Watering Tomatoes

How often and how much water do tomatoes need?


Answer:

When you first plant the tomatoes, you will want to water them most frequently; whenever the soil appear dry on the surface.

In the beginning, their root system is small, and can dry out easily.

As their root system gets established, after about a month, you will not need to water them as often. Once or twice a week should be enough unless it is very hot and dry where you live.

Once the fruit starts to form on your tomato plants, you can reduce watering even more if you like.

In our area of the Pacific Northwest, we cut back on watering tomatoes around the 4th of July.

Cutting back on water stresses the tomato plant, and encourages the fruit to develop instead of the plant growing more and more foliage.