Of all the different areas of plant care, watering should be the easiest to do.
After all, how hard can it be? Just grab a hose and point.
Right? Well the truth is a little different.
Now that's not to say that watering is difficult, it isn't.
However it is possible to water incorrectly...
and the consequences of doing so can be devastating.
So let's talk about what we shouldn't be doing when watering...
DO NOT...
Forget to water your plants.
This ridiculous sounding reminder is actually one of the more common issues that occur...
and it can create some large problems.
Irregular watering, allowing the roots to dry and flooding from overcompensation all stem from a shoddy routine or a dodgy memory.
Blossom-End Rot, Cracking and splitting fruits and stunted growth or poor production can all result.
Substitute fruit juice, soft drinks, or any of the other wild and whacky things that are suggested around the internet.
Plants need water for specific reasons to do with their basic metabolic process, internal cell structure and nutrient uptake.
Juices, softdrinks etc.
are in fact foods and cannot assist in these functions.
In addition this can harm your plants health due to the effect on soil pH and their high sugar content...
which can lead to bacteria issues in soil and the attraction of unwanted pests.
Water using pressure.
Waterblasters are for cleaning driveways and walls.
You need a drip hose if you can manage it and your aim is to gives the plant a soaking not a belting.
Also there is the distinct possibility of spraying soil up onto the leaves, which can lead to disease from any pathogens resident in the soil.
Overwater.
Tomatoes need a moist environment not a swimming pool.
Overwatering your tomatoes is a great way to kill them.
The roots of your plant derive their oxygen from the soil.
In waterlogged soil Carbon Dioxide builds up rapidly effectively "suffocating" the plant.
If subject to these conditions otherwise healthy plants can die in less than a week.
Water late in the day.
There has been advice I have seen floating around that you should water your plants in the evening, as this will assist the calcium uptake, which helps with cell wall structure and nutrient transport through the plant.
Whilst this may be true leaves that remain wet for long periods of time (as will occur overnight) are far more susceptible to attracting disease than those that receive water early in the morning and are able to dry out under the sun's rays.
On the other hand here are three watering tips that we can follow that will significantly improve our tomato plants' health and vitality.
Use rainwater wherever possible.
Tap water can contain a high chlorine content and chlorine is not good for plants.
Conversely rainwater contains beneficial ions helpful in protein synthesis and other functions.
Buckets left outside to catch rainwater (and recovered before it evaporates) are a great and simple idea that you can adopt into your routine.
Use mulch.
- Water evaporation can cause havoc with your watering routine, leading to the same issues as an irregular watering cycle and/or those occurring from dehydration.
Mulch set deeply around the base of the plant helps reduce this problem as well as assisting in the reduction of soil splash and the retention of heat.
Check moisture content regularly.
This is a vital part of your plant care routine.
Many issues that you may otherwise run into can simply be avoided altogether by checking your plants moisture content every 2 or 3 days.
Checking only takes about 5 mins and the headaches it can literally save your plants life.
After all, how hard can it be? Just grab a hose and point.
Right? Well the truth is a little different.
Now that's not to say that watering is difficult, it isn't.
However it is possible to water incorrectly...
and the consequences of doing so can be devastating.
So let's talk about what we shouldn't be doing when watering...
DO NOT...
Forget to water your plants.
This ridiculous sounding reminder is actually one of the more common issues that occur...
and it can create some large problems.
Irregular watering, allowing the roots to dry and flooding from overcompensation all stem from a shoddy routine or a dodgy memory.
Blossom-End Rot, Cracking and splitting fruits and stunted growth or poor production can all result.
Substitute fruit juice, soft drinks, or any of the other wild and whacky things that are suggested around the internet.
Plants need water for specific reasons to do with their basic metabolic process, internal cell structure and nutrient uptake.
Juices, softdrinks etc.
are in fact foods and cannot assist in these functions.
In addition this can harm your plants health due to the effect on soil pH and their high sugar content...
which can lead to bacteria issues in soil and the attraction of unwanted pests.
Water using pressure.
Waterblasters are for cleaning driveways and walls.
You need a drip hose if you can manage it and your aim is to gives the plant a soaking not a belting.
Also there is the distinct possibility of spraying soil up onto the leaves, which can lead to disease from any pathogens resident in the soil.
Overwater.
Tomatoes need a moist environment not a swimming pool.
Overwatering your tomatoes is a great way to kill them.
The roots of your plant derive their oxygen from the soil.
In waterlogged soil Carbon Dioxide builds up rapidly effectively "suffocating" the plant.
If subject to these conditions otherwise healthy plants can die in less than a week.
Water late in the day.
There has been advice I have seen floating around that you should water your plants in the evening, as this will assist the calcium uptake, which helps with cell wall structure and nutrient transport through the plant.
Whilst this may be true leaves that remain wet for long periods of time (as will occur overnight) are far more susceptible to attracting disease than those that receive water early in the morning and are able to dry out under the sun's rays.
On the other hand here are three watering tips that we can follow that will significantly improve our tomato plants' health and vitality.
Use rainwater wherever possible.
Tap water can contain a high chlorine content and chlorine is not good for plants.
Conversely rainwater contains beneficial ions helpful in protein synthesis and other functions.
Buckets left outside to catch rainwater (and recovered before it evaporates) are a great and simple idea that you can adopt into your routine.
Use mulch.
- Water evaporation can cause havoc with your watering routine, leading to the same issues as an irregular watering cycle and/or those occurring from dehydration.
Mulch set deeply around the base of the plant helps reduce this problem as well as assisting in the reduction of soil splash and the retention of heat.
Check moisture content regularly.
This is a vital part of your plant care routine.
Many issues that you may otherwise run into can simply be avoided altogether by checking your plants moisture content every 2 or 3 days.
Checking only takes about 5 mins and the headaches it can literally save your plants life.
Source...