How often and correctly to water tomato seedlings in a greenhouse and open field

To maintain high yields, gardeners need to know the rules on how to water tomato seedlings. For tomato bushes, abundant irrigation is more dangerous than drought. Excessively moist soil, reduces the immunity of the plant, leads to the development of fungal infections, rotting and the appearance of cracks in the fruits.

Gradual moisture demand

The most important criterion for how often you need to water tomato seedlings is its age. It is also necessary to take into account the composition of the soil, the characteristics of the climate, the prevalence of rain or heat, the selected variety.

There are many rules on how to properly water tomatoes outdoors. For seedlings of all varieties of tomatoes, less moisture is required, since the root system of young shoots is less branched and strong. But drought is also dangerous for them. The roots are not long enough to absorb moisture from the depths of the soil. The roots of an adult plant can go deep up to one meter, where there is always moisture.

Tips on how to properly water tomato seedlings, depending on the stage of its cultivation.

1. Prepared soil is poured into a container intended for seedlings. It is poured abundantly with settled water. Then they begin to sow the soaked, germinated seeds. The depressions with the seeds are sprinkled with dry earth, the container is covered with a film and removed to a warm place. As soon as most of the seedlings appear, the film is removed and the seedlings are moved to a well-lit place. The entire period, after sowing the seeds and before removing the film, does not need to be watered.
2. After most of the sprouts have emerged, the film coating is removed. You cannot water for another 2-3 days. Fragile shoots can be easily washed out with a stream of water. If the soil is very dry, you can spray the soil with a spray bottle. Then, before picking, it is enough to water with water once every 7 days.
3. The next important step in the growth of seedlings is the unfolding of the first leaves. Watering tomato seedlings is carried out only when a dry top layer appears on the soil. You should continue to use a spray bottle or small watering can. You need to pour water between the tomato rows, excluding contact with the green part.
4. As soon as the second pair of leaves unfolds, the picking procedure is carried out. How should you water tomato seedlings after picking? A few days before this event, the seedlings are moistened and the first feeding is applied. Thanks to this, the soil softens, becomes loose and when the bushes are removed from the ground, the root branches will not be damaged.

Watering tomatoes after picking is preferable using pallets. As a result of this watering method, the roots will grow and grow stronger. Be sure to make small holes at the bottom of the container where the tomato bush grows. Through them excess moisture will leave the soil. If this is not done, the plant may rot.

5. After the end of the picking, it is impossible to water tomato seedlings for 5 days, even if the branches and leaves look sluggish. During this time, the plant adapts, gains strength and takes root. Water will make the adaptation process difficult.
6. After a little less than a week, you can start watering according to the generally accepted scheme. How often to water tomato seedlings, the main reference is the dry crust on the top layer of the earth. On average, it is enough to water small bushes every 7-8 days.

How many times can tomato seedlings be watered? Sometimes the amount can be increased up to two times every 7-8 days, or it costs one watering every 1.5 weeks. How often you need to water tomato seedlings is largely influenced by the properties of the air in the room and the characteristics of the lighting.

7. After the young shoots get stronger (after about 1.5 months), reach a height of 25 cm, you can start planting in a permanent place. 2-3 days before the intended transplant, the ground is watered abundantly. This will make it easy to remove the seedling from the container.

Take a look also

Characteristics and description of the variety of tomato Shuttle, its yield

It is recommended to fertilize dived seedlings along with watering. This combination is beneficial for plant growth and development. You can determine the need for nutrients by the appearance of the seedlings. Strong stem, rich green leaves testify to health. It is enough to feed two weeks after the pick and again after another 12 days.

If the leaves turn yellow, there may be a lack of nitrogen. It is recommended to sprinkle with ammonium nitrate or urea. Phosphorus deficiency is indicated by the purple tint of the leaves. In this case, superphosphate is the best fertilizer.

In greenhouse conditions or in a greenhouse, the irrigation regime should be monitored even more strictly. During the germination period, tomato seeds should be watered according to the following scheme. The first watering is carried out after most of the seedlings hatch. The next time you need to water it only after 10-12 days.

How to properly water tomato seedlings

In order for the plant to develop well and receive only the benefits of watering, certain requirements must be observed. You definitely need to know what to water young shoots with.

1. Watering tomato seedlings should be done only with warm water. Cold water can reduce disease resistance and is often the cause of late blight.
2. For tomato seedlings, it is useful to stock up on melt or rain water. At the stage when the seedlings are still small, there is still snow on the street, so you can use it. Such water promotes active growth, nourishes and increases disease resistance. Adult seedlings do not need such moisture so much.
3. What water is recommended to water seedlings? Ordinary tap water is hard and contains many harmful impurities, so it is better to boil it. Over time, when the seedlings are transplanted to a permanent place, the water must be defended for 2-3 days, filling the tanks.
4. It is recommended to water the soil before fertilizing. This will allow for better absorption of all nutrients and not burn the root branches.
5. Any top dressing, before applying to the ground, must be diluted with water.

There is one more important recommendation on how to water tomato seedlings. The stream of the jet should be directed under the base of the bush or between the rows, excluding hitting the green parts of the plant. Moisture in greens provokes fungal diseases, increases the risk of sunburn.

The best irrigation option is drip irrigation.

Growing with this watering option becomes easy and safe. Drip irrigation of tomatoes in the open field allows water to fall exactly under the root of each bush, without washing out the ground or exposing the roots. Underground watering reduces the risk of top rot.

An underground irrigation dripper is easy.For drip irrigation, you will need ordinary, preferably two-liter, plastic bottles, from which the bottom is cut out. The neck must be closed with a lid. Small holes are made throughout the entire area of ​​the bottle.

The finished container is placed in a pre-dug depression in the ground near each tomato bush, cut off the bottom up. As needed, water is poured into the container, and it slowly seeping through the holes made, will flow to all underground branches.

Take a look also

The best varieties of tomatoes for Transbaikalia, how and when to plant seedlings and grow

How to determine when it is time to water your seedlings

How to understand, you need to water tomato seedlings or the time has not yet come, not every gardener can determine. The following tips can come to the rescue:

• the soil is dry, pale, lumpy;
• a wooden stick or wire will help, which is carefully deepened into the soil along the edge of the container, checking the moisture content of the lower layers (if the stick remains clean, without soil sticking, then it's time to start moistening);
• you need to dig a hole about 9 cm deep, take a little earth and make a lump (if the lump crumbles, then it's time to moisten the soil, if it sticks together, then on the contrary, you need to wait a little with irrigation);
• you can determine the moisture content of the soil by weight, a container with dry soil is much easier than with wet;
• can be determined by the sound, for this it is enough to knock on the walls of the glass with a pencil: if the sound is resonant, then the earth is ready for watering, if it is deaf, then you need to wait.

Correct watering of seedlings also consists in determining the dosage of water. While the seedlings are at home in small containers, they need little moisture.

It can be concluded that tomato bushes should be watered rarely, but with the addition of an abundant amount of water. To retain moisture in the soil for a long time, mulching is recommended. The top layer can be covered with sawdust or straw.

Moisturizing after transplant

How to water tomato seedlings grown in greenhouse conditions? If tomato seeds are grown in a greenhouse, it is recommended to start watering only after most of the seedlings appear (this is about 3 days after sowing). By this time, a dry crust has formed on the ground.

In the future, one watering per week is enough. Watering more often can curl and turn yellow leaves. It is useful to carry out loosening, which allows water to be absorbed faster into the soil.

Moistening the earth is carried out only with warm water. Additional spraying is prohibited. As soon as the moisture is completely absorbed, it is recommended to ventilate the room.

Watering is stopped when the fruits are formed and they are supposed to be collected soon (somewhere in about 20 days). Otherwise, all the moisture from the roots will pass into the tomatoes, and they will begin to ripen earlier.

How often to water tomatoes outdoors? To help the seedlings adapt faster in open beds, you need to water it with plenty of water, every 10 days. The first days after transplanting seedlings into open beds should not be watered.

It is necessary to follow a number of recommendations on how to water tomatoes in the open field.

1. Do not water the tomatoes during hot, sunny times of the day. When is it preferable to water the seedlings, in the morning or in the evening? The best time is considered early morning or evening when the sun goes down.
2. Watering tomatoes in the open field can be carried out at any convenient time if the weather is cloudy.
3. During the period of ovary formation, you need to ensure that the ground is always slightly moist.
4. Loosening is necessary after each watering. It will help improve the oxygen supply to the roots.

There are rules for how to water tomatoes after planting in the ground. Before the plant begins to bloom, there should be about 6 liters of water for every square meter. During the period of active flowering, the need for water increases, the dosage is added to 17 liters.As soon as the fruits are set, watering is reduced again. For low-growing varieties, 5 liters is enough, for tall ones - about 10 liters per square meter.