Overwatering Tomatoes plants is indicated by drooping foliage and wilting. Wilting may be an indication of either too much moisture in the soil for plants to grow or too much moisture in the soil for the roots to take up. Continue reading to learn more about the symptoms of overwatering tomato plants and how to address the issue.
Drooping Leaves
The first thing that gardeners worry about when they see drooping leaves on any plant is a lack of moisture. This idea makes a lot of sense because tomato plants exhibit wilting as an initial indication of Underwatering. However, it’s not the sole explanation.
Overwatering effectively suffocates the roots by reducing the amount of airflow surrounding them. An overabundance of moisture can promote the growth of fungi, which can destroy plant tissues and affect the plant’s ability to absorb moisture.
Unhealthy roots that are unable to deliver water and nutrients to the parts of the plant that need them cause drooping leaves. If the wilting doesn’t stop, you might have severe root rot. Nevertheless, letting the soil dry out and adjusting your watering schedule might solve the issue.
Discoloration
Tomatoes are trying to tell you something is amiss when their formerly lush and green leaves start to turn other colours. Though there are a lot of possible causes, overwatered tomatoes are the main candidates for discoloration.
Yellowing leaves are the most common sign of a chlorophyll production problem. When leaves are unable to carry nutrients and moisture throughout the plant, they start to become yellow and sometimes fall off.
Look for signs of overwatering by examining the soil and root conditions, the amount of recent rainfall, and your watering schedule. If this is the case, let the soil dry up for a few days before you water it again.
Curling Leaves
Tomato producers may experience panic when they discover curled tomato leaves, but the issue is more common than you might imagine. Overwatering is one of the several possible causes of curling leaves.
The roots become stressed when they receive excessive irrigation. Usually, leaves curl under and downward when drenched in water or when they get too heated, indicating a potential root issue.
Check to see whether the leaves return to normal after a few days of allowing the soil to dry out. If you have an abundance of tomato plants, it is advisable to remove any damaged ones that do not mend to prevent the problem from affecting other healthy plants.
Waterlogged Soil
Investigating the soil, the cornerstone of plant health is always the best course of action before looking at your tomato plant for symptoms of distress.
This accumulation suggests that the soil is wet, which increases the danger of rot and results in overwatered tomatoes. Soggy soil can also be the result of too much rain if you grow tomatoes in a low-lying area or use the incorrect kind of soil. In these situations, raised beds can help with drainage and reduce the possibility of water logging.
Change your practice and wait until the soil dries out before watering it again if you notice any indications of water logging. If poor root health stems from the texture of the soil, consider raising the soil using raised beds or adding compost to the soil.
Blossom End Rot
It is a thrilling process to watch your tomato plants bear fruit. However, the sight of brown, sunken areas on the fruits’ bases can quickly quell any exhilaration. Gardeners sometimes believe that adding extra calcium to the soil can solve blossom end rot because it is a result of a calcium deficit.
Plants often experience calcium shortages due to the capacity of their roots to absorb calcium, rather than a lack of calcium in the soil. Unfortunately, once the overwatering problem is fixed, the impacted fruits won’t return to normal.
The tomatoes are still edible, but it’s advisable to remove any troublesome sections first. Modify your watering schedule to guarantee trouble-free later-season tomatoes.
Cracked Fruit
The fruits also exhibit the last indication of overwatering, especially when the season comes to a close and the last of the fruits begins to ripen. Overwatering isn’t always the reason for fruit shattering. Usually, right before the fruit is ready to be harvested; unexpectedly heavy downpours occur and overwhelm the plants.
While frequent watering is necessary to encourage the production of luscious fruits, overwatering at this time of year can have the opposite effect on the health of the plant and the flavour of the tomato. Reliability is crucial. Your fruits will remain flawless and free of cracks if you keep the soil consistently moist and water it only when necessary.
Root Rot
If left unchecked, the very destructive disease known as root rot can quickly destroy your season’s tomato crop. A couple of the fungi that cause root rot are Pythium and, more often, Phytophthora. The excess moisture and oxygen create the perfect environment for the fungus to grow and destroy the roots, turning them into mush.
Regretfully, root rot is difficult to eradicate once it has established itself. To continue growing, you can lift baby tomatoes, cut off any impacted roots, and transplant them into new soil. But to prevent the situation from becoming out of control, it is usually best to remove older plants.
Since the fungus that causes root rot will still be present in the soil, it is not advisable to plant anything in the same spot for a lengthy period. Move to raised beds or containers to give you complete control over the soil conditions.
Ways to Prevent Overwatering
- Planting tomatoes in low-lying areas where rain and water gather is not a good idea.
- Use pots with many holes for drainage.
- Establish a regular watering routine.
- Between irrigations, let the soil’s surface dry out a little.
- Observe the weather and the quantity of precipitation that has occurred.
- For garden plants, provide 1 to 2 inches per week, and for potted plants, give 1 gallon each day.
- Hose timers are handy, but don’t forget to adjust for rainy conditions.
- Never attempt to make up for a missed watering by applying more irrigation. Too much added all at once causes the roots to become soaked.
- Overwatering a tomato plant can easily result in more hydration than destruction. If you must be away, set timers to off and ask a neighbour, friend, or relative for a favour.
Also Read: Tomato Plant Not Flowering
How to Fix an Overwatered Tomato Plant
The fact that tomato plants are hardy is wonderful news. Plant resuscitation is encouraged, and damage is minimized when issues are identified early. You can save even plants that show signs of decaying roots. These are the most crucial actions to take to get well again.
Dry out Garden Tomato Plants
Garden-grown plants may have taproots up to three feet long, which anchor the top growth, depending on the type. A network of new roots will emerge to take up nutrients, even if the taproot is not damaged.
Cut out any soggy, black roots with a clean snipper. Plant again, spreading out the roots in a wide, deep hole in a dry spot. Plant at the same depth as you did in the beginning.
Give it no water for a few days after that, so the roots may completely dry out. They are hard to transplant and will wilt profusely when moved. The best course of action in these situations is to fertilize after letting the soil dry up. Applying a fungicide to the soil surrounding the plant’s base could aid in the roots’ recovery.
Dry out Potted Tomato Plants
Remove the plant from its pot, preserving as many of its roots as possible. It is necessary to sweep away or gently shake off any moist soil. You can lay out young seedlings on a newspaper and let them dry for a few hours.
Cut off any mushy, discoloured roots using a clean snipper. After getting rid of the old dirt and adding a fresh, dry mix, replace the soil around the plant. To keep it upright, provide support.
Small-fruiting mature bush plants are more resilient to transportation than larger fruit kinds, but they still need to be planted right away in a pot with dry soil. Spared plants will ultimately drop their leaves, but fresh growth means the plant is making a full recovery.
Provide Nutrients
Plants absorb highly nutrient-rich water through their roots. Because it keeps the plants from carrying the nutrients necessary for proper top development, overwatering results in weakness and inefficiency. Following sufficient drying of the soil and/or roots, water-damaged tomatoes should be fertilized with a balanced NPK fertilizer, such as 10-10-10.
Although foliar spray can be used to treat leaves, it is not recommended to treat badly wilted foliage. In one to two weeks, the plant should recover, depending on the extent of the damage.
Provide Dry Soil
Refusing water until the soil dries out may be sufficient if you notice symptoms like damp soil, standing water, or slightly wilted leaves and stems. You should relocate the plant to a fresh, drier area as soon as damage to the roots is evident.
Conclusion
While tomatoes adore moisture, too much of it will be detrimental rather than beneficial. To preserve root health and ensure a robust crop at the end of the summer, respond as soon as you see any of these indicators.
FAQ
How often should tomatoes be watered?
Water tomato plants in the garden thoroughly at the soil’s surface once a week, or twice a week during hot weather, contingent on the amount of rainfall. Depending on the temperature and amount of rainfall, water potted plants once or twice a day for a total of one gallon.
When tomato plants are overwatered, how long does it take them to dry out?
Overwatering is avoided, tomato plants often recover in one to two weeks.
When growing tomatoes, how should the soil be?
Never let the soil get too damp or sloppy. Eight to ten inches of moisture should be present. Use a stick or probe to check. Damp soil will stick to the probe. In between watering, let the soil’s surface somewhat dry out.