How many times a day does a tomato plant need to be watered?

Answer 1

This can be a difficult question to answer because I don't know which zone you are in. I am experimenting with upside down tomatoes this year (2007) and I am in zone 7. We have had little rain this year ( i don't think rain matters though because there is such a small area in the top of the bucket, just like most container gardening you need to water every day) My tomatoes are in 5 gallon paint buckets. I have wave petunias growing in the top. I use a tsp of miracle grow to a gallon of water for each bucket (1 plant tomato plant per bucket) I water each bucket everyday with a 1 gallon solution. Some days I'm lazy and don't add the fertilizer, but the plants never let me get lazy because if they need water they will let me know. Usually by 11:00 am or so when the sun begins to get hot. I have had nice juicy tomatoes since around the 4th of July. I'm growing Better Boys, Lemon Boys and romas. I love growing my tomatoes this way. If you would like more info and pictures you may email me at Lovellc21.net and I will send more info to you.

Answer 2

I live in a towwnhouse and have a very limited amount of direct sun light. Space is also a concern, with neighbors on both sides. I chose the side with the most sunlight, after studying the shaded areas marked with sticks. I chose a box since invading rabbits and male dogs roam my back yard (for protection) I made a rectanglar box made from plywood. Held together by 2-L shape brackets on each in-side corner. It stands 14 inches high, 16 inches wide and 3 foot long. I used 9 bags of top soil (from wal-mart for $1.98/bag) and one bag of dehydrated manure (also from wal-mart for $2.99). I removed all grass and replanted it to bare spots in my lawn. I emptied about 7 bags of topsoil then replanted the seedlings in holes 4 inches apart. ( I have another post on seeds from store bought (and eaten) tomatos). The abundance of so many plants, has taught me the number of seeds-to-full plant ratio was well successfull and overpopulated my garden and to reduce the number next year. Once the plants were transplanted, they were covered with topsoil to leave about 4 inches or so from the top of the plywood. After all plants were added, a layer of manure about a inch and a half the toped with about an inch and a half of topsoil. The remainding manure and topsoil will be used after the rain (and watering) compact the soil down. I did mine one month after. I only tried my hand at two types of vegtables. I grew about 20 pepper plants and about 15 tomato plants. I live in the Tri-state area of Pa,De and Md. The weather this year (2008) is very warm/hot and not too much rain. About a thunderstorm every 5 days or so. 90 degree days and low 70 degree nights. My plants get Direct sunlight from about 11 am to about 2pm. Of course it changes with the suns angle and leafs on the trees. I water my plants two days in a row and stop on the third. Using a light stream making sure the soil is saturated (the water soaks in about 10-15 seconds). I water in the mornings around 9am or so and on the really hot hot days, I give them a refresher around 4pm. If you water twice in a day, try and avoid watering close to dusk. If the soil is too moist you may subject the soil to fungus. (I had a mushroom growing from too much watering. I only needed to raise cattle and I am on the way to killer kabobs) ** tomato plants grow quite tall and unstable. At some point they will need to have some type of support structure to help them stand. Watering plants without support may hold too much water and bend the entire plant over and endanger it to break. I have at least 20-25 flowers and 3-4 tomatos growing to date (7-22). It's been about a month since the build and the biggest tomato is 9 days since I first spotted the newly formed flower-to-tomato offspring. I think I will have a rippen tomato in about another 7-10 days. I will update and add photos as time permits.

Answer 3

I water about every 3 days if there is no rain. If the plants look stressed, water more often. In the fields here in Ontario, they do not water at all, but allow mother nature to rain on them, but WILL irrigate if there is no rain.

When I grow tomatoes in Colorado, I water every day. It is very dry there, and the soil does not retain much water, since it is sandy soil.

Hint - Keep large flat rocks around your tomato plants, and the soil will not dry out as quickly.

Answer 4

Water your tomato plants when 1'' of soil is dry. You stick your finger in and if it feels dry 1'', then it is time to water them.Tomatos like misture but do not like being flooded with water.Too much water can prevent air exchangein the soil and roots.It is better to water your tomatos in the morning so your tomato plants will be hydratedbefore the sun gets out and the sun starts producing usable energy. Everyday in the morning. 7am or 8am.

Answer 5

Water approximately once every two days and fertilize every two weeks with liquid fertilizer

Answer 6

It depends on how hot it is outside. Once a day is usually enough. Sometimes once every other day is fine.

Answer 7

Every other day but don't drown them.