# Tips for Watering Tomatoes Deep for Awesome Results



## Jackie_Lee

Great ideas. I'm going to use a drip system this year I think, and lots and lots of mulch.  I'd like to know more about how those tomato crater things work ~ there wasn't much of a description on the product page.
.-= Jackie Lee´s last blog ..Painting Easter Eggs =-.


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## Tee

Hi Jackie - The Tomato Craters are a good way to water your tomatoes and other plants (like eggplant or peppers). One drawback to using them is you need to refill it every day. Not a huge deal but still a factor. It basically is two halves. Once the tomato grows to about a foot high then place the two halves together around the stem of the plant. If I remember right, it snaps together. It's almost like a big saucer with little holes in the bottom. You fill it with water then the water slowly trickles down into the ground and to the roots. This is much better than watering overhead.

I'm looking forward to hearing about your tomatoes this year 

Tee


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## Mark1

I grew some great tomatoes in the Florida Keys. I had my best luck with a timer and drip irrigation system set to water three times a day. Worked great, even in the summer. Now I am in the mountains of Virginia and plan to use the system again. Wish me luck.


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## Bobby

If using a soaker hose, how often and how long should you water?


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## Tee

Hi Bobby - It depends on how hot the temperatures are and how much rain you have received.

If you are experiencing hot, dry weather I would let the soaker hose run for about 2 hours, twice a week to give them a good soaking. If you are getting about an inch of rain per week then I would just run it about an hour a week.

It takes some practice to get it down just right. The one bad thing about soaker hoses is it is very easy to over water your plants (especially when you forget it's on and leave it running for 6 hours. Yeah, I've done that.).


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## Bill_Brikiatis

There is also the situation when watering is inconvenient, either because of a watering ban or because the garden is too far away from the water source. This is when vegetable plant spacing becomes an important issue. In climates where there's a good deal of rain, you may be able to get away with a limited amount of watering if plants have enough open ground around them.


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## Sara

I love the PVC pipe idea, like the soda bottle idea as well but I dont think Ill have near enough bottles saved in time since we are cutting back on soda... I am in a container garden that has 12" high walls , is 12" to shallow for the PVC pipe? Should I go with a wider pipe so it holds more water maybe? Also how close to the plant do you put it? Haven't planted the tomatoes yet but will be doing so in about 2-3 weeks since its been in the 80s here!


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## Peggy_Summitt

I am growing cucumbers and tomatoes in containers and using soaker hoses laying on the top of the pots. How long would you water and how often when using containers? Thanks!


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## James_Petrich

Rootblaster-- the best for all plants I have found, They make it just for tomatos only also. Finger full in bottem of whole in planting and some a few times through the year with your garden tea-- down root watering pipe. This is really great stuff!!!!!


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## skyedale

I know this sounds gross, but put some dog or cat poop at the edges of your vegetable plot.  The poop makes the critters think there is a dog or cat in the garden.  Only trick is you have to replace the poop every week or so.  I have dogs and cats so supply is not an issue.  Since I started doing this, not a single four legged critter has come into the patch.  Now if I could only find a way around the birds.


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