Water Walls for Tomatoes

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Posted by @Joannabanana on
Cool ambient soil temperatures will affect plant growth, flower bud formation, and taste. Water walls will insulate against cold temperatures and help increase your harvest yields.

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Basically, the water walls are just that: walls of water.  Each tube is filled with water. The sun heats the water up, which in turn keeps the plant and soil warm.  The heat is held in through the night. In addition to creating a little warm micro-climate, the water walls also help heat the soil. This is especially important when planting out the young seedlings.  If you are gardening in a short-season cold climate, water walls will make a huge difference in your tomato crop.

The water walls usually are sold in packages of 3 for about $12 to $14 and are reusable year after year.  Individual repair tubes are available if you get a leak.  Check your local garden center or mail-order seed & garden supply companies. Some refer to the water walls as Kozy-Coats.

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Early Spring Plentiful Crop Loads of Blooms
  • Prepare the soil for planting. 
  • Place the water walls where you will be planting.
  • Fill the individual tubes with water and let sit for at least a day.  This will heat up the soil where you will be planting your seedling.
  • Plant your seedling and place the water wall around it.  If you have a chance of frost, squeeze the top of the wall to create a cone-shaped protector. They will protect plants from freezing temperatures as low as -12C or 10F.
  • Put a wire tomato ring inside the walls, after the chance of frost.  Be careful not to puncture the walls.
  • The water walls may remain in place the entire growing season. 

2014-03-01/Joannabanana/eae816By mid July, I fold the walls down by half to encourage good air circulation.  When you are watering your plants, the walls provide a great well for holding the water, allowing the water to soak in slowly for deep root watering. Feed and water tomatoes on a regular basis.

Cold growing temperatures will change the taste of tomatoes.  Some may have a bitter taste or taste just plain awful if grown too cold. If this warmer microclimate is created, the vine-ripened tomatoes will have a sweeter taste.

If you have a short growing season and cool conditions, the water walls will help you produce a tasty bumper crop.

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Comments and Discussion
Thread Title Last Reply Replies
Using water walls in my Utah Garden.......... by Paul2032 Mar 8, 2014 8:35 PM 6
Water Wall Question by Tree_climber Mar 8, 2014 2:58 PM 1
Thanks for the thumbs up & acorns by Joannabanana Mar 7, 2014 7:29 AM 0

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