When Do You Stop Watering Tomatoes to Ripen?

Watering Requirements

• There is confusion over how much water a tomato plant needs at what time. Throughout its short life, these requirements change, which is the root of the confusion. When tomato plants are young and just setting blooms and first fruits, they need regular, thorough waterings. Soaking to a depth of 8 to 10 inches once a week is ideal. As the end of summer approaches, however, withhold water to spur fruits to ripen more quickly.

Retaining Water

• Mulches help tomatoes to retain the deep waterings you're giving them, if applied at the right time. As summer begins to get hot and dry, usually in July and August, apply a leaf or wheat straw mulch around the base of the plant, at least 1 inch deep. This helps to conserve water on hot summer days.

Cracked Tomato Fruits

• Cracked fruits result from irregular watering. Sudden heavy rains in late spring can cause these developing fruits to burst when they are suddenly overwhelmed with available water. Thorough, regular watering and mulching can help keep water in the soil and prevent the tomato plants from being overwhelmed by too much water at one time.

Blossom-end Rot

• Perhaps the most enigmatic of tomato problems, blossom-end rot results when a tomato receives too little calcium from the soil around it. One of the causes of this situation is irregular availability of water. Blossom-end rot first appears as a dark spot on the blossom end of the developing fruit, but quickly turns in to a large black, leathery spot, often colonized by molds. Regular watering and mulching can help to prevent this problem.