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

To maintain high yields, gardeners must know the rules of how to water tomato seedlings. For tomato bushes, abundant irrigation is more dangerous than drought. Excessively moist soil reduces the plant's immunity, leading to the development of fungal infections, rotting and cracks in the fruit.

Gradual moisture requirements

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, climate characteristics, the prevalence of rain or heat, and the selected variety.

There are many rules on how to properly water tomatoes in open ground.Seedlings of all varieties of tomatoes require less moisture, since young sprouts have a less branched and strong root system. 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 down to one meter, where there is always moisture.

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

1. The prepared soil is poured into a container intended for seedlings. Water it generously with settled water. Then they begin to sow the soaked, sprouted seeds. The holes with the seeds are sprinkled with dry soil, the container is covered with film and put in 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. There is no need to water the entire period, after sowing the seeds and before removing the film.
2. After most of the sprouts have sprouted, the film covering is removed. You can't water it for another 2-3 days. Frail sprouts can be easily washed away by 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 it with water once every 7 days.
3. The next important stage 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, avoiding getting on 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 fertilizing 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.

It is preferable to water the tomatoes after picking using trays. As a result of this watering method, the roots will grow and become stronger. Be sure to make small holes at the bottom of the container where the tomato bush grows. Excess moisture from the soil will drain through them. If this is not done, the plant may rot.

5. After picking, you cannot water the tomato seedlings for 5 days, even if the branches and leaves look lethargic. 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 guideline is the dry crust on the top layer of soil. On average, it is enough to water small bushes once every 7-8 days.

How many times can you water tomato seedlings? Sometimes the amount can be increased to twice every 7-8 days or can be done with one watering every 1.5 weeks. How often tomato seedlings need to be watered 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) and reach a height of 25 cm, you can begin planting them in a permanent place. 2-3 days before the intended transplant, the soil is watered abundantly. This will make it easy to remove the seedling from the container.

It is recommended to fertilize the picked seedlings at the same time as watering. This combination is beneficial for the growth and development of plants. You can determine the need for nutrients by the appearance of the seedlings. A strong stem and deep green leaves indicate health.It is enough to feed two weeks after picking and again after another 12 days.

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

In greenhouse conditions or in a greenhouse, you should monitor the watering regime even more strictly. Tomato seeds during the germination period should be watered according to the following scheme. The first watering is carried out after most of the seedlings have hatched. The next time you need to water only after 10-12 days.

How to properly water tomato seedlings

In order for the plant to develop well and only benefit from watering, some 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 often causes 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 take advantage of it. Such water promotes active growth, nourishes and increases resistance to disease. Adult seedlings do not need such moisture so much.
3. What water is recommended to water seedlings? Regular 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 left for 2-3 days, filling the tanks.
4. It is recommended to water the soil before applying fertilizers. This will allow for better absorption of all nutritional components and not burn the root branches.
5. Any fertilizer must be diluted with water before applying it to the ground.

There is another important recommendation on how to water tomato seedlings. The jet stream should be directed under the base of the bush or between the rows, avoiding contact with the green parts of the plant. Moisture on greenery provokes fungal diseases and increases the risk of sunburn.

The best watering option is drip irrigation.

Growing with this watering option becomes easy and safe. Drip watering of tomatoes in open ground allows water to get right under the root of each bush, without washing out the soil or exposing the roots. Underground watering reduces the risk of blossom end rot.

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

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

How to determine when it is time to water seedlings

Not every gardener can determine whether tomato seedlings need to be watered or the time has not yet come. The following tips may help:

• 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 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 soil 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 while with irrigation);
• you can determine soil moisture by weight; a container with dry soil is much lighter than one with wet soil;
• can be determined by the sound; to do this, just tap the walls of the cup with a pencil: if the sound is clear, then the earth is ready for watering; if it is dull, then you need to wait.

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

We can conclude that tomato bushes should be watered rarely, but with plenty of water added. To retain moisture in the soil for a long time, it is recommended to mulch. The top layer can be covered with sawdust or straw.

Moisturizing after transplantation

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

In the future, one watering per week is sufficient. If you water more often, the leaves may curl and turn yellow. It is useful to loosen, which allows water to be absorbed into the soil faster.

The soil is moistened 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 are expected to be collected soon (in about 20 days). Otherwise, all the moisture from the roots will go into the tomatoes, and they will begin to ripen earlier.

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

You need to follow a number of recommendations on how to water tomatoes in open ground.

1. You should not water tomatoes during hot, sunny times of the day. When is it better to water seedlings, in the morning or in the evening? The best time is considered to be early morning or evening, when the sun sets.
2. Watering tomatoes in open ground can be done at any convenient time if the weather is cloudy.
3. During the period of ovary formation, you need to ensure that the soil is always slightly moist.
4. After each watering, loosening is necessary. It will help improve the supply of oxygen to the roots.

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