Here Is The Best Fertilizer For Tomatoes – Grow Plump And Juicy Fruits
There is nothing more satisfying than eating a homegrown, juicy tomato on a warm summer’s day. However, before you can enjoy the delicious harvest, there is still plenty of work to be done. If you want to grow a bountiful harvest this year and have great-tasting fruits, then you will need to provide your plants with a nourishing diet. Tomatoes are very demanding in terms of nutrients. This is understandable, as the plants have quite the branched root system, a long cultivation cycle and produce a ton of fruits. So, you will need to ensure your tomato plants are getting all the nutrients they need in order for them to stay healthy and grow strong. And what better way to supply them with everything they need than through some fertilizer? That’s why today we will show you the best fertilizer for tomatoes.
Tomatoes are very demanding in terms of nutrients
In this article
The Best Fertilizer For Tomatoes
In order to understand what your soil is lacking in terms of nutrients, it’s recommended to do a soil test. You can get one at the store or make a DIY test. Once you know what your soil needs in terms of primary and secondary nutrients, you can choose the right type of fertilizer. In general, tomatoes require adequate amounts of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K) for high-quality growth. A ratio of 20% N, 10% P, and 10% K is great for tomatoes. You can also notice what your soil is lacking when the plants start growing. If your plants are growing slow and spindly, your soil most likely lacks nitrogen. Whereas if there is a blue-green tint along with bad growth, the soil is lacking phosphorous. So, if you want to ensure your plants grow strong, check out which are some of the best fertilizers for this plant depending on its needs.
Do a soil test to understand what your soil is lacking in terms of nutrients
#Compost
High-quality compost is one of the best tomato fertilizers. The compost should be dark in color, crumbly, and well-decomposed. You can add it annually and it will give your tomatoes a tremendous nutrient boost. But not only will it help feed the plants, compost also helps improve soil structure. All you need to do is apply a layer (four inch thick) of compost over the planting area and use a shovel to gently mix it into the area. Just make sure to not apply excessive amounts, as too much from any fertilizer will result in damage.
High-quality compost is one of the best tomato fertilizers
#Fish emulsion
This type of fertilizer usually comes in liquid form and is quite high in nitrogen. It also contains micronutrients like calcium and magnesium, which are very beneficial to your tomato plants. Most fish emulsions need to be diluted in water and applied as a spray. You can use this type of fertilizer repeatedly throughout the growing season. However, make sure to read the manufacturer’s instructions on how to dilute it and how often to use it. Overuse or incorrect use can burn the leaves and stems of younger plants.
This type of fertilizer usually comes in liquid form and is quite high in nitrogen
#Manure
Cow, horse, sheep, and goat manure are all great choices when it comes to fertilizer for your tomatoes. Animal manure is a natural way to boost up your soil’s nitrogen levels. However, it is recommended that the manure has aged before you apply it, as fresh manure is way too high in nitrogen and can burn the plants. Yikes! You can also work this type of fertilizer straight into the soil before you transplant the seedlings into the ground. But is also very effective if added as a bonus to already established plants.
Animal manure is a natural way to boost up your soil’s nitrogen levels
#Bone meal and blood meal
If your soil is lacking in phosphorous and nitrogen, this type of fertilizer is exactly what you need. It is an organic way of boosting your soil and it comes in a powdered form. Both bone meal and blood meal take a couple of weeks to break down before your plants will start to feel the benefits. But the great thing about this fertilizer is that it stays effective for months after that, so you won’t need to reapply often.
Both bone meal and blood meal take a couple of weeks to break down in the soil
#Manufactured fertilizers
You can also go for commercial manufactured fertilizers as they are created to immediately provide your plant with specific nutrients. A lot of companies offer mixes of fertilizer made specifically for tomatoes that not only include the primary nutrients, but also micronutrients like calcium and magnesium. Make sure to read the labels to understand what ratio of NPK the fertilizer offers and pick according to what your soil is lacking. Manufactured fertilizers are a great way to quickly provide your plants with a boost. However, their main downside is that the plants use them up quickly and overuse with repeated applications can cause harmful salts to build up.
A lot of companies offer mixes of fertilizer made specifically for tomatoes
When Should You Fertilize Tomatoes?
Applying the right fertilizer at the right time will have significant benefits for your tomato plants. They will grow stronger, healthier, flower more fruit and develop better quality fruit. Not only that but fertilizing your tomatoes can also help make them more resistant to diseases! But when is the right time to fertilize? While we already mentioned some good times you can fertilize, here are some general guidelines you can follow for when and what type to use.
Applying the right fertilizer at the right time will have significant benefits for your tomato plants
#Before transplanting
Before you transfer the seedlings into the ground, you can add some manure or compost to the area you will be planting them in. Both of these fertilizers will help boost up the nitrogen levels of the soil. This will help give the plants healthy vines and lush leaves. Compost can also be applied during the mid-season to keep the nitrogen at stable levels.
You can add some manure or compost to the area you will be planting your seedlings in
#When planting
You can also add some fertilizer when it’s time to put the seedlings into the ground. It’s recommended to use a 20-10-10 mix of NPK to help give the plants an instant boost. After that you can add a fish emulsion fertilizer every two weeks and some blood or bone meal fertilizer every six weeks during the growing period.
You can also add some fertilizer when it’s time to put the seedlings into the ground
#Before flowering
Two weeks before your plant starts flowering, you can add a fertilizer blend that is higher in phosphorus or one that is lower in nitrogen. At this stage, the plants don’t need so much nitrogen. However, more phosphorus will do them good. So, adding bone or blood meal is a great way to boost the P levels.
Add a fertilizer blend that is higher in phosphorus or one that is lower in nitrogen
#During the first fruits
When you finally have your first fruits and they are still small, you can add a balanced fertilizer to make sure they have enough nutrients to continue the growth and develop and produce more healthy fruits.
You can add a balanced fertilizer to make sure the tomatoes have enough nutrients to continue growing
This was everything you needed to know about the best fertilizer for tomatoes, as well as when to fertilizer them and more. We hope you found this article useful. Now you can add some of this magic fertilizer and reap the bountiful harvest it helped produce later on.
This was everything you needed to know about the best fertilizer for tomatoes
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