My neighbor Dave made me rethink how I water my tomatoes

I was out in the yard last week doing my usual evening watering routine (you know, just spraying everything down with the hose). My neighbor Dave, who grows these massive beefsteak tomatoes every year, walked over and asked me why I was watering the leaves instead of the roots. I kind of laughed it off at first, but he showed me how the tomatoes he waters at the soil level have way less blight and bigger fruit. He explained that wet leaves just invite fungus and diseases, especially in humid weather. I started watering at the base of my plants every other day instead of daily overhead showers. It's only been 10 days and my Roma tomatoes already look perkier and I'm not seeing those yellow spots on the lower leaves. Anyone else have a gardening neighbor who dropped some knowledge that changed your whole approach?

2 comments

Log in to join the discussion

Log In

2 Comments

keith_rodriguez3mo ago

Dave taught me the same trick with my peppers and they grew twice as big.

4

lauras833mo ago

My neighbor Frank once told me I was pruning my roses wrong and I got all defensive until he showed me his bushes which looked like they belonged in a magazine. Turns out I was cutting them too far back and leaving these weird stubs that just invited bugs. Now every time I see him with his pruners I just grab my coffee and go watch what he's doing like some kind of gardening stalker. It's funny how the simplest advice from someone who actually knows what they're doing can totally flip your whole routine. Dave sounds like the kind of neighbor everyone needs.

4