How to Water a Tomato Garden
- 1). Install a soaker hose 2 inches from the base of the tomato plants. Stretch it out so the water flows through it freely. A soaker hose conserves moisture, as the water is delivered straight into the soil and it reduces the incidence of fungal disease by keeping the foliage dry.
- 2). Cover the soaker hose and the bare soil around the tomato plants with straw, compost or another mulching material to prevent water evaporation. Keep the mulch 1 inch away from the stems to permit air circulation.
- 3). Soak a tomato garden's soil to the root zone when the surface dries but before the plants wilt. Infrequent deep irrigation promotes strong root development, unlike constant superficial watering. Start with 1 inch of water a week. Increase the amount of moisture and decrease the interval between waterings in intense heat.
- 4). Water tomato plants early in the morning so the rising sun has a chance to warm the soil up. When the ground stays cool after evening irrigation, the plants produce fewer tomatoes.
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