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watering during a heat wave

Posted by njitgrad 6A/6B New Jersey (My Page) on
Thu, Jul 18, 13 at 13:31

Does anyone think its a good idea to water any differently during a heat wave? So far my tomatoes are not wilting and I am watering them once a week deeply.

However my herbs, cukes, zukes, squash, carrots, peppers, eggplant, and beans get watered deeply twice a week.


Follow-Up Postings:

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RE: watering during a heat wave

If they're not wilting, I'd say they're getting what they need. I've been watering my main gardens about twice a week during this heat, though my SFG bed (with Mel's Mix) needs it more often. My container tomatoes and peppers have moved into twice/day mode, but they're consolidated enough on my back patio that I can get them quickly with the hose on my way to work in the morning, then again when I come home mid-late-afternoon.


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RE: watering during a heat wave

A couple of mine are wilting during the day, but perk up overnight which tells me they don't need water. They're due soon for a good watering, but storms could come in later today and do the trick!


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RE: watering during a heat wave

If they're NOT wilting they're OK. I had to water (1 gal at a time, so only gave a little to each plant) on Tuesday morning since we really hadn't had any appreciable rain since last Wed, I'm hoping we get a good soaking tomorrow afternoon and there is more rain predicted for next week so I am holding off. If we don't get close to 1/2" tomorrow I'll probably water Sunday or Monday - then watch, we'll get soaked mid-week!

Edited to add the NOT

This post was edited by ajsmama on Fri, Jul 19, 13 at 11:00


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RE: watering during a heat wave

i water no different. if you try and wait out for the rain, you may get a lot of fruit cracking and split and the plants rehydrate...so to speak.


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RE: watering during a heat wave

M fruit have just set and are hard as rocks so I'm not worried about that yet ;-)

I've got 106 tomatoes, 69 beans, 27 edamame and 49 pepper plants 1000ft from my house that I have to water by hand with gallon jugs filled from 50 gal barrel(s) hauled down in my pickup so if I can afford to wait for rain, I wait!


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RE: watering during a heat wave

Depending on the RH, plants need more water at higher temperatures, just as humans do, due to perspiration. Additionally, if the bed is not adequately mulched, with moisture retaining mulch, the plants will need even more water. This issue is very well manifest itself in pot/container gardening, depending on the size, temps, location. Sometimes you have to water them twice in a day.


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