I have a tomato in about a 10 gallon pot. I assume it takes in heat and my dry out sooner than in the ground, i have 4 inches of pine bark mulch. Last year I drench once daily about 3 in the afternoon and the fruit skin split from the excess watering at least i think that is waht caused it. I also assume it is ok for it to go dry than water, more natural, anyway, rather than assuming anything, can anyone offer watering suggestions?
Do your pots drain? I've never been able to over water mine.
Wait until the top inch is dry before you water. And that is way too much bark mulch. Use an inch of lawn clippings or add 1 cup alfalfa (lucerne) pellets once a month.
I have my "Eureka Lemon Tree" in a very large concrete pot also a couple of "Grosse Lisse" tomatoes growing in smaller concrete pots all under cover, so when rain falls they don't benefit, but because they stand on a concrete base after I water the pots and they drain I get an indication of how much water they really need.
I prefer to water in the early morning before things heat up too much. This gives the plants time to absorb the water instead of the water just evaporating with the afternoon heat.
I never use the garden hose with those plants but prefer to carry out water every morning using plastic bottles of water.
Over watering doesn't help a plant in a pot it could actually flush nutrients out of that pot.
I won't confuse the issue talking about 1.25, 1.50 & 2.00 Litre plastic drink bottles, but suggest giving the tomatoes a drink with a plastic soft drink sized bottle of water every morning.
You'll get an idea of how much water they need because of their appearance about how they're doing.
They drain.
In general pots do dry out quickly but it varies with situation. When in doubt test. Poke your finger under the mulch and into the soil, if it is still damp don't water.
David
That's funny. Maybe it's the soil. I use plain top soil. Pots are on my deck and I water with a bucket. Always like to see water in the base.
That's funny. Maybe it's the soil. I use plain top soil. Pots are on my deck and I water with a bucket. Always like to see water in the base.
I laid down a couple layers of anti weed fabric over hole in bottom, then pieces of broken clay pots then put in the potting soil.
Then I don't have answer. Billy points to too much mulch - I don't use any. Seldom to never get splitting. I water by bucket and like to see water in bottom container.
Andy comments:
Here in Texas we have to grow our tomatoes and our pot in separate locations since the sherrif spots it from the air, and the tomatoes would be a dead giveaway.......
Andy in Eureka, Texas
Yeaaah, I was waiting for someone to note the 'pot'. : )
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