Tomato plants need about 1 to 2 inches of water per week.
Signs Tomato Plants Need Water
A tomato plant will give you a sign it needs water.
Young Transplants
Water newly transplanted tomato plants daily.
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Young but established tomato plants only need 1 to 2 inches of water weekly.
Depending on your area’s precipitation, this may translate to three or four waterings weekly.
A low-cost rain gauge near your tomatoes will illustrate how much water the plants have received.
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Fruiting Plants
Continue the same watering schedule as fruits ripen, but reduce the amount of water.
Pots
Waterpotted tomato plantsoften enough to keep the soil moist but never soggy.
Remember that pots dry out quickly.
Water potted tomato plants daily at the soil level.
You’ll know you’ve watered enough when the water trickles through the pot’s drainage holes.
Raised Beds
Raised bedswith a depth of 8 inches are ideal for growing tomatoes.
Water established tomatoes in the bed deeply for 20 to 30 minutes three to four times a week.
Watering more frequently for shorter periods may be more effective for shallow beds.
Once roots are established, continue watering three to four times a week.
Water for 30 minutes up to two hours with a soaker hose, depending on weather and soil conditions.
A mature tomato plant uses about a gallon of water every five days.
Soaker hosesare ideal for gardens and raised beds.
They work efficiently to deliver water directly to roots and can be set on timers.
The best approach is a consistent watering schedule that fits the plant’s maturity and growing conditions.
Tomatoes need more water in hot weather, sometimes as frequently as twice a day.
Standing water at the base of your plants or mold on the soil surface are also indicators.
University of Wisconsin Horticulture.
Tomato Diseases and Disorders.Clemson University Home & Garden Information Center.
Growing Tomatoes Tip Sheet #7.
Washington State University Extension.
