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Budlite1944
- Newly Registered
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Mon May 11, 2009 8:53 am
- Location: Florida
watering
How do you determine how much water to give your tomatoes ? I was told to water every other day . Also to give them a inch a week . What is a inch a week ?
All my tomatoes are in big pots. I usually stick my finger down into the dirt because the surface may appear dry but lower is still moist. I don't think you can rely on every other day. It will depend on the weather. I have read where some have watered alittle twice in a day if it's extremely hot. Always make sure your tomatoes are well watered but not standing in water 
An inch a week is just like the weatherman reports. Water one inch deep.
They usually use a rain guage to determine how much it rained.
One inch deep in a container(container size doesn't matter).
This is not measured by depth of moisture in dirt(its the depth in an empty container).
An inch a week is best suited to plants in ground and not necessarily raised bed, because raised bed often require more water as do potted tomatoes. Potted will need 2-3 inches a week depending on dirt composition and plant size, and pot size and holes sizes, heat, etc....
Most of us learn this by feel or by observing our plants. I check most mornings and every afternoon. If the leaves begin to look limp, I give them a shot of water. I am likely giving them 1/4 to 3/4 inch of water per application. If I expect it to rain in a couple, I will give it less(1/4 inch).
If there is no rain expected, they get more water with each application.
Hope this helps
They usually use a rain guage to determine how much it rained.
One inch deep in a container(container size doesn't matter).
This is not measured by depth of moisture in dirt(its the depth in an empty container).
An inch a week is best suited to plants in ground and not necessarily raised bed, because raised bed often require more water as do potted tomatoes. Potted will need 2-3 inches a week depending on dirt composition and plant size, and pot size and holes sizes, heat, etc....
Most of us learn this by feel or by observing our plants. I check most mornings and every afternoon. If the leaves begin to look limp, I give them a shot of water. I am likely giving them 1/4 to 3/4 inch of water per application. If I expect it to rain in a couple, I will give it less(1/4 inch).
If there is no rain expected, they get more water with each application.
Hope this helps
To answer one specific aspect: "1 inch a week" refers to the amount of water the plants would receive if it rained 1 inch a week. It doesn't refer to the depth of ground that is watered.
I haven't translated "1 inch a week" into gallons per plant or other measures, but it does refer to rainfall.
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9
I haven't translated "1 inch a week" into gallons per plant or other measures, but it does refer to rainfall.
Cynthia H.
Sunset Zone 17, USDA Zone 9