I grow them in a border in my greenhouse. To see if they may need a drink, I take a pinch of the soil from a couple of inches below the top and just have a look at it and feel how moist it is between my fingers. The plants closer to the door need watering a bit more often than those at the other end. You'll soon get the hang of it
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I agree with Fairygirl that the compost you use makes a difference. Multipurpose can get soggy and stagnant if overwatered. A John Innes type, perhaps with added homemade compost, will be much easier to keep healthy
Consistent, as in keeping the moisture level consistent. I watered mine today - they haven't been watered since some time last week, because they haven't dried out. They were only done today to give them their first feed, otherwise they wouldn't have been watered. Even in my little greenhouse, the temp has been below 20 for the last three days or so, and today is the first day there's been any sun for more than half an hour since Saturday, which was also the last day it was above fourteen degrees during the day. That means virtually no moisture loss. During that excessive heat, they were watered more or less every day, and the doors were open all day.
I wait until they look slightly droopy before watering
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks so much Pete.8, that's really good to know.
I didn't know that about multipurpose Hotwax, thanks for letting me know. My tomatoes are in a compost especially for tomatoes, but my flowers are in multipurpose which I have noticed are still damp a few days after watering in the weather we are having at the mo.
Fairygirl, thanks so much for your clarification. From your post, I need to cut back on my watering as I have been giving them a little drink every couple of days in our current weather. When it was hot, I was watering every day.
Can I ask how much water do you normally feed? I've heard the phrase 'an inch' a week, but how do I work that out?
A good way to see if a pot needs watering is to check the weight - just tilt it lifting the lip, you'll soon learn to gauge by the weight if it needs water. I used to grow toms in pots and still grow a cucumber in a pot every year. In warm or hot weather when I water or feed I really soak it until plenty of water pours from the bottom of the pot - this a good time to check how heavy the pot feels as you know the compost is soaked. A good soak also help to flush through any build-up of unused plant food. I water less if it's cool and cloudy. By just tilting the pot every now and then you'll soon get an idea by the weight when it needs more water
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit. Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
Thanks Pete.8, so less water when cool and cloudy weather and more when warm or hot. I'll be sure to check the weight of my pot when I next water it so I know how it feels.
I just fill a can, adding the tomato food as appropriate. My watering can is about 6 litres. If I don't need all of it for my toms, I use it for other plants - sweet peas or anything which can make use of it. I just apply enough to moisten the plant well enough. Difficult to say how much - a bit like the watering! An inch of water travels down about 9 inches, so that's a useful gauge. Also - it's best to apply it when the soil has a reasonable amount of moisture so that it doesn't just run through. It's a waste otherwise.
Try not to worry too much though- it's all a learning curve, and I reckon people worry about tomatoes far more than they really need to. Most people over cosset them which often creates more problems.
It's a place where beautiful isn't enough of a word....
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
Thanks Fairygirl, I'm not going to worry about my tomatoes as much now and just wait and see what happens after following the advice you've all given me.
I have suffered blossom end rot this last few years since having (due to small garden) to grow tomatoes in containers outside.
This year (and I hesitate to say this) I have misted the plants every 4/5 days with a very dilute solution of milk. The theory being to add calcium to the plant via the foliage. I have no blossom end rot this year .
Coincidence, genius, crackpot? You decide but probably best keep your opinions to yourself
Incidentally the growing medium (garden compost) and the seeds Alicante and Wilkinson's cherry tomato were the same as the previous year, in fact the Alicante seeds came from the very same seed packet.
We have tried to grow tomatoes outside in pots many times, they can be a tricky crop to master. Finally success this year, each plant gets 2 minutes of watering each morning and evening by micro irrigation.
Posts
To see if they may need a drink, I take a pinch of the soil from a couple of inches below the top and just have a look at it and feel how moist it is between my fingers.
The plants closer to the door need watering a bit more often than those at the other end.
You'll soon get the hang of it
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I watered mine today - they haven't been watered since some time last week, because they haven't dried out. They were only done today to give them their first feed, otherwise they wouldn't have been watered.
Even in my little greenhouse, the temp has been below 20 for the last three days or so, and today is the first day there's been any sun for more than half an hour since Saturday, which was also the last day it was above fourteen degrees during the day. That means virtually no moisture loss. During that excessive heat, they were watered more or less every day, and the doors were open all day.
I wait until they look slightly droopy before watering
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
I didn't know that about multipurpose Hotwax, thanks for letting me know. My tomatoes are in a compost especially for tomatoes, but my flowers are in multipurpose which I have noticed are still damp a few days after watering in the weather we are having at the mo.
Fairygirl, thanks so much for your clarification. From your post, I need to cut back on my watering as I have been giving them a little drink every couple of days in our current weather. When it was hot, I was watering every day.
Can I ask how much water do you normally feed? I've heard the phrase 'an inch' a week, but how do I work that out?
I used to grow toms in pots and still grow a cucumber in a pot every year.
In warm or hot weather when I water or feed I really soak it until plenty of water pours from the bottom of the pot - this a good time to check how heavy the pot feels as you know the compost is soaked. A good soak also help to flush through any build-up of unused plant food.
I water less if it's cool and cloudy.
By just tilting the pot every now and then you'll soon get an idea by the weight when it needs more water
Billericay - Essex
Knowledge is knowing that a tomato is a fruit.
Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
I just apply enough to moisten the plant well enough. Difficult to say how much - a bit like the watering!
An inch of water travels down about 9 inches, so that's a useful gauge. Also - it's best to apply it when the soil has a reasonable amount of moisture so that it doesn't just run through. It's a waste otherwise.
Try not to worry too much though- it's all a learning curve, and I reckon people worry about tomatoes far more than they really need to. Most people over cosset them which often creates more problems.
I live in west central Scotland - not where that photo is...
This year (and I hesitate to say this) I have misted the plants every 4/5 days with a very dilute solution of milk. The theory being to add calcium to the plant via the foliage. I have no blossom end rot this year
Coincidence, genius, crackpot? You decide but probably best keep your opinions to yourself
Incidentally the growing medium (garden compost) and the seeds Alicante and Wilkinson's cherry tomato were the same as the previous year, in fact the Alicante seeds came from the very same seed packet.