The bright red tomato originally belonged to the genus “Solanum” until 1768 when it received its own genus, “Lipcopersicon esculentum.” The garden tomato is described by many people as being juicier and tastier, as compared to the store-bought alternative.
Of course, this is only possible with proper maintenance. Tomatoes require nutrients, water, sunlight, and fertilizer to flourish. Consistency is an important component of the maintenance process.
This is especially true when watering tomatoes, which is where the soaker hose comes in handy. It is ideal for small- to medium-sized tomato beds. How long to run a soaker hose for tomatoes?
The amount of time to run a soaker hose for tomatoes varies, depending on the setup, hose diameter, PSI, and garden or bed size. But as a rule of thumb, water the plant till the soil is damp and not puddling.
[Related Article: Can You Eat Tomatoes With Blossom End Rot]
Soaker System
Watering is one of the most grueling components of tomato maintenance. To ensure more efficiency, botanists have created three watering techniques for large commercial farms, backyard gardens, beds, and buckets.
The soaker system is a popular watering technique for tomato beds. The layout depends on the width and length of your bed.
It is recommended to wind (snake) the soaker hose back and forth around the tomato plants. Narrow tomato beds just require a straight host from one end to the other end.
With the soaker hose in place, the nozzle end should be attached to a traditional garden hose to increase the PSI.
Drip System
The drip system is another watering technique for most backyard gardens. The installation is complex, requiring a bit of measuring without exceeding a 400-feet submain.
Start by measuring the length and width of your tomato garden. Again, avoid exceeding 400 feet of submain to ensure sufficient water pressure.
Utilizing a hose bib, connect one end of the submain to a traditional garden hose outlet. A hose bit is a kit that includes a coupler, pressure reducer, filter, and adapter.
It is recommended to let the submain warm in the sun before installation. This will ensure adequate flexibility throughout the installation process.
Continue the installation until the drip-irrigation system is functioning properly. Monitor the first few waterings carefully to avoid under- and over-watering.
If you spot a puddle near the emitter, turn down the water volume. The earth should only be damp, not soaked.
Spray System
Spray systems are popular among backyard gardeners because they are so diverse. Integrating the system with a smart watering timer ensure maximum efficiency, accuracy, and convenience.
A quality smart timer permits gardeners to create watering schedules that are automated.
Preset the watering schedule bi-weekly. Start with a 30-minute watering session, adjusting as needed. If the earth is still dry, increase the session by no more than 5 minutes. If puddles are detected, decrease the session by 5 minutes.
Summary
Growing tomatoes is a fairly easy process, with the proper resources. In fact, the young tomato seedling can as easily flourish in an upside-down 10-gallon bucket.
To ensure an abundance of fresh, organic tomatoes, tenants of flats, condos, and apartments utilize this growing technique. Commercial farmers and independent gardeners take their tomato gardens to the next level.
Of course, it is not necessary, but it can earn a decent yield at harvest time.
