Experienced gardeners know that tomatoes are an unpretentious vegetable crop that can do without watering. Without artificial irrigation, the wild ancestors of modern tomatoes grow and bear fruit, but their fruits are small and there are few of them.
Growth, fruiting and the size of the harvest depend on the quality of nutrition, since nutrients enter every cell of the plant in dissolved form.
Watering tomatoes in open ground - features
The watering rules common to all tomatoes are often difficult to implement in an open ground garden bed. It is easy to adhere to a clear schedule for greenhouse tomatoes, but ground tomatoes directly depend on the weather.
- Tomatoes tolerate temperatures up to 3°C only if there is sufficient soil moisture. Due to the active evaporation of moisture from the leaves, the bush itself copes with overheating.
- Excess moisture leads to outbreaks of fungal diseases, fruits crack, bushes drop flowers, ovaries and fruits. Result: the quality of the harvest is below standard, the fruits are watery and tasteless.
Reviews
With experience, each summer resident develops his own algorithm for watering tomatoes in the open ground. Theoretical knowledge is good, but it must be tested in practice. Sometimes adjustments have to be made to the generally accepted scheme due to soil characteristics, climatic conditions and some other factors. Here's what those who have been growing crops for years say about it.
Marianna, Stavropol region:
“At the end of August, I completely stop watering tomatoes to avoid late blight. The bushes survive normally until frosts, which happen in the second half of October. Sometimes the tomatoes don’t turn out as juicy as we would like, but the plants don’t get sick and the harvest is completely preserved.”
Vitaly, Novosibirsk region:
“I have had a purchased drip irrigation system “Aqua Dusya” on my plot for two years now. I'm very pleased with the result. No hassles with buckets, watering cans, or hoses. The fruits are large, the bushes do not get sick. The only difficulty is that the system has to be removed in the winter and installed again in the spring. I’m playing it safe, since our winters are frosty.”
Inna, St. Petersburg:
“The frequency of watering directly depends on the area where the tomatoes are planted and the weather conditions. I’ve heard that some people recommend watering tomatoes only two or three times a season, but I don’t think this is justified. With our wet summer, I water my tomatoes regularly, especially if there is no rain. First of all, you need to be guided by the state of the plants themselves."
Proper watering of a tomato bed at a certain time
Many years of experience in growing ground tomatoes have been studied and systematized. Recommendations for caring for open-ground tomatoes did not arise out of nowhere; they have been tested by more than one generation of gardeners and practicing agronomists.
When is the best time to water? The unequivocal answer is - just not in the heat. Watering open ground tomatoes begins no earlier than 3-4 hours before sunset. As a last resort - in the morning, when it is not yet very hot.
All recommendations boil down to one rule - tomatoes need abundant watering no more than 1-2 times a week:
- 5 liters for a bush of low-growing tomatoes;
- 10 l - for tall varieties.
The frequency of watering ground tomatoes depends solely on the climate and soil characteristics. Thus, sandy soils do not retain moisture well; water literally goes into the sand.
Frequent watering in small portions does more harm than good; only the upper roots are nourished, the lower ones die off, and the bush suffers from insufficient nutrition.
Experienced gardeners can determine the need to water tomatoes by touch. You need to dig a bed with a shovel and squeeze the soil in your hand. If you can mold it into a lump that will then crumble without effort, you don’t need watering yet. The tomatoes themselves will indicate a lack of water by wilting and darkening of the foliage.
In rainy weather there is no need to worry. Do not forget about the prevention of late blight and other fungi - prolonged drizzling rains create optimal conditions for their appearance.
Regular watering 1-2 times a week can be reduced to 1 time if you mulch the tomato bed, for example, with straw. Mulch perfectly regulates the humidity of the bed and is the best prevention of late blight. When the ovary fills and gains the size of the fruit according to the variety, you can limit watering of the tomatoes, and if there is mulch, stop it altogether.
During ripening, it is important not to overdo it with watering - the skin of the fruit cracks and the tomatoes are then only suitable for urgent processing. At the other extreme, a lack of moisture can cause the plant to drop all its flowers and ovaries.
What to water for good growth
You can water tomatoes not only with plain water, but also with nutrient solutions that have a beneficial effect on plant growth and their productivity. We are not talking about industrial fertilizers; in the collection of folk recipes there are many available means applicable for this purpose.
What did previous generations of summer residents feed on tomatoes in the era of general shortage?
Yeast
You can easily notice the difference in the appearance of tomatoes watered with regular water and with yeast fertilizer.
Yeast accelerates the process of decomposition of organic matter in the soil and improves its microflora.
The mixture is easy to prepare yourself right at your summer cottage. You can use both fresh and dry yeast.
Ash has been used as a fertilizer for cultivated plants for several hundred years. The extraordinary popularity of ash fertilizer is associated with its natural composition and good efficiency.
As you can see, with the help of ash, plants receive a set of the most important elements for them.
The substance can be used in dry form, but an ash solution is more convenient to use. It is not necessary to water tomatoes with this mixture often; it is enough to apply the product 2-3 times during the growing season.
To prepare the solution, add 100 grams of ash to 1 bucket of water and leave to infuse for 5-6 hours. Use 0.5 liters of ash solution per plant.
Ammonia
Ammonia is another simple but effective fertilizer. Essentially, it is a 10% ammonium hydroxide solution in which the amount of nitrogen is 80-82%.
It is recommended to use ammonia when no growth is observed or the tomato leaves become smaller and lose their green color.
Usually, to stimulate the development of a tomato, two such feedings are enough.
Preparing the solution is very simple:
What kind of water do tomatoes like?
It is best to use rain water - it is softer than tap water and does not contain chlorine impurities. It is advisable to use distilled tap water because:
- chlorine reagents decompose and precipitate;
- excess calcium and phosphorus salts become insoluble;
- the water is warming up.
It is not advisable to use cold water so that the plant does not experience shock from the temperature contrast.
After work, the top layer of soil must be loosened. Using mulch on a tomato bed makes this operation unnecessary.
Use mulch
Mulching material can be made from organic raw materials, synthetic and artificial materials.
This is an old agricultural technique used to increase soil fertility to retain moisture and improve structure. Due to this method, productivity increases and the incidence of diseases of tomatoes decreases. The easiest and cheapest way to obtain mulch is from grass clippings.
Useful functions of mulch:
- Protects the soil from heat.
- The number of weeds is reduced.
- The looseness of the top layer is maintained and crusting is prevented.
- Soil moisture is maintained.
- If the mulch is made of organic substances, then it is enriched with useful elements.
- Air saturation occurs, favorable conditions are created for the activity of beneficial microorganisms.
If you mulch tomatoes in a greenhouse, then it is better to give preference to organic materials. Organic material decomposes and humus occurs over time. Due to humus, the soil is enriched with nutrients.
Organic materials include: grass clippings, hay, humus, peat, sawdust, pine needles, dry leaves, compost.
Types of irrigation - advantages and disadvantages
Depending on the area and layout of the tomato bed, the availability of free time and connection to a centralized water supply, various methods of irrigating tomato beds are practiced.
Manual from a watering can
It’s easy to water a small garden bed by hand using a watering can.
- It is advisable to add 1 tablespoon of ash to 1 bucket of water to simultaneously feed the tomatoes.
- Pour water strictly at the root so as not to wet the leaves.
- After abundant watering, be sure to loosen the top layer of soil after absorbing the water.
Advantages: you can adjust the composition (add fertilizers), use prepared or rain water;
Disadvantages: labor-intensive process, time-consuming.
From a hose by hand
A flexible hose with various nozzles and an adapter system connected to the water supply greatly simplifies watering the beds.
Advantages: the work does not require significant physical effort to water even a large garden;
Flaws:
- watering with hard cold water,
- the work requires special care so as not to wet the tomato leaves;
- it is difficult to regulate the amount of water per bush; The hose constantly gets tangled, making it difficult to move it around the site.
Filling beds with water
If you organize the planting of bushes in a special way, you can water them by filling the beds. Tomatoes are planted in 2 rows with wide row spacing. Shallow ditches for water are made between the rows and along the outer edges of the long bed. A hose is placed in these ditches and the recesses are filled with water flush with the edges.
Advantages:
- simplicity of the method;
- the ability to give any fertilizer;
- You can water no more than once a week.
Flaws:
- high water consumption;
- availability of central water supply;
- watering with cold water.
The simplest drip
Drip irrigation can be thought of as a type of watering from a hose. The simplest option can be made independently, so that when unfolded the system supplies water to all plants. Water should flow out drop by drop through small holes. Such a system can be made from old rubber tubes.
It is necessary to monitor the process once and note the time it takes for the bed. Usually this is at least 3-4 hours.
Advantages:
- water drops heat up;
- can be left overnight;
- there is no need for subsequent loosening;
- water does not fall on the leaves;
- saving water.
Flaws:
- water supply is required;
- the holes are constantly clogged;
- an irrigation system must be purchased or manufactured independently;
- beds must be planned taking into account the irrigation system.
Automation
An automatic watering system can be a labor and time saving solution. In this case, it is possible to regulate the flow of water under each bush.
Advantages:
- To turn on the irrigation you only need to open the tap.
Flaw:
- the cost of the system, which includes a special container and pipes;
- everything is connected to a conventional drip irrigation system.
How ditch watering of bushes with tomatoes occurs can be found by watching the video.
How much to water
How much water is needed for proper development and a good harvest? The amount of water is affected by the size of the bush, the method of cultivation, and soil moisture . On average, one adult tomato plant uses three to five liters of water. The numbers can vary both upward and downward.
Important! It is better to water evenly, avoiding drying out or waterlogging the soil.
Special attention is paid to water temperature . For beneficial watering of tomatoes, the water must be warm. Cold water is only permissible in the early stages of tomato growth. For example, for spring hardening.
During other periods, watering with cold water can even lead to the death of the plant. This is especially true during hot periods, when there is a large temperature difference between cold water, hot earth and heated plant.
Stages of tomato growth and flowering
Immediately after planting and until the bushes take root well and begin to actively grow, the tomatoes are watered, depending on the weather, every day or every other day. After loosening the soil and watering 1 liter of water at the roots, final loosening is carried out. This regime is followed for approximately 7-10 days.
Before the start of flowering and the appearance of the ovary on 1 brush, depending on the weather, apply 1-2 times a week. Until the fruits ripen and reach the required size, the tomato bushes need artificial irrigation. The main criterion to focus on is the condition of the foliage. Drooping foliage is the first signal of the need for watering.
It is important not to over-moisten the soil, otherwise you may lose the entire harvest from an outbreak of late blight and other diseases. If there is a lack of moisture, the bushes themselves regulate fruiting - they lose color and ovaries, and the remaining fruits become smaller.
During the fruiting period, it is necessary to control soil moisture especially carefully - to avoid changes. Watering after the soil dries out will certainly lead to cracking of the fruit. The harvest will only be suitable for immediate processing into juice.
Why is watering important for tomatoes?
Tomatoes are considered a drought-resistant crop . This statement is true for plants planted in the ground and in the greenhouse using the seedless method (without picking). These tomatoes have a powerful root system. It is capable of collecting moisture itself, which is located at depth.
In Russia, the seedless method is used infrequently, since it does not allow early harvests. And tomatoes in our latitudes do not always have time to ripen before the onset of cold weather.
Most tomato growers grow tomatoes using seedling technology . And with it, no matter how carefully the plants are handled when picking, the root system of the plant is disrupted. And in the future, an adult tomato that has been replanted will have roots located in the surface layer of soil. And it is drier compared to the earth at depth.
Since a tomato cannot independently extract water from the depths, it needs help . Namely, additional watering. Let's look at how to properly water tomatoes.
How to water different types of tomatoes
The specifics of watering tomatoes of low-growing and tall varieties differ only in the amount of water, which is determined solely by the size of the bush. The determinate "Ephemeral" 40-50 cm high and the giant indeterminate bush "De Barao" consume different amounts of water. The standard scheme “short - 5 liters, tall - 10 liters” is very arbitrary.
The intensity is determined by soil moisture. It is necessary to maintain moderate humidity without overdrying.
The need for watering should be determined either by touch: by the flowability of the soil, or by the foliage: wilted or fresh.
Large-fruited indeterminate varieties require more frequent watering. With a lack of water, the fruits become smaller and crack after the first rain.
Differences in tomatoes in terms of ripening period do not have a special effect on the watering regime. The rule common to all varieties also applies here - tomatoes produce a high-quality harvest only with moderate but sufficient watering.
Do I need to water tomatoes while they are ripening?
Only during intensive growth does the plant require more moisture.
It is also worth considering that when the soil is overwatered, the fruits will begin to burst and will have an unpleasant aftertaste.
Watering is differentiated according to tomato varieties. It is this that influences soil moisture during the formation and ripening of fruits.
Low varietal tomatoes are watered much less frequently when the fruits ripen. And after a short amount of time they stop altogether. This method allows you to get rid of cracking and spoilage of fruits.
Tall varietal tomatoes, on the contrary, intensely moisturize. This happens because the bushes simultaneously grow, ripen, and form new fruits. The soil is moistened once every four days, with an approximate volume of water of 10 liters for each bush. This method allows you to achieve larger fruit sizes.
Recommendations for gardeners
You should think about watering at the stage of planning the beds.
- It is necessary to take into account the location of the bed so that it is convenient to carry water or lay a hose.
- If you plan to irrigate by filling the beds, you need to plant the seedlings in 2 rows with a wide row spacing.
- At your summer cottage, prepare barrels to collect rainwater.
- If you have a water supply system, consider and prepare in advance a system for connecting and distributing water throughout the site.
- Prepare mulch (straw, wood chips, sawdust) for more comfortable growth of tomatoes. Using mulch reduces the risk of fungal diseases when the soil is waterlogged in rainy summers.
- In regions with traditionally rainy summers, it is recommended to grow tomatoes in high beds. They are prepared in advance, preferably in the fall.
The tomato harvest and its quality directly depend on the uniformity of the irrigation regime. There should be no overdrying of the soil followed by waterlogging. Such extreme conditions cause a response - the plants lose color and ovaries. Only following the rules guarantees a bountiful harvest.
Should I water tomatoes if it's cold outside?
As a rule, cloudy weather allows watering to be carried out at any time. There is no need to adjust to the morning or evening hours. Watering is carried out with warm water.
If yesterday it was warm, and today there is a sharp cold snap, watering is not recommended. The earth maintains a stable temperature, this indicates that the soil is gradually cooling, and the plant is also gradually getting used to this temperature and hardening. If you water, a sharp temperature change occurs, which can lead to plant disease and death.
