When and how much do I water tomato plants?

Tomatoes rely on you to team up with the heavens and provide consistent moisture, consistent being key. Ideal is the equivalent of an inch of water throughout the entire growing area; half again as much in the heat of summer. Remember: an inch of rain (which is what you are simulating) is a lot of rain, and takes a long time to apply. Use soaker hoses or a drip system, not the end of a hose. If you must use a sprinkler, use it in the morning, so that foliage can dry by day, and don’t work in the garden while the foliage is damp.