The error that ruins summer tomatoes may seem trivial, but it is more widespread than you think. Discover How to avoid it easily It really makes the difference between a successful and a disappointing harvest.
Those who cultivate tomatoes know it well: just an out of place detail to send the weeks of care and patience to the air. Yet there is a very simple trick to protect its fruits, without effort. It is often believed that summer tomatoes need only sun and water. In fact, it is precisely here that the most insidious error is hidden: The wrong irrigation. At first glance it may seem like a trivial detail, but it is exactly what can compromise all the work done.
It is not just how much water give, but of when, come e how often do it. It is curious to note that even the most experienced farmers, sometimes, fall into this trap, perhaps out of habit or for wrong beliefs. We think that the more water brings more harvest, but it is not so. Excessive or poorly managed irrigation can cause diseases, splitting in fruits and disordered growth. In short, a simple mistake repeated every day can frustrate everything. And then it is likely to clarify, once and for all.
The problem of water: how ruin tomatoes without them noticing it
When it comes to Summer tomatoesthe water is allied and enemy at the same time. If it is bad, it does more damage than the torrid heat. The most common problem? Water the tomatoes from above. An automatic gesture, perhaps made with the watering can or with a too strong jet. The result? The leaves remain humid for too long, the soil compacts and facilitates the appearance of mushrooms and diseases. In addition, the fruits risk splitting or ripening in an uneven way.
In many cases, it is watering during the hottest hours. Another classic error. The water evaporates immediately, the roots do not receive enough and the soil dry out on the surface, while below it remains wet. A confusion that the tomato does not tolerate well. Another pitfall is discontinuous irrigation: for days we have passed to abundant sudden watering. This water stress literally sends the plant to Tilt, causing the notorious “apical rot” or the crack of the peel.
How to avoid the most common error and save the harvest
Fortunately, few precautions are enough to change the fate of the garden. Start from a simple rule: Innate always at the basenever on the leaves. This reduces the risk of mold and allows water to really reach the roots.
Better still, it creates a small basin around the stem, in order to convey the water right where you need. The ideal would be to use drop irrigation systems, but also a packed and buried bottle can work perfectly.
A few useful tricks to keep in mind:
- Water in the early morning Or after sunset, never during the hottest hours.
- Check the soil humidity With a finger: if it is still humid, wait before giving more water.
- Keep the frequency constant: Better but regular, rather than abundant and intermittence.
- Pcciamatura with straw or dry leaves It helps to maintain stable humidity longer.
And if the fruits begin to split, it is a sign that irrigation must be corrected. There are no miraculous products, only more attention to the natural rhythm of the plant.
The importance of the climate and the type of soil for tomatoes
Not all land respond in the same way. The sandy one, for example, drains very quickly: it is necessary to water more often but in small doses. The clay soil instead retains humidity longer, but risks creating stagnation.
The climate then does the rest: in the damp areas, you risk watering too much. In the dry ones, however, a balance must be found to prevent the roots from drying out.
Every summer is different. There are years when irrigation can also be reduced by half, and others where you have to adapt every day. That’s why observing is the key: the color of the leaves, the consistency of the fruit, the presence of cracks or spots tell much more than it is believed.
There is no perfect formula. But avoiding the most common mistake is already a huge step forward. Tomatoes demonstrate it with the flavor.
So why not take a look at your plants today?
It takes a few minutes to understand if something is wrong, and maybe change the course of the season.
Photo © Stock.adobe
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