Watering tomatoes in the greenhouse and open field
Content:
As we know, the key step in growing any plant, not just tomatoes, is watering the seedlings. However, as you may have guessed, not everything is so simple and thoughtlessly pouring water, expecting a good result, is pointless. After all, it is from how you nourish the plant that its further growth and splendor of the harvest will depend. Watering tomatoes - how to protect the plant from overflow and achieve an excellent harvest? Here you will find information on how to preserve your crops by watering plants growing in ordinary, open beds and in the ground.
Time to water
As practice shows, the most suitable time for watering is in the morning, when the sun has just risen, or in the evening, during the heat recession. By following this advice, you will help them to be fully hydrated. Watering tomatoes is best done in the early morning, within an hour or two after the sun comes out of the horizon. It was at this time that the water supplied to the roots of plants will be preserved and nourish them for the whole day.
Watering tomatoes in the evening can be fraught with oversaturation of the soil with water and, as a result, the plants will become susceptible to the development of fungus.
We all know what happens if water is spilled on hot asphalt on a hot summer day. It will immediately evaporate without leaving a trace, as if it did not exist at all. Roughly the same thing happens with our plants. Watering tomatoes during the day, in the hot sun, you risk leaving your plants completely dry, it will evaporate from the leaves and soil right before your eyes.
It is forbidden to humidify plants in the heat of the day, and in greenhouses, during evaporation, water will create the most favorable environment for the development of fungus and other diseases, and this will seriously affect the harvest in the future. If irrigation has already taken place, open the room and ventilate it constantly. The bushes must be watered under the very root. So you will save them from excessive leaf growth, and all the water will really go to nourish our bushes.
Signs of improper watering
If you notice that the development of the plant has stopped, the fruits are too small, and the leaves are twisted into a tube, the tomatoes suffer from a lack of moisture.
If the plants develop infections, the fruit cracks, and if weeds are growing around, consider whether you are flooding the tomatoes with water.
Watering tomato seedlings
As you know, tomatoes are grown using seedlings. For the ripening of tasty and strong fruits, it is necessary to calculate the volume and frequency of its watering; during the first shoots, seedlings are especially sensitive. Tomatoes growing on the windowsill need to be watered so that the soil is moist, however, you need to carefully observe so as not to flood it with water, as well as prevent cracks from lack of moisture. It is required to maintain a kind of water balance in flower pots. As mentioned above, if for any reason the plants are flooded with water, they will become susceptible to fungus and other diseases, due to the drying out of the soil, their productive activity will stop. When the top layer of the soil dries up, they must be watered, and the volume of water must be calculated to deeply moisten the mail. Seedlings can be grown in small plastic cups, which will facilitate the task of watering and planting several times in the future.
Watering tomatoes after picking should be carried out according to the following scenario: during planting and after 4-5 days (we wait until the ground dries up).After that, our tomatoes should be watered no more than once a week. It is necessary to regulate the frequency during plant growth, because they increase and the initial amount of moisture is no longer enough for them. A couple of hours before planting seedlings in the soil, they should be watered for a fairly easy, painless transplanting process; it will be easier.
How to water tomatoes in a greenhouse depending on the growth phase
It is necessary to understand that a newly planted bush and an already formed and bearing fruit must be watered differently. Now you will find out why. The best solution for providing plants with water is to create drip irrigation conditions.
When planting seedlings
Immediately before planting the seedlings, gently pour 1-2 liters of warm water into the hole where the tomatoes will grow. This amount is enough for the first adaptation of the plant, it will soften the earth and create the most favorable environment for growth inside. After that, the tomato bushes are watered a week after planting, and then every couple of days in small portions. Tomatoes are actively growing the root system these days. When watering, water should be poured under the roots of the plants.
During active plant growth
After planting and fixing in the soil, the phase of active growth will begin. They should be watered once a week. Per sq. m pour a couple of buckets of water.
During flowering
By the time of flowering, it is necessary to gradually reduce watering; 1.5-2 liters twice a week will be sufficient. Do not pour over the plants abundantly, this will only lead to abundant growth of the leaves, and the ripening of the fruits, on the contrary, will be delayed. Here you should ask yourself the question: what do I want, lush leaves or ripe fleshy fruits? Watering them is highly discouraged, and watering at the root is what is needed for a good harvest to ripen.
During fruit setting
With the appearance of the first ovary, it is necessary to resume watering with polycarbonate again. Watering at the same frequency, twice a week, however, now three to five liters of water are used for each plant. You cannot spare liquids, otherwise the ovary will fall off, and the tomatoes will be born too small.
When ripe tomatoes
Watering should be moderate, with as little water as possible. This happens for one simple reason: fungal plants and late blight, including, actively begin to "attack", and a large amount of moisture, as a result, contributes to the spread of this disease. At the first signs of maturation, watering is required in the greenhouse.
Watering tomatoes outdoors
There are no strict rules or restrictions on this. The watering rate will always be different. It can change depending on the weather. If it rains heavily all summer, you shouldn't water the tomatoes. However, if there is little rainfall, additional "doping" is indispensable. If you sprinkle plant beds with a thick layer of hay or straw (507 cm), you can reduce the amount of water used and the frequency of watering.
When watering, you should adhere to the following scheme for watering tomatoes: pour five liters under the root one or two times during the week. Water from a mains supply and rainwater are suitable, it contains a lot of oxygen, as well as useful trace elements and nitrogen. It is believed that rainwater is even healthier than ordinary water. To irrigate the garden, the water should be at an average room temperature: from 25 ° C to 35 ° C.
When it comes time to harvest, you should be especially careful when watering your garden. The watering schedule for the plant should be closely monitored. It is very important to water it moderately so that the ground does not crack. Important: if you water the tomatoes after a long break, the fruits will crack, and this should not be allowed. First, you need to water the plants a little with water, for adaptation, and the next day add the rest of the water. Thus, it becomes possible to avoid cracking the fruit.
How to organize watering
You can water the bushes from a watering can (for this there must be a special nozzle, fine-mesh) and from a hose. A huge plus in the case of drip irrigation is the same distribution of water, because this is what tomatoes love when there is not too much of it, but not too little. The second reason for creating drip irrigation for plants is as follows: water flows to the roots exactly at the moment when they will need it most. In this way, unnecessary watering or cracking of the ground can be avoided. In addition, this system is turned on and controlled automatically. And you can add the necessary fertilizers to the water of automatic irrigation, which is another huge plus.
With drip irrigation, a huge amount of water is saved, because it flows exactly into the beds and does not spill by. Also, for deeper moistening of the soil, it is recommended to install bottles with a cut-off neck instead of hoses and pour water directly into it. So, it will seep and moisturize the roots.
Watering tomatoes photo