Mulching has a long list of benefits, but the main benefit, in this case, is moisture retention.Ī 2-inch layer of mulch around the base of your tomato plants keeps the soil cool and prevents water from evaporating, leaving more available to your plant. However, there is one more task left to make your watering far more successful – mulching. Once you’ve finished watering slowly and deeply around the base of the plant, you may think your job is complete.
#Tomato timer method Patch#
Focus on the patch of soil around the plant and water slowly and deeply for the best results. Focus on them by watering the soil at the base of the plant and leaving the leaves out of the equation.ĭon’t water too much directly around the stem as this can cause the soil to wash away or the stem to rot. The roots of the plant take the water to the parts of the plant that need it. Leaving water on the leaves for extended periods can also cause problems with fungal diseases or attract pests that negatively impact the health of your plant. The water that does reach the soil often does so unevenly, resulting in dry spots in the soil. When you water over the top of the plant, much of the water remains on the leaves and evaporates, serving no purpose to your plants. This principle is one of the first lessons every new gardener learns, but it is so important that it bears repeating – water the soil, not the leaves. Again, a drip irrigation system can help with this task by providing a consistent supply of water that penetrates deep into the soil, rather than remaining on the top layer only.
This gives the plant access to more nutrients and establishes a deep root system that will help the plant survive during dry spells.Īs a general guide, soak the soil to a depth of at least 6 inches. When you water the soil slowly and thoroughly, the roots of the plant travel further down into the soil to soak up the extra water.
And one of the ways you can encourage your plant to develop a strong root system is by watering deeply. A strong root system is key to a healthy, productive plant. Water deeplyĮven though you can’t see it, what happens to your tomato plant below the soil is just as important, if not more important, than what’s going on above the soil.
#Tomato timer method install#
It’s easy to purchase one and install it around your tomato plants, or you can simply make your own with items available around your house. Installing a drip irrigation system will solve the problem for you and take much of the hassle out of watering. If you don’t feel like standing around watering your plants slowly for hours – good news. In this way, you’ll give the plants access to more water over time than if you were to flood the soil, even if you use the same amount of water.
By watering slowly, you fully saturate all parts of the soil – not just the topsoil. When you water in large amounts too quickly, the water tends to run off rather than penetrating the soil and reaching the roots where it is needed. That consistent supply won’t be provided if you quickly flood the soil every few days and leave the plant to its own devices. Your tomato plants need a consistent supply of water to support their continuous growth. Providing your plants with water is essential, but the methods you use to water are just as important. ‘How to water’ may seem like a trivial question, but it can have a big impact on the health of your plants. To ensure a great harvest – the goal of every tomato gardener – you need to start by getting watering right. Tomatoes are mostly made up of water and the plant needs plenty of it to produce fruits. Most importantly, correct watering is good for the fruit. It can prevent a host of problems common in plants with a lack of (or more often, too much) water, that every gardener would be happy to avoid: But watering the right amount, at the right time, and in the right way is more than a standard care task. Without water, the plants simply won’t survive. Watering is obviously an essential part of tomato plant care.
#Tomato timer method how to#
It may take some practice at first, but once you understand the basics of how to water, how often to water, and how much to water, you won’t have to deal with the panic of correct watering any longer. Warnings aside, watering your tomato plants correctly is not difficult to do. Worst case scenario, you go too far in either direction and ultimately kill the plant. Overwater and the roots rot, again causing weak growth. Unfortunately, it is also one of the practices many gardeners get wrong.īest case scenario, underwater and you deprive the plant, causing weak growth. To grow successful tomato plants, watering correctly is essential.