Since 2010, Tomato Dirt has garnered 4.8+ million views, making it the web’s leading online source for growing tomatoes in the home garden. Award-winning writer and Tomato Dirt owner Kathy Widenhouse has helped thousands of home gardeners grow healthier tomatoes. Be one of them when you get Tomato Dirt’s Growing Guide here.
Updated 6.10.25
Take a few simple steps to give the right kind of tomato fertilizer to your plants at the right time during growing season.
Over the course of a few months, a tomato grows from a tiny seed into a mature plant putting out dozens of fruit. It’s no wonder tomatoes are heavy feeders. Fertilizing begins before setting plants out in garden and continues until frost.
Work compost into the soil before planting. Compost will improve the soil and provide a strong array of nutrients for the new tomato seedlings.
If you work in organic matter to the soil that has not yet broken down into compost (such as leaves or grass clippings), apply a good source of nitrogen, too, since organic material uses nitrogen when breaking down. (Learn specifics about preparing your soil for planting tomatoes.)
When you plant tomatoes, add a handful of tomato fertilizer or bone meal to the planting hole. Keep a careful eye on newly-planted seedlings for the first two weeks. Transplanted seedlings with yellowed leaves at the base need to be fed again. (Read four easy steps to planting tomatoes.)
Use these tips to fertilize tomatoes when fruit has set:
About one pound of granular fertilizer will be enough to side-dress 10 tomato plants.
Since tomatoes are heavy feeders, try not to deplete your garden soil by planting them in the same spot each year. Rotate crops instead. Ideally, the garden shouldn’t have tomatoes in the same spot more than once every 4 years.
Sign up for the Tomato Dirt newsletter and get a free 20-page guide filled with tips for growing tomatoes!
More on fertilizing tomatoes
What Nutrients Do Tomatoes Need?
Fertilizing Tomatoes: Frequently Asked Questions ...
What’s the Best Tomato Fertilizing Schedule?
Kinds of tomato fertilizer ...
Organic tomato fertilizer: advantages and disadvantages...
Epsom salts: a natural tomato fertilizer ...
Does tomato fertilizer potency stay strong over time?
Tomato fertilizer question: will this fertilizer work for tomatoes?
More on growing tomatoes
Best tomato growing tips: readers share their favorites ...
Pruning tomato plants: how and when to do it ...
Growing tomatoes: top 4 areas of tomato care ...
How and when to mulch tomatoes
What's the best mulch for growing tomatoes?
How to control weeds in the tomato garden ...
Staking tomatoes to produce a bigger, healthier harvest
Watering tomato plants: the basics ...
Watering tomatoes: FAQs (Frequently Asked Questions)...
Techniques for watering tomato plants ...
Return from How to Use Tomato Fertilizer to Tomato Dirt home
As an Amazon Associate and Rakuten Advertising affiliate I earn from qualifying purchases.
SHARE THIS PAGE:
FREE! 10 Must-Know Tomato Growing Tips: 20-page guide
Get yours here:
New! Comments
Have your say about what you just read! Leave a comment in the box below.