Tips for Watering Tomato Plants

Water slowly, water deeply – The number 1 rule of watering tomatoes is to make sure that you go slow and easy. Never rush watering tomato plants. Use a drip hose or other forms of drip irrigation to deliver water to your tomato plants slowly.

Water regularly - How often should you water tomato plants? There is no hard and fast rule to this. It depends on how hot it is and if the plant is actively growing. A good rule of thumb is to supply water once every 2 – 3 days at the height of summer. Remember that water supplied by Mother Nature counts towards watering tomato plants in the garden. Once the weather cools and fruit has set, scale back watering to once a week.

Water at the roots – When watering tomatoes, make sure you get the water straight to the roots. Do not water from above as this can cause disease and pests to attack the plants. Watering tomato plants from above also encourages premature evaporation and unnecessarily wastes water.

Mulch – Using mulch help to keep water where the plants need it. Use mulch to slow down evaporation.
Problems related to improper watering tomatoes

Improper watering can lead to the following issues:

Blossom end rot
Stunted growth
Reduced fruit production
Susceptibility to pests
Root loss
Sub-quality fruit

Now that you know how often should you water tomato plants and how much water tomato plants need, you can water tomatoes in your garden with confidence and enjoy the fruits of your labor.