Realized I was drowning my tomatoes for months

My cherry tomato plant in the 5-gallon bucket looked sad and yellow all spring. A neighbor in my apartment building, who grows amazing peppers, pointed out my soil was still wet days after watering. I was giving them a full cup every morning, thinking more water meant more fruit. Now I'm letting the top inch dry out completely. How do you guys check if your containers actually need water?

2 comments

2 Comments

ivanl1828d ago

Oh man, "soil was still wet days after watering" is the biggest clue. I killed a basil plant the same way. The finger test is my go to now, just stick it in an inch deep.

wright.eva28d ago

Wait, you killed a basil plant from overwatering too? I thought those things were supposed to be thirsty. Mine just gave up and turned into a sad, soggy stick. The finger test is a lifesaver, honestly. I feel like a plant detective now, poking around in the dirt before I even think about the watering can.