Kinds of Tomato FertilizerEffective tomato fertilizer, whether organic or not, provides nutrients tomatoes need at different stages of growth.What nutrients tomatoes needTo grow successfully, tomatoes need nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, potash, calcium, and magnesium, along with other trace minerals.It’s always best to have your soil tested to check for nutrient levels and pH. You can test your soil yourself Purchase an inexpensive soil test kit Test results may show a particular nutrient deficiency. Then you can amend your soil appropriately. Soil nitrogen content should be higher than phosphorus content. The next step is to select a tomato fertilizer. How to read a fertilizer packageMost fertilizers are a combination of the three nutrients commonly fed to plants: nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (referred to as the “N-P-K ratio”). A commercial fertilizer’s analysis is listed on the label in a three-number series, such as 15-10-5. The three numbers represent those three nutrients. A 15-10-5 fertilizer contains 15% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus, and 5% potassium. The remainder of the fertilizer is filler material.What fertilizer nutrient balance to choose for tomatoesNitrogen. Nitrogen encourages leaf growth, which is why fertilizers with higher ratio of nitrogen (the first of the three numbers) are an optimum choice for lawns and grasses. But in tomatoes, excess leaf growth discourages blossoms and fruit.A complete fertilizer with a balanced supply of the three major nutrients, such as 10-10-10 or 5-10-10, is a better choice for tomato plants at initial planting time. Stay away from high-nitrogen fertilizers such as urea, ammonium sulfate or fresh manure, which will help produce dark green, tall tomato plants but fewer tomatoes. Phosphorus. Phosphorus (the second number in the N-P-K ratio) encourages flowering, and therefore fruiting. Potassium. Once a tomato plant starts flowering, it needs a higher ratio of potassium (the third number in the N-P-K ratio). Good organic sources of potassium are granite dust and wood ash. Specialized tomato fertilizerTwo fertilizers specially formulated for tomatoes are
When to add nutrients during the tomato seasonOnce a plant is established in the garden, a phosphate-concentrated application (such as 0-46-0 commercial fertilizer) every 6-8 weeks increases tomato production. Bone mealMore about tomato fertilizer How to use tomato fertilizer to get the best tomato production Organic tomato fertilizer: advantages and disadvantages... Does tomato fertilizer potency stay strong over time? Tomato fertilizer question: will this fertilizer work for tomatoes? More on growing tomatoes Staking tomatoes produces a bigger, healthier harvest ... Watering tomatoes when planting and just afterwards ... Watering tomato plants: the basics ... Watering tomatoes: FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions) ... Techniques for watering tomato plants ... How and when to mulch tomatoes ... What's the best mulch for growing tomatoes? How to control weeds in the tomato garden ... Pruning tomato plants: how and when to do it ... Growing tomatoes: top 4 areas of tomato care ... Return from Kinds of Tomato Fertilizer to Tomato Dirt home New! CommentsHave your say about what you just read! Leave a comment in the box below. |
Search This Site
FREE! Tomato
Growing Tips
20-page guidewhen you sign up for
Tomato Dirt newsletter!
Best Tomato
Growing Tips
Share your best
tomato growing tips
with Tomato Dirt readers!
Your Favorite Tip
Got a tomato question
or problem?
Click here 
