Not a drop to Drink

[Rockoe10]

Watering tomatoes. How much is too much and what is necessary to get a bountiful harvest? There are several variables at hand here, but I've read some very drastic differences in just how much is necessary.

If you do a search online for "How much to water tomatoes plants" you'll no doubt see an article stating "2 inches a week". This assumes a lot so let's try and narrow this down.

Assuming:
*Plants are spaced 2 feet apart.
*Rainfall is enough to support tomato growth, but maybe not enough to be bountiful. Or maybe it is....
*Plants are in the ground with perfect soil. Not to sandy and not to much clay. Just right.
*Temperature is within the optimal range, somewhere around 80°F (26°C).
*There are obviously more, please feel free to address it.

So, regarding the 2in a week.
2in a week refers to two inches deep. Our plants have 24in of soil aroud them that they occupy. That is 24x24x2 = 1152 cubic inches = 5 gallons of water.

5 Gallons of water a week, per plant. Is this enough for a bountiful harvest? That sounds about right for me. I would water my plants a minimum of 1 gallon every day. I mulch my garden which helps to retain the water too. I did notice that if i missed a day, my plants noticed too and let me know about it. This only got worse as summer temperatures increased. So maybe 5 gallons a week is the lower end, but how much is the upper end? I can't help but think I could have increased my watering and improved my harvest.

I also read that these plants need more, around 4-5 gallons a DAY! Yea, thats at least 30 gallons of water a week. Wow, I couldn't believe it.

What is all of your experience? Again, I understand that there are many variables, but this much of a difference?

Link here
https://growtomatoeseasily.blogspot.com ... 3.html?m=1

[TomHillbilly]

I cannot answer your question----
I will tell you of two philosophies. I think the truth is somewhere in the mix. Some pretty impressive grower friends of mine. Are going to attempt to never water their plants, after they have been set out for 10 days. They preach that the root system expand seeking out water. That expansion means the plant can draw more nutrients. They insist the roots have no reason to grow, if water is easy to obtained-- no roots system.
My garden is on a slope, the rain water often runs off quickly during a down pour. I have to water--or plants will die. I only water to sustain life, until a rain comes.
Others will water like crazy, and their crops are often impressive. Its not the answer you wanted. But it is a truthful answer. LOL

[Rockoe10]

Haha truth is good. Thank you Tom.
The obvious answer, for me at least, is to increase my watering by a couple gallons and see if it makes a difference. Its not all that scientific, year to year changes, but it's something.

Curious.

PS
In regards to the roots searching for water, perhaps watering away from the plant stem is helpful. Hmmm

[Shule]

… Are going to attempt to never water their plants, after they have been set out for 10 days. They preach that the root system expand seeking out water. That expansion means the plant can draw more nutrients. They insist the roots have no reason to grow, if water is easy to obtained-- no roots system.
My garden is on a slope, the rain water often runs off quickly during a down pour. I have to water--or plants will die. I only water to sustain life, until a rain comes.
Others will water like crazy, and their crops are often impressive. Its not the answer you wanted. But it is a truthful answer. LOL

That's pretty close to what I do, except I probably water them for 7 to 25 days, depending, before I stop, and I use black plastic to lock moisture in better (I try to water underneath the plastic pretty thoroughly before I transplant). I don't make any claims about roots not expanding if you only water in one spot, though, but maybe.

Some varieties seem to like a lot of water, and some seem to like drought. Some like both. I think soil fertility (especially the potassium levels) matters more than how much you water, however. But yeah, I believe proper watering can boost production in many tomatoes.

[TomHillbilly]

Shule-- "Some varieties seem to like a lot of water, and some seem to like drought."
You said a mouth full there. -- I have so many sizable gardens around me. Escaping blight is an impossibility. The same bees work different gardens. So I plant 3 different waves of tomatoes. The last wave I plant will be trying to max-out in late September. It is a drought month for me. I can really see the difference in some of drought//heat resistant varieties. Unfortunately some lie about those resistant claims.
Lord willingly, I'm going to test out some new drought resistant varieties this year. I already got the seed. It will be like a Texas cage match-- LOL. I'll use that knowledge to go 100% with the grade A drought resistant plants in my last wave in the future. My last wave isn't for the weaker plants. LOL