There is no simple answer. It is something you have to determine specifically for your garden, the size of the feeder line, the size of the drip emitters, the type of plants being watered, the soil composition, how well it drains, the size of the bed, the climate, etc. Plus any attempt to determine a set schedule still has to be flexible because the frequency changes as the season progresses and the plants grow. And even then you still have to stick your hand deep into the soil first.

So like any method of watering, the schedule isn't something that can be written on a calendar but is done as the plants indicate they need it.

So assuming we are talking about tomatoes and only tomatoes and assuming they are in ground and assuming the standard 1/2" line and 1/2 GPH emitters then 60 minutes once a week is a fairly good place to start. But in Florida you may need 30 mins 3 x a week in the heat. That is a lot of assumptions without much info to go on. :-)

Dave

We are talking about tomato plants, but they are in 5 gal buckets and also in raised beds. I have 1GPH emitters. The schedule so far is to water for 15 minutes every 4 hours, so what is that a gallon a day. Too much huh?

Too much? Every 4 hours for how long?

Very possibly to much but as I said there are just too many variables, But watering on a fixed schedule without first determining if water is even needed never works. And a raised bed on the same schedule as a 5 gallon bucket? They aren't comparable when it comes to water needs or frequency.

As a very general guideline, when it comes to drip irrigation longer times with less frequency works best or you just get shallow root development. I don't use 5 gallons to raise anything and I prefer 1/2 GPH emitters. My smallest containers are 10 gallons. But right now with my weather, with small transplants just transplanted my containers are on a 30 min 1x per day. That will gradually be changing once they are established to 60 mins every day and if all else holds equal, to 60 mins 2x per day. But I have no way of knowing if that will work for you.

Dave

Yeah, I definitely realize that was way too much, I'm going to adjust it and see what the best setup will be

One thing that will help with the 5 gallon buckets is to run it and see how long it takes to drain out the bottom. Then try cutting that time in half and do it 2x a day and adjust from there as the plants grow. The bigger they get in such small containers the more water they will need.

Dave