Member discussion regarding the methods, varieties and merits of growing tomatoes.
|
|
Thread Tools | Display Modes |
May 1, 2014 | #1 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2014
Location: Louisiana
Posts: 8
|
What time of day to water?
Is there a preference of early morning vs evening watering of tomatoes? I use drip irrigation and pine mulch in my raised beds.
|
May 1, 2014 | #2 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2013
Location: MA
Posts: 903
|
When they look thirsty -seriously, for example after a very hot day.
|
May 1, 2014 | #3 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2013
Location: glendora ca
Posts: 2,560
|
When i grew everything in containers I drip irrigated at 7 am. Watering in the morning allows for the main stem to dry quickly. If you water in the evening you run the risk of your plants possibly getting a soil born disease from being wet all night.
|
May 1, 2014 | #4 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2008
Location: DFW, Texas
Posts: 1,212
|
It is more a time not to water in my opinion. I would avoid watering just before dark all the way through near sunrise. If your watering system has any potential for splashing on the leaves and that happens at night, the leaves will stay wet all night and disease onset will be swift and unrelenting! If you don't have that issue such as with drip irrigation, then watering as needed is effective.
Dewayne mater |
May 1, 2014 | #5 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 7,068
|
Actually I found that during the long drought we sustained here in the Southeast it worked better to water thoroughly late in the evening so the plants had time to absorb the water and recover from the long dry hot days. That also allows the water to be absorbed deeply into the ground. I always have a heavy mulch under my plants so splash back is not a problem. If you don't mulch then I would try to water early in the morning.
Bill |
May 1, 2014 | #6 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: 6a - NE Tennessee
Posts: 4,538
|
The best time to water is when you can get natural rain in that area of the country - which means about anytime. I would only avoid watering in a manner that will get the foliage wet, when the sun will return and start "teaming the veggies" before that foliage can dry. Plants that are obviously in distress may need water just to cool them off.
So, listen to your plants. I promise that if you listen correctly, they will tell you what they need and when they need it. The movie "Caddyshack" coined the phrase "Be the Ball". This is truly a case of "Be the Plant". LOL
__________________
Ted ________________________ Owner & Sole Operator Of The Muddy Bucket Farm and Tomato Ranch |
May 1, 2014 | #7 | |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Sep 2009
Location: Alabama
Posts: 7,068
|
Quote:
Bill |
|
May 1, 2014 | #8 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: Somis, Ca
Posts: 649
|
heir alluded to the issue of the plants drying quickly after watering. That is spot on. Fungal issues with tomatoes are common. I noticed when I re-located my garden to include morning sun...my results were: no disease issues.
|
May 1, 2014 | #9 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Feb 2012
Location: Newfoundland, Canada
Posts: 6,793
|
I try to water late morning, due to the advice given here:
http://ag.arizona.edu/ceac/sites/ag....20tomatoes.pdf |
May 1, 2014 | #10 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: Jan 2012
Location: Romania
Posts: 470
|
My experience says the best time to water is early in the morning
Drip irrigation allows you to water until 10-11 am.
__________________
Knowledge is knowing the tomato is a fruit, wisdom is not putting in your fruit salad |
May 4, 2014 | #11 |
Tomatovillian™
Join Date: May 2011
Location: Laurinburg, North Carolina, zone 7
Posts: 3,207
|
I do both on containers when it's hot. I'm actually trying to increase humidity around my plants to ward off spider mites and improve fruit set!
Keep in mind, though, our dew point is way below the night time lows. I've never seen dew in AZ. Maybe a little during the winter if we have rainy weather. (Rare) This winter was dry and now, we have humidity in the low single digits, I think. I've seen it down to 3%. |
Thread Tools | |
Display Modes | |
|
|