Water tomatoes carefuly; they are prone to softening and browning if overwatered. If your crop doesn’t work out, you can always blame it on the weather (or the pests), but most likely you had uneven watering. Rot happens with excess water, and splitting happen when there’s not enough. Water the plants according to what stage of growth they are in to make sure the water matches their needs.
With seeds, for instance, you want seedbed moist but not sodden. Think of this: You don’t want to drench the area around them as though you’re soaking soil. You’re coaxing the seed to surface, and you has to make the place look attractive to it. It wants it damp, like a fine mist.
How to Water Tomatoes
“Their root system is very shallow. Water every day so that first inch or so of soil remains moist. Letting the soil dry out even once will slow down plant. “This stage is tender and takes time. Be patient. Keep the surface moist until you see green shoot emerge.
Watering shifts as tomato plant grows. Keep top inch of soil consistently moist for seedlings, but as they mature, let the top layers of growing medium dry out slightly between drinks. Why? This prompts roots to grow deeper to find moisture, rather than staying near the surface where shallow roots weakens the plant and make it less able to support itself when temperatures rise.
Once it’s flowering, the volume of water dramatically increase. Now the plant must support itself against full, heavy foliage and produce fruit, which require more resources. The most important thing to watch regarding moisture is fruit set. Stress at that point can be devastating. Extreme changes in soil moisture can result in blossom end rot. That’s when you see the sunken, black spot on underside of tomato. People think it’s caused by a lack of calcium in the soil, but it isn’t. What happens is delivery problem. When watering habits are inconsistent, the root system doesn’t transport calcium to developing fruit. So the key here: Don’t let the soil go dry or sodden; keep it consistently moist. Consistency lets nutrients reach their targets.
How much water actualy gets into the plant depends based off when you do so. Watering at high noon is a waste, much of the water will simply evaporate before ever reaching the roots. The best time is early morning. The plant takes up the water before the sun bakes it in. Anything that splashes onto leaves has time to dry during day. Wet foliage at night invites fungal diseases, such as late blight. You want dry foliage. Direct your watering to base of plants, not their canopy. One little adjustment protects the harvest.
Also: Your watering regimen depends on the weather. Use a rain gauge. Count every drop that Mother Nature supplies. One inch of rain means you skip yours. Watering too much is no better then not enough. Roots require air, too; soggy soil suffocates them. You should of don’t be afraid to plunge your finger a couple of inches into the soil when in doubt. Cool and moist? Wait. Dry? Time to water. It’s easier than following any complicated timetable.
The trick is consistency. Consistent watering equals consistent growth, and less cracking in the fruit. Right time, right amount of water, you make it happen.