08-07-2003, 06:32 AM
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Sungold (Cherry) tomato: sun or shade?
writes:
If the plants "look wilty" at the end of the day after a hot sunny day
but
are healthy looking later in the evening or in the morning, it is
likely a
transpiration (think that's the word) issue. When the evaporation rate
is
greater than the absorbtion rate, the plant will look wilted but will
recover as soon as the sun is down and it has a chance to "catch up"
with
the evaporation rate. Or so I've been told.
So you're saying that if the tomato plants look "slightly wilty" almost
every afternoon at 3pm, but perk right up (without additional watering) by
6pm, this does not harm them or reduce production?
That's what I was told and, so far, it has proven out in my garden. It's
just that the outgoing water is more than the incoming water. Though it
has not obviously affected my plants' production, I find it difficult to
believe it cannot have some effect as it seems like it would be stressful
to them. Since there is a certain amount of surface area involved, I
guess it's part of nature and must be accepted. In the beginning when it
happened, I'd turn on the water (soaker system) and it made no difference
at all in their immediate appearance so it left me to conclude that it is
likely accurate. Remember, this is only if the plants are getting proper
water that it is just the evaporation rate vs. "take-up" rate issue; if
the plants are underwatered, they will not recover without additonal water.
I won't go out on a limb here and say it's absolutely so because I'm not a
biologist. It's what was told to me, and it appears to be true in my yard.
As always, YMMV.
Glenna
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