist.

If it is not possible to arrange drip irrigation in the greenhouse, then you can install inverted plastic bottles with the bottom cut off near each tomato bush, through which you need to pour water into them. This method of watering will also provide the plants with regular and even watering.

Watering time

Tomatoes need to be watered throughout the growing season. From sowing seeds to the full ripening of fruits, plants need water. The only exception to this rule can be temporary periods with prolonged heavy rains.

The optimal time of day for watering tomatoes is 1-2 hours before sunset. Before the cool night sets in, the soil surface should dry out a little so that the leaves and stems do not become overcooled by cold fumes. It is possible to water in the early morning hours, when it is not yet very hot. If the sun is at its zenith, the wet surface of the soil will instantly turn into a dense, hard crust that does not allow air to pass through.

Watering tomatoes in open ground

The regularity of watering tomatoes in garden beds depends primarily on weather conditions. Indeed, for this garden crop, too much moisture in the soil and overdrying of the soil are equally harmful. The first sign of soil drying out in tomato beds is premature yellowing of the leaf blades. Therefore, tomato bushes, when grown in garden beds, are watered as the top layer of soil dries out.

Typically, tomatoes in beds are watered once every 3-4 days, adding up to 5 liters of water to each plant.

It is best to water tomatoes in garden beds with rainwater, which contains the optimal amount of oxygen and minerals and is also of medium hardness. But such moisture cannot be used if the garden plot is located near industrial enterprises or in other environmentally polluted areas, where the water may contain salts of heavy metals and other toxic substances. These substances enter the ripening fruits with water and poison them.

What to use for feeding

Together with watering or separately, but the seedlings need to be constantly fed in order to get a better harvest. Today there are a huge number of different recipes. Below are those that have proven themselves to be a comprehensive solution to various problems.

Feeding with ash

Fertilizing with ash helps tomatoes cope both with a lack of microelements and in the fight against various diseases.

Ingredients:

• 1 glass of ash;
• 8-10 liters of water.

The water is heated. Mix everything thoroughly and leave for a day, then filter. Water half a glass per bush.

Feeding with iodine

Iodine provides support for the growth of tomatoes and fights diseases and pests.

Ingredients:

• 1 drop of iodine per 3 liters of water.

Water tomato seedlings at the root once.

Yeast feeding

Yeast has proven itself in the fight against late blight and feeding for growth.

It is advisable to use yeast for feeding after planting the plant in a permanent place.

For late blight - 100 g of the product is dissolved in a 10-liter bucket of water and watered.

To accelerate growth and increase endurance, tomato seedlings are watered with yeast fertilizer:

• 100 g live yeast,
• 0.5 tbsp. Sahara,
• 3 liters of warm water.

Leave the mixture for 2-3 hours, then dilute it with water (1 glass per 10 liters of water) and water the seedlings on moist soil, 1 liter per bush.

Watering tomatoes on the balcony

For growing on the balcony, certain varieties of tomatoes are selected - short, compact with a not very branched root system. For example, the tomato variety “Thumbelina”. Also for growing you will need low, long containers that are filled with a nutrient substrate.

It is recommended to first soak the seeds for germination and only then plant them in containers.

Seedlings and young seedlings are watered little by little, but often, so that the soil in the containers remains constantly moist. As soon as the seedlings grow, they are hardened off by opening a window in the room. The grown plants are transferred to the balcony, where in the first weeks the windows need to be shaded and the temperature maintained around 19-20 degrees Celsius.

Once the plants have acclimatized to the new location, the shading should be removed. Tomatoes are watered as the soil dries; after watering, the root zone of the bushes is carefully and carefully loosened.

By the time of active fruiting, the number and volume of watering of tomatoes is reduced so that the soil is slightly dry. Also, during the growth and fruiting process of tomatoes grown on balconies, they should be fed with fertilizers, and windows should be opened to attract pollinating insects.

How often to water tomatoes and how to properly care for them

Tomato is one of the most beloved and common summer vegetables. It is used to prepare salads, it is salted and pickled, and tasty and healthy products are made from it: juices, ketchups and pastes. But, of course, nothing can compare in taste to freshly picked bright red, yellow or orange fruit, grown with my own hands in the garden.

The process of growing tomatoes consists of several stages

But before this pleasant moment comes and a ripe tomato appears on your table, it must, with your active participation, go from a tiny grain to a strong, healthy bush and begin to bear fruit.

Sometimes this path is associated with certain difficulties caused by weather conditions, but even if the hydrometeorological conditions throughout the summer are favorable for the growth and development of plants, they require constant attention and careful care. In order for quality care, you should know how to grow seedlings, plant them in the ground, weed the beds, and how often to water tomatoes.

Planting tomatoes

You can grow tomato seedlings yourself, even on the windowsill of an ordinary city apartment. It should be planted in the ground in the second half of May or early June; the only correct guide in this case is the weather forecast. Planting tomatoes is quite simple - holes are made using a glander or shovel, humus and fertilizers are placed in them, mixed with soil, then the hole is filled with water and the plant is placed in it, it is advisable to dig it out carefully so that the soil from the roots is not shaken off. The hole is raked, leaving a depression - it will be needed when watering the plant.

How often to water tomatoes

Watering plants is not as simple as it might seem at first glance - there are some rules and features. Tomatoes are plants whose homeland is in the South. For this reason, they are very thermophilic and love sunlight and moisture. But when watering, you should direct the water so that it does not fall on the leaves and stems. The water must be warm. The plant may suffer from a lack of moisture, but too frequent and abundant watering can also harm it. Watering is especially dangerous if the weather is cool. In cold and rainy summers, watering the beds should be kept to a minimum.

In hot, dry weather, watering can be done once every two to three days, preferably in the evening. In the evening, you can also spray the plants. A lack of moisture can be indicated by falling flowers and ovaries.

How to tie tomatoes

You can tie up the tomatoes individually on stakes, or you can build trellises. Supports for the garter are located on the north or west side. The distance from the bush to the support should be about 10 cm. The plants are tied up with either soft cotton rope or rags cut into strips. When tying, you should not tightly grasp the stem - if it is squeezed, the plant will die.

Feeding

To get a good harvest, it is not enough to know just how often to water your tomatoes; you will also need information about how and when to feed them.

• There is no need to resort to applying large amounts of mineral fertilizers - you can get by with adding ash and ground egg shells. They are scattered around the bushes and filled with plenty of water. this amount of minerals will be sufficient for the normal development of plants.
• You will also need to add a solution of chicken droppings or manure to the tomatoes; for this, 1.5 kg of manure is infused in 200 liters of water. During the care process, feeding with mineral and organic substances alternates.
• To stimulate flowering, you can spray plants with an aqueous solution of low concentration boric acid 2 g per 10 liters of water. If spraying is carried out several times a season, fruiting will noticeably increase.

Let's grow tomatoes

To get beautiful large fruits, you will also need to perform pinching of plants - i.e. removal of side shoots formed in the axils of the leaves. They should be removed immediately as soon as their length reaches 2.5-3 cm. To attract bees to the plant, they are sprayed with a weak solution of honey or sugar.

We hope that these little tricks and tips for caring for tomatoes will help you grow a rich harvest, and the tomatoes you grow yourself will delight you with excellent taste and aroma. In addition, you will be confident that the products your family eats are truly environmentally friendly and healthy.

OgorodSadovod.com

Combining watering with fertilizing

In the process of growing tomatoes, it is important not only to water in a timely manner and collect ripening tomatoes, but also to fertilize the tomato bushes. Regularly applied fertilizers allow tomatoes to receive the necessary nutrients for development and fruiting constantly. The yield of tomatoes directly depends on the amount of fertilizer.

Fertilizers are diluted in water and fertilized at the roots. Typically, any fertilizers are applied after watering so as not to burn the delicate root system of tomatoes. The following substances are usually used to feed tomatoes:

• potassium permanganate;
• mash;
• kvass;
• curdled milk;
• wood ash solution;
• eggshells;
• compost;
• bird droppings.

All these substances can be spread dry on the surface of the soil, or you can infuse them for several days with water, then filter, dilute and fertilize the tomatoes simultaneously with watering.

Any vegetable grower can find similar preparations. But you can also use chemicals to feed tomatoes. For example, prepare a solution of superphosphate according to the instructions and apply it under the tomato bushes. You can also use vermicompost to feed these vegetable plants, which will not only become a source of nutrients for tomatoes, but also improve the composition of the soil.

In order to strengthen the immunity of plants and increase their resistance to attacks by pathogenic microorganisms and harmful insects, tomato bushes should be treated with Bordeaux mixture or diluted aspirin.

The most effective remedy against pathogenic fungi is Trichopolum, which copes well with pathogens without causing harm to cultivated plants.

In order to strengthen tomato bushes, it is recommended to apply Zdraven fertilizer under them. It is available in liquid form and is easily diluted with water.

Any type of fertilizer saturates tomatoes with all the necessary nutrients, activates the growth and development of plants, and improves the taste of the fruit. And fertilizers in liquid form simultaneously moisten the soil and add nutrients to it.

Watering for feeding

To strengthen seedlings

To keep the seedlings strong, they are hardened off and gradually helped to get used to open sunlight. 20 days before planting, the boxes are taken outside or into an open loggia, first for a couple of hours and this time is increased every day.

At night, it should be kept in a warm room, and 2 days before planting, the seedlings should be kept outside for 24 hours.

From pulling seedlings

To prevent tomato seedlings from stretching out, it is necessary to observe temperature conditions, lighting, distance between seedlings and fertilizing.

Used as fertilizer:

• 1 part ammonium nitrate,
• 3 parts potassium sulfate,
• 4 parts superphosphate.

60 g of the resulting mixture are diluted in 10 liters of water.

For fast growth

They try to speed up the growth of tomato seedlings in order to extend the growing season, which means getting a harvest earlier and more. Therefore, these feedings last the entire period of seedling development before transplanting into the ground.

The first feeding of this kind is given to young seedlings using urea diluted in water (5 g per 10 l). A week later, use the same amount, but nitrophoska.

And repeat for the last time 10 days before transplantation.

Water consumption rate when watering tomatoes

During the growth, development and fruiting of tomatoes, the rate of water consumption changes, and the amount of watering also changes.

As they grow, tomato seedlings are watered once every 3-4 days, and after transplanting to a permanent place, before flowering begins, the bushes are watered once every 6-8 days, adding 4-5 liters of water to each plant.

During flowering, to prevent the buds from falling off, water is applied strictly at the root of the tomatoes, and no more than 2 liters of moisture are added to each plant.

During fruiting, the volume of watering is increased again and 3-5 liters of moisture are added to each tomato bush, or 6-12 liters for each square of area.

About a couple of weeks before harvesting tomatoes, it is necessary to stop watering if the rainy season begins, or significantly reduce it. Otherwise, ripe tomatoes may burst.

Watering is important at all stages of the life of tomatoes - from growing seedlings to harvesting. But although tomatoes perceive soil moisture in the beds well, they do not perceive increased air humidity well. Therefore, it is so important to carry out regular ventilation when growing this vegetable crop in greenhouse conditions and other measures to reduce the humidity there to the optimum (about 50%).

Watering for diseases

Tomatoes have many different diseases and pests, so it is necessary to take preventive measures. Otherwise, the risk of losing part of the harvest is quite high. Let's look at the most common diseases and how to water tomato seedlings when they occur.

The leaves of tomato bushes turn yellow

If the leaves of seedlings turn yellow, this may mean:

• the soil is waterlogged,
• its acidity is increased,
• lack of nutrients
• there was a fungus on the seeds.

In these cases, mineral fertilizers containing potassium, zinc and nitrogen are used 7 days after planting and repeated after 2 weeks.

For fungus on seeds, use a solution of potassium permanganate, in which they are soaked before sowing.

From late blight

To prevent late blight, tomato seedlings are dipped in a solution of Fitosporin before planting. Then spray with this drug when the ovaries appear and repeat this procedure 3 times a month.

It can also be added to water when watering every other time.

Tips for Growing Tomatoes

To grow good tomatoes, it makes sense to listen to the advice of agronomists and experienced gardeners:

1. The key to a high yield is the right choice of variety. It makes sense to grow early-ripening tomatoes in open beds. They ripen before frost. Varieties that yield a harvest do not have time to attack late blight.
2. Care can be simplified by growing super-determinate and standard tomatoes. They do not need to be pinched, tied up, or lower leaves removed.
3. People who follow agrotechnical rules when growing should choose hybrids - they are usually tastier and produce a larger yield. For beginning gardeners, busy, lazy, summer residents who come to the site from time to time, varieties are recommended. They have fewer requirements for growing conditions and easier care.
4. If the garden is large, there is no tank on the plot, and it is problematic to settle and warm the water in the sun; you can water it with cold water. The main thing here is not to change the temperature of the liquid. Watering with either cold or warm water will cause tomatoes to experience constant stress and may cause them to lose their ovaries.

Growing a good crop of tomatoes in open ground is not difficult. You just need to comply with agrotechnical requirements and listen to the recommendations of specialists on crop care.

Basics of high-quality watering of tomatoes

In order for watering to be correct, you must follow some rules:

• water for irrigation should be neither cold nor hot. This can be stressful for the tomatoes. You can place the container in the greenhouse itself, then the water temperature will be the same as the air temperature in the room;
• You cannot water very often. The root system of tomatoes goes deep into the soil, thanks to which they easily find moisture even when it seems that the soil is already completely dry. The best time to water planted tomato seedlings is in the evening;
• When watering tomatoes, you should not spray the plants themselves. Only the roots of the bushes need water. To make watering more convenient, you can make indentations around the plants. By pouring water into these holes, there is a greater chance that the plants will not get wet;
• The normal volume of liquid for one tomato is from 5 to 10 liters. To ensure that moisture remains in the soil longer and does not evaporate, many gardeners mulch the soil. In this case, watering the tomatoes can be reduced;
• From time to time, watering should be alternated with fertilizing. For this you can use both organic and mineral fertilizers. For example, chicken manure is perfect for organic tomatoes. This type of watering has a very positive effect on the growth of tomatoes. You can also use a variety of granular fertilizers. They are applied to the soil before watering, mixed with soil or mulch. The moisture then dissolves the granules and they go directly to the roots of the tomato.

Watering frequency

Tomatoes and other plants are watered taking into account weather conditions. In this case, root watering is important. If the soil is significantly dry, this prevents the full absorption of nutrients.

What the tomato harvest will be is determined depending on how much moisture the plants receive. It is necessary to water according to a sense of proportion. Bushes develop poorly with excess and deficient amounts of water.

With excessive amounts of moisture, fungal pathologies develop faster, as a result, the fruits begin to crack and rot. This negatively affects the taste of vegetables.

In order for tomatoes to grow better, they need to be watered rarely but abundantly. You can judge the lack of moisture by the appearance of the crop. The foliage becomes drooping and turns dark. Professional gardeners do not recommend frequent watering of plants at small dosages.

Let's present in the table the answer to the question of how much you need to water tomatoes under different weather conditions:

Weather	Procedure mode
Normal weather	Water the tomatoes generously every 2 days.
Hot and dry weather	The procedure is carried out every day. Tomatoes should be watered early in the morning or in the evening. In this case, the top layer will not be dry, the plant will receive the right amount of nutrients. Weather conditions
Rainy weather	There is no need to water the tomatoes at this time. The plant receives a sufficient amount of moisture under natural conditions.

Numerous professional gardeners recommend watering low-growing varieties less when the fruits begin to fill. The procedure is not carried out before the harvesting campaign.

Tall tomatoes need to be watered evenly throughout the entire period when the crop is developing. This will help to obtain a high-quality fruit harvest.