When to water tomatoes after planting in the ground and greenhouse

The yield of tomatoes primarily depends on watering. Without enough moisture, the bushes simply will not be able to grow and bear fruit. It is good that now, when any information can be found on the Internet, we no longer need to learn from our own mistakes. It is better to listen to experienced gardeners who have a lot of experience in this business. In this article, we will learn the basic rules for watering tomatoes, as well as some features and ways that will make it much easier to do this. We will also see how tomatoes are irrigated after planting in open ground and in a greenhouse.

Basic rules for watering a tomato

Water is very important for tomato seedlings. It is thanks to her that tomatoes receive the nutrients they need for growth. Improper watering can harm plants or even kill them. So you need to figure out how often you need to water the tomatoes, and what features of the seedlings to take into account.

To check the amount of moisture does not need any complex devices. It is enough just to take a lump of soil from a bed at a depth of about 10 cm. The lump should form easily and also easily disintegrate when pressed. If the soil is too crumbly or very dense, you need to reconsider the frequency of watering, and accordingly reduce or increase the amount of water.

Water is essential for all living beings and plants. Without it, nothing living could simply exist. When caring for tomatoes, you need to take into account the age of the seedlings, as well as the characteristics of the soil. In this case, you must follow some rules:

1. Over watering can cause the soil to become too dense. Also, stagnant water threatens to increase the level of soil acidity.
2. The amount of water must be calculated so that it is enough until the evening of the next day. It is better to water the plant again as needed, than to pour in too much at once.
3. You can determine when it is time to water the seedlings by looking at the surface of the soil around the plants. If it is darker than the soil in the garden, then there is enough moisture for now. If it is completely dry and the earth has become a uniform color, then it is time to water the tomatoes.
4. During the day, the soil should dry completely. If this does not happen, and the ground near the tomato is wet and dense, then the amount of water for irrigation must be reduced.

In order for tomatoes to feel comfortable after planting in the ground, you need to strictly follow the rules of watering. But at the same time, they may differ depending on where and how the tomato seedlings grew. Therefore, when buying young seedlings, you should ask the seller about the conditions under which they were grown. For those who independently prepare tomato seedlings, it will be easier to find the right care for the sprouts. Seedlings that grew in a warm room or greenhouse need hardening. To do this, boxes with tomatoes are taken outside before planting so that they can get used to the wind and direct sunlight.

The amount and abundance of watering directly depends on the following factors:

• seedling quality;
• physical features of the soil;
• weather.

Unhardened tomato seedlings for the first time after planting will need shading. Such sprouts require less moisture, as they are not under the scorching sun. Hardened seedlings after transplanting into open ground are watered once a day. One bush of tomatoes will need about 2-3 liters of water. The best time for watering is in the morning. In this case, before the onset of heat, the plant will receive the necessary nutrients and be able to cope with the high temperature. If by evening the soil is completely dry, then the plants can be watered again, now only 1-2 liters of water will be needed for one sprout.

Manual watering tomato seedlings in a greenhouse

This method of watering is used most often than all others, as it is the simplest and most economical. It does not require special tanks or wells to collect water on the site. All that is needed to perform such watering is a simple improvised device and your own hands.

The following devices are used as a tool:

• bucket;
• watering can;
• plastic bottles;
• large container with a watering can.

The easiest way to water tomatoes is with a watering can. In this case, moisture enters the soil according to the principle of rain irrigation. Due to this, water is evenly distributed over the surface of the earth. Such watering is done quickly and does not require large financial costs.

The method of watering tomatoes with a bucket is fundamentally different. In this case, for even distribution of water, it is necessary to make furrows on both sides of the row. Then the required amount of water is poured into these furrows. With loose and fertile soil, moisture will freely enter the roots of plants. The disadvantage of this method is that it can be difficult to calculate the required amount of water for irrigation. Too loose soil can instantly absorb liquid, and in more dense soil, water can stagnate.

To perform manual watering of a tomato, you will have to ensure constant access of water to the site. To do this, you can put a large container near the garden, and bring a hose to it. Thus, it is possible to pump water every time as needed. Some gardeners attach another hose to the tank, with which you can drip irrigation the beds.

It is also very convenient to water tomato seedlings with plastic bottles. They are sure to be found in everyone’s home. So, near each bush, a bottle is buried upside down. Before that, the bottom of the container must be cut off. Water is poured into the bottle through the hole, which is then independently distributed. The advantage of this method of watering is that moisture comes directly to the roots, and is not spent on moistening the top layer of the earth.

Mechanical watering of tomatoes in a greenhouse

Mechanical and manual irrigation 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 can not worry about watering seedlings for a long time.

To create such a system you will need:

1. Plastic pipes and hose.
2. Droppers for all types of irrigation.
3. Source for water supply. It can be a water supply pipe or an ordinary well.
4. Equipment for pumping water.
5. Electric Energy.
6. Deep container or tank.

The first step in creating a mechanical watering system for a tomato is to install a pump for pumping 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 done according to the instructions, and in the future there will be no problems with watering. Pumping equipment is turned on and off with 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 how it is installed.

Then the pipes from the pump are laid to the tank. If the electricity suddenly disappears, it will be possible to irrigate manually or with a hose from this tank. After that, 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.

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

Valves should be installed on each pipe. Thanks to them, it will be possible to regulate the flow of water. The taps will reduce the strong pressure, and the plants will not suffer during irrigation. And if a pipe breaks suddenly, it can be blocked. Then the system as a whole, as well as the plants themselves, will not suffer. To prepare such a system for watering a tomato will take a lot of time and effort. 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 amount of plants. Such a device will save a lot of time and effort in the further care of tomatoes.

Watering a tomato in open ground

Watering a tomato after planting in the ground must be regular. Excess or lack of moisture can harm plants. The first time after planting, it is advised to water the tomatoes abundantly, but not very often. Frequent watering can lower the temperature of the soil, causing fruit to set slowly.

Some people mistakenly believe that after planting, tomatoes need to be watered very often. In fact, this is exactly what you don’t need to do. Before you take the tomato seedlings out of the containers and plant them in open ground, they have already watered them very plentifully. The next watering is carried out immediately after disembarkation. This moisture will be enough for the plant to take root in the garden.

After the seedlings have taken root, watering is carried out as the tomato grows:

• it is very important to keep the soil moist during the formation of the ovaries;
• after the flowers appear and before the appearance of the first fruits, watering is slightly reduced;
• in cloudy weather, watering can be carried out at any time of the day, and on hot days only in the morning and evening. In the scorching sun, moisture will quickly evaporate.

Therefore, you need to water only the aisles. Due to the ingress of water on the leaves and stems, seedlings can simply “cook” in hot weather.

Construction of a drip irrigation system in a greenhouse

The irrigation system in the greenhouse should be not only efficient, but also economical. This is what drip irrigation is. The advantage of this method is that the watering process is fully automated and does not require much effort on your part. Also, drip irrigation will protect tomato seedlings from late blight. And as you know, this is the most common disease in tomatoes.

It is not difficult to build such an irrigation system. Pipes are installed on the principle of a conventional mechanical irrigation system. Water in this case will flow to the plants through a special drip-type hose. All these hoses are connected to a water source. It is necessary to place drip tapes or hoses at a distance equal to the width of a row of tomatoes. If these are tall tomatoes, then the row spacing will be 1 meter, and if they are short, then 40–50 cm.

Such a system conducts dosed watering of a tomato. Moisture enters the plants through special holes in the drip tape. If you place the hoses correctly, then the water will penetrate directly to the roots of the tomatoes. Some deepen the tape into the soil by 4–5 cm. In this case, you can definitely be sure that the upper part of the plants will not get wet. To 100% protect the leaves from irrigation, you should turn the drip tape with the holes down.

And this disease, as you know, is able to cause moisture on the upper part of the plant.

The installation of the system is carried out immediately before planting seeds or tomato seedlings. First, a trial run of droppers is carried out, and only after that the hoses can be buried in the soil. A test run is also carried out in order to be able to see where the holes are, since it is in these places that we plant tomato seedlings.

If you are going to deepen the hoses, then before installation, make furrows in the soil into which you will bury the system. Next, check the hoses and plant the plants. And after that, you can fill the furrows with earth. As a watering container, you can use any sealed barrel or box. A large plastic container will also work. Some, in general, do without a tank, and connect the system directly to the water tap.

Benefits of a drip irrigation system

Many gardeners use drip irrigation on their plots. Such popularity of this method is due to some advantages:

1. Economical water consumption. The liquid goes directly to the roots of the plants.
2. Requires no physical effort. Watering is carried out automatically. All that is required of a person is to make the system itself and turn it on from time to time. You can even make the device fully automated. For this, a special timer is set, which will count the time and start supplying water to the tomatoes.
3. Tomatoes do not suffer from late blight. Usually, when growing tomatoes, gardeners have to spend money on prophylactic remedies for this disease. It can appear on wet parts of plants and spread quickly. Due to the supply of water to the roots, the stems do not get wet, and, accordingly, the tomatoes do not suffer from late blight. Thus, healthy plants will give a more generous harvest. And at the same time, the vegetables will be environmentally friendly, as no chemicals were used to grow them.
4. Facilitated feeding process. If you’re going to be adding any kind of tomato nutrient mix, you don’t have to water each plant individually. Feed can simply be added to the greenhouse water supply tank. Then the fertilizer will go through hoses to each tomato bush.

How often should you water your tomatoes?

To get a good harvest, you need to know how often you need to water the tomatoes after planting. It is with water that plants absorb all the necessary nutrients. When the soil is saturated with moisture up to 90%, tomatoes will receive all the most important substances, and as a result, rapid growth and high-quality fruits can be expected.

One tomato bush can take half or even a whole bucket of liquid, depending on the size of the container and the needs of the soil. The water should not be warm. It is best if the temperature of the soil and water is the same.

Some gardeners put a container for liquid directly in the greenhouse. Remember that this can threaten to increase the humidity of the air. It would be better to use a drip irrigation system. If this is not possible, then the barrel of water should be covered with polyethylene.

It happens that moisture stagnates due to the density of the soil. In this case, the soil must be pierced with a pitchfork in several places. After watering the tomatoes, you should immediately ventilate the greenhouse. If you use a mechanical irrigation system for tomatoes, you can set a timer to automatically water the plants.

How to determine the lack or excess of water

Both excess and lack of fluid can negatively affect the yield of tomatoes. Determine when to water the tomatoes can be on the leaves. If they curl into a boat, this is a clear sign of a lack of fluid. To remedy the situation, loosen and water the soil around the tomato. In order for moisture to linger in the soil longer, you can mulch the soil with sawdust, hay or leaves.

Cracks on the stem and fruits clearly indicate an excess of moisture. Such manifestations will undoubtedly affect the quality and taste of the tomato. The roots of the plant also suffer from excessive watering. To make the moisture supply more uniform, the drip irrigation method should be used.

The basics of high-quality watering a tomato

For watering to be correct, you must follow some rules:

• water for irrigation should not be cold or hot. This can be stressful for tomatoes. You can put the container in the greenhouse itself, then the water temperature will be the same as the air temperature in the room;
• should not be watered very often. The root system of a tomato goes deep into the soil, making it easy for them to find moisture even when it seems that the soil is already completely dry. The best time for watering planted tomato seedlings is evening;
• when watering a tomato, do not spray the plants themselves. Only the roots of the bushes need water. To make watering more convenient, you can make recesses around the plants. By pouring water into these holes, it is more likely that the plants will not get wet;
• the normal volume of liquid for one tomato is from 5 to 10 liters. To keep moisture in the soil longer and not evaporate, many gardeners mulch the soil. In this case, watering tomatoes can be reduced;
• from time to time watering should be alternated with top dressing. To do this, you can use both organic and mineral fertilizers. For example, chicken manure is perfect for organic tomatoes. Such watering has a very positive effect on the growth of tomatoes. You can also use various granular fertilizers. They are applied to the soil before watering, mixing with soil or mulch. Then the moisture dissolves the granules, and they go directly to the roots of the tomato.

Conclusion

Progress does not stand still. If earlier everyone watered tomatoes with a bucket and watering cans, today the variety of watering methods is simply amazing. Each gardener can choose the method of watering the tomato that is most suitable for his site. Modern irrigation systems can completely or partially eliminate manual labor. This greatly facilitates the task and guarantees a bountiful harvest.