How and how often to water tomatoes in a greenhouse: advice from experienced farmers to get a bountiful harvest
Beginning gardeners may be wondering how often to water tomatoes in a greenhouse. Nightshades are moisture-loving plants, but at the same time dry air is important to them. Further in the article you will learn everything about how to water tomatoes correctly: what time is best to carry out the procedure, what irrigation methods exist and what signs can be used to determine excess or lack of moisture.
Does crop quality depend on watering?
Tomatoes are heat-loving plants, so in the southern regions they can be grown in open ground. For gardeners from the middle zone and Siberia, it is better to use polycarbonate greenhouses or temporary greenhouses for these purposes. They can create all the conditions conducive to obtaining a bountiful harvest of nightshades.
Caring for tomatoes in a greenhouse has a number of features. In order for the plants to produce a good harvest, it is necessary to take into account the stage of growth of the bush, change the frequency of watering and choose the optimal time for it. You can irrigate in different ways - it depends on the area of the greenhouse.
Features of the microclimate of greenhouses
The greenhouse allows you to maintain air temperature and humidity levels favorable for plants. In addition, it is possible to shelter the seedlings from strong winds or rain.
In summer, air humidity in greenhouses is 60-80%. On particularly hot days, this figure can drop to 40%.If dry weather alternates with rainy weather, the humidity can reach 90%. Improper watering of tomatoes during this period will only aggravate the situation, since along with the need for moist soil, these plants need dry air for the full development of the ground part.
Important! When humidity rises, the greenhouse needs to be ventilated. Musty air can reduce plant productivity.
The soil humidity in the greenhouse should be 90%, the normal value for air is 50%. These conditions are suitable for the development of the bush, the formation of fruits and the protection of plants from various diseases.
Frequency of watering tomatoes in a greenhouse
Tomatoes require frequent irrigation, but many novice gardeners make the mistake of flooding the bushes. Due to increased humidity, plants become more sensitive to diseases, and their productivity decreases. Drought is also harmful to seedlings, so it is important to be careful when it comes to watering. When determining the optimal volume of water, you need to take into account humidity and temperature.
After planting seedlings, each bush needs to be watered abundantly. After this, you can wait 10 days for the plant to take root properly. Then the procedure is repeated each time the top layer of soil dries out.
So that moisture can get into the root system, you need to loosen the soil well before irrigation. It is enough to water tomatoes once every few days, but in hot weather and low humidity, the number of procedures is increased. From the flowering period to fruiting, the number of irrigations is reduced; at the first signs of excess moisture (gray rot, rust lesions on leaves, stems and flowers), watering is stopped.
Important! Excessive moisture can cause seedlings to rot.
Amount of water at different stages of development
Nightshades require varying levels of moisture during growth, flowering and fruiting. Each stage of development differs in its frequency of irrigation and volume of water.
When growing seedlings
Experienced gardeners prepare the soil before planting seedlings. In one week, fertilizing is carried out to improve the properties of the soil, and in one day the area is watered abundantly.
As soon as the transplanting of seedlings from the greenhouse is completed, each bush is watered with 4-5 liters of water. Drought during this period can lead to the death of the plant. The lack of water can be determined by external signs: the tips of the leaves dry out, the tomato begins to sink into the ground, which means its root system has weakened. It is very difficult to restore a plant damaged by drought.
During growth and before flowering, tomatoes need abundant irrigation. Water helps the plant gain the necessary green mass and prepare for fruit formation.
One bush needs 3-4 liters of water; watering is carried out once every 2-3 days.
During the flowering period
Once the plant has formed an ovary and bloomed, you can reduce the frequency of irrigation to once a week. When flowering, you will need to increase the volume of water used to 5 liters.
During fruiting
During this period, the frequency of irrigation is increased to twice a week. Tomatoes do not require a lot of water - just enough to keep the soil moist at a depth of 20 cm.
As soon as the first reddened fruits appear, watering is done once a week with a small amount of water. Sunlight is more important for the ripening of tomatoes; without proper lighting, their growth and ripening will slow down.
The amount of water used during this period depends on the plant variety.To reap a good harvest, plants need to be watered evenly and provided with good light.
Read also:
What is tomato bacteriosis and why does it appear on fruits in a greenhouse?
Favorable time of day for watering
To ensure good care of the plants, it is better to immediately determine the time at which watering will be carried out immediately after planting the seedlings in the ground.
The optimal time for moistening tomatoes outdoors is considered to be early morning or late evening. If you water at other times, the hot rays of the sun will dry out much of the moisture entering the ground, and there is a high chance that splashes will fall on the leaves, causing burns.
Tomatoes growing in a greenhouse can be watered at any time, provided the weather is dry and warm. It is important to take into account that in the morning the earth is not warmed up well, so it is advisable to postpone the procedure until the afternoon.
Late evening is also not suitable to moisten the soil in the greenhouse if it is closed at night, since conditions for excess moisture will be created. If there is no other time to irrigate the plants, then after it is finished you need to ventilate the room so that excess moisture is removed. In rainy weather, watering tomatoes is best done in the morning.
Regardless of the time of the procedure After it, you need to leave the doors and frames open so that excess moisture evaporates. If you close the greenhouse immediately after moistening the soil, the increased humidity will cause fungus to develop.
Carefully! Do not water seedlings with cold water. It is best to use water at a temperature of 23-24˚C.
Signs of excess and lack of moisture
Tomatoes are moisture-loving plants, but they can be drought tolerant. During the growth period, seedlings are watered abundantly, but before flowering and fruiting, the amount of water must be reduced to prevent plant rotting.
You can determine whether seedlings receive enough water by external signs. Lack of moisture will affect the condition of the foliage: The tips of the upper leaves will begin to dry out and curl.
Excessive irrigation will cause the plant to rot.. This process can be recognized at the initial stage by the lower part of the stem and foliage. Experts recommend immediately stopping watering the seedlings or reducing water consumption to a minimum.
During the period of fruit ripening, due to the large amount of moisture, tomatoes may begin to crack, which will make the plant susceptible to various diseases. Excessive water content in the root system can lead to late blight, a disease that can destroy the entire crop.
Types of irrigation organization
To avoid having to carry heavy watering cans, you can invest time and money in organizing an automatic irrigation system on your site. However, let's consider all the methods in order.
Manual method
The most common method of moistening tomatoes is watering with a watering can or ladle.. Water must be poured at the root. This method protects the plant's leaves from splashes, which can cause disease. Used in small structures and open ground.
Important! If a barrel is used to water seedlings in a greenhouse, it must be covered with a lid or plastic wrap.
At their dachas, many gardeners water tomatoes using a hose.During such irrigation, cold water is supplied with strong pressure, which destroys the top layer of soil, while the bottom layer is compacted.
The jet can damage the roots of the plant, and the spray can get on the leaves.. During irrigation, it is very difficult to calculate the pressure and volume of water for each bush, so this method is in many ways inferior to conventional irrigation. There is a high probability of overcooling the plant’s root system.
Automatic system
Many industrial greenhouses have automatic systems installed that provide water supply to the roots of the plant. The disadvantage of the system is the high cost of the equipment. Advantage - allows you to save time and resources, provides optimal humidity, protects the soil from washing out and salting.
Drip irrigation method
This automatic watering system is considered one of the most effective, as it allows for uniform watering of plants. Drip irrigation promotes economical use of water.
Another advantage of this method is that it does not compact the soil, which means the gardener does not need to waste time loosening it. Used in large greenhouses, moisture is supplied to the roots through special tubes.
Conclusion
Caring for tomatoes is a labor-intensive process, but the results are worth it. To prevent crop loss, it is important to take into account the plant’s water needs during different periods of growth, temperature and humidity. It is better not to use cold water for irrigation; many summer residents use water that has been settled in a barrel for manual irrigation.
The procedure is best carried out in the morning or evening, but when growing vegetables in greenhouses, irrigation time does not play a big role.To minimize resource costs, owners of large greenhouses can install an automatic humidification system.