skip to main content

Heirloom Plants & Gardens

how much water is too much water?

tomatoesaretops

16 years ago

I started planting heirlooms last year and only had success with the cherries. This year I planted 10 different heirlooms because I'm crazy. I'm trying to avoid mistakes I think I may have made last year.

1. how often should I water? I keep reading conflicting info..some say to consistently water, others only to water every few days.

2. when do I know the tomatoes are watered enough? when can I tell that they need water?

3. how do I get a nice slow watering without touching the leaves (and no I can't afford an underground hose system)?

4. I am doing both containers and in the ground tomatoes...are there different levels of moisture I should be giving them each time I water?

and this is slightly unrelated but - which are best? tomato cages or ladders?

thanks to all the expert opinions.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (2)

feldon30
16 years ago
I know it sounds counterintuitive, but tomato-specific questions get their best results in the Tomato forums.

I think the Heirlooms forum is primarily for the culture and history involved in heirlooms and how people get and distribute seeds. Growing, not so much...

That said...

1) Well that's easy -- as much as the plants need! :) Seriously, you don't want to waterlog your plants, and keeping the soil wet at all times can lead to a host of problems. I water every couple of days and never let the soil get "dry", always keeping above "moist".

3) A soaker hose.

4) I've found watering in containers to be much more difficult than in-ground. What kind of soil did you put in the containers?

The 54" tomato cages they sell at Home Depot, Lowe's, etc. will NOT support 6 to 8' tall heirloom tomato plants. You will need to make your own cages out of concrete reinforcing mesh or something else or buy the very expensive Texas Tomato Cages ($17/each if you buy 6).
greenwitch
16 years ago
As much as they need. When the plants are small, water when the first inch or so of the top soil is dry, this could be everyday if the weather is warm or windy. As they grow, you water at greater intervals and you water deeper to encourage the roots to grow down and out - tomato roots can extend 6' except when in containers of course. If you water too much, the plants produce vegetative growth, stems and foliage. If there is any risk that their lives are going to end (stress) i.e. drought, flowers and fruit are produced. So don't make them too happy, but don't stress them so far that they can't recover. Growing them fast (lots of water and fertilizer) can lead to predatory insects, wind breakage and collapse, growing them hard (moderate water and fertilizer) leads to longer lived plants and reproduction (flowers/fruits). So, there is no substitute for daily observation and accessment of the weather and soil conditions. Also, veggies and fruit given the time to grow slowly absorb more minerals from the soil and have a higher nutritional content. Isn't that a good reason to have a home garden (good taste too)?
Related Discussions
too much water / not enough water
Q
Comments (6)
You should generally try to water once a week and apply an inch when you water. Sometimes, when it's really hot, the grass does better if you split the inch and water on two days. If it's really hot, there has been some recent research that watering for just a few minutes (like 3-5) every day in the afternoon will help, not so much because of the water (too much evaporates and never makes it to the roots), but because the water cools off the lawn. Fine fescues (probably what was in the shade mix) do well with little water, but they suffer in the heat. Watering a lot probably won't help them in the summer. They go dormant and stay that way until it cools off, then they snap back.
...See More
How much water is too much?
Q
Comments (7)
I've had a devil of a time with Mimulus aurantiacus. If I water them through the summer, they die. If I don't water them through the summer, they die. One thing I've concluded, based upon the vast numbers I've seen in the wild this year (I make frequent trips up Palomar Mountain, and they are abundant on the lower sections of South Grade Road), is that I've gone overboard on trying to give them full sun. Part sun would be better, with some shade through the hottest parts of the day. But I live in Temecula, and my summer days are hotter than yours. As for S. clevelandii, I've had most success planting them in late fall. Right now I have a batch of plants grown from seed in no.1 pots. I'm nursing them through the summer, and they're getting about 6 hours of full sun every day. I don't have a shade house. In my situation, they don't have to be watered daily (usually every three or four days), but a single, ill-chosen day of forgetfullness could be fatal to them.
...See More
How to help white pines getting too much water
Q
Comments (7)
Thanks for the replies so far. I'll work on the pics tonight or this weekend. This is my first time posting on this site so bear with a newbie. Couple things. I don't know how they were planted since we moved in well after they were here, but since the two trees slightly upslope from the 5 are doing well, I don't think it was the planting technique. From some planting I did last summer, I can tell you that the soil isn't in great shape. Very clay-y and of the brownish-yellowish color. Further complicating matters is that when developers put in the neighborhood, it appears they just graded the land without any mind to redistributing the topsoil they had dug up. In some holes I dug through a good 10" of black topsoil, but in holes just a few yards over, there was brown clay right at the surface. I'm a very new gardener so with the soil in mind, that's why I wondered if fertilizer would help. I'm hoping to save the trees since they'd be a nice screen if they can make it. That would definitely save some money and maturity time. But if it comes to planting better trees for the site, I guess that's how it will have to be. Thanks again. I'll work on those pics. More thoughts are always welcome.
...See More
Too much water & too much wind!
Q
Comments (2)
Yep, I'll be glad when the March Winds let up and also the April Showers, lol. Middle of May it's supposed to be more settled weather.
...See More

Related Stories

GARDENING GUIDES Great Design Plant: Anemone Canadensis Adds Pizzazz to Water’s Edges

By Pollination Press LLC

Plant Canadian anemone along pond, lake or stream edges for a splash of white flowers in late spring

GREEN BUILDING Just Add Water: Rain Barrel Magic

By Marianne Lipanovich

Take your rainwater storage from practical to beautiful with a new breed of design-friendly rain barrels

SAVING WATER 11 Ways to Save Water at Home

By Carol Crotta

Whether you live in a drought-stricken area or just want to help preserve a precious resource, here are things you can do to use less water

HEALTHY HOME How to Choose a Home Water Filtering System

By Laura Gaskill

Learn which water purification method is best for your house, from pitchers to whole-house setups

GARDENING GUIDES Essential Watering Tips for Your Edible Garden

By Marianne Lipanovich

To give your edible plants just what they need, check out these guidelines for how, when and how much to water

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Get Along With Less Lawn — Ideas to Save Water and Effort

By Jocelyn H. Chilvers

Ditch the mower and lower your water bill while creating a feast for the eyes with diverse plantings and gathering places

LANDSCAPE DESIGN How to Design Your Landscape to Sink Water Into the Ground

By Falon Land Studio LLC

Learn to infiltrate stormwater, even on challenging sites

GARDENING GUIDES Edible Gardening Essentials: Tips for Traditional Hand Watering

By Marianne Lipanovich

Save the expense and hassle of a complicated garden system with a simple watering can or inexpensive hose add-ons

GREEN DECORATING Easy Green: Big and Small Ways to Be More Water-Wise at Home

By Laura Gaskill

These 20 tips can help us all make the best use of a precious resource. How do you save water in summer?

LANDSCAPE DESIGN Secrets of a Successful Water Garden

Relax. Having a water garden is much easier once you understand the basics

Sponsored

1 Review

One stop for all your home remodeling needs!!