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LB> snipped-for-privacy@aol.com says... LB>> Thoughts on this: LB>> 1. In a really hot climate, the water evaporates as fast as it drips out. LB>> 2. Tomatoes seem to benefit more from a deep watering that promotes deep LB>roots. LB>> This provides mostly surface water and shallow roots. LB>> 3. If you're going out to the tomato plants to fill the plastic bottles, w LB>> not just water the tomatoes while you're there instead of filling bottles? LB>>
LB>I've always put large coffee cans around my tomatoes as soon as I plant LB>them. The cans are buried in the ground a couple of inches. This not LB>only seems to prevent cutworms but makes watering simple - just fill the LB>cans. Had very little blossom end rot.
LB>This year I tried without the cans. About the same amount of water, at LB>least I thought so, but I got much more BER. I think the cans LB>concentrate the water in a small area so it goes much deeper.
I use cut out gallon jugs similarly with equal results for several years now in suburban Boston,MA. I think it also concentrates the application of fertilizer to the plants (and limits it to producing more weeds).
Ciao, Ack.