The Popular Watering Method That May Be Causing Your Tomatoes More Harm Than Good

Overhead watering of your vegetable garden with a sprinkler or hose seems like a completely normal and acceptable form of irrigation, but for tomatoes, this method is one of the mistakes to avoid when watering your garden. It's important to water tomatoes down to the roots, but using a watering method that soaks the tomato leaves makes the plants susceptible to bacterial and fungal diseases. Moist and humid conditions in the tomato portion of your garden can lead to powdery mildew, fruit rot, and fungal blights, such as Septoria leaf spot, among other issues. Soil splashed on leaves during overhead watering can spread disease spores. For tomatoes, aim to water the roots under the soil, rather than the green plant material.

One of the best solutions to avoid wet tomato leaves and prevent disease is using a drip-irrigation system, a watering technique that can save you money and promote healthy plant growth. Drip irrigation uses up to 80% less water than other irrigation methods. The system delivers water to the base of the plant, making no contact with its leaves.

Although drip irrigation will likely pay off in the long run, it's not cheap and it isn't the only way to water the base of your tomato plants. You can also use a soaker hose, watering can, or a regular hose with a wand attachment that you place at the base of the plants. Supplement your drip irrigation or other soil-watering method with techniques for keeping your tomato plants watered while maintaining dry leaves. Mulch around your plants to retain water. Water regularly with consistent amounts of water — inconsistent watering makes tomatoes susceptible to blossom end rot –putting your drip-irrigation system on a timer will aid consistency. Watering in the morning allows time for any water that splashes onto leaves to evaporate.

Obviously, rain has no respect for the tomato's desire for dry leaves, and heavy rains on dry soil create the kind of irrigation inconsistency that causes your tomatoes to keep cracking and splitting, in addition to other problems for your plants. Pruning your tomatoes and planting them in a way that allows for effective air circulation will help mitigate wet-leaf issues after rainfall.