Are you interested in fertilizing your tomatoes, but don’t know what the BEST Tomato Fertilizers are?
Are you interested in learning more about the different types of tomato fertilizers and how to use them?
After hours and hours of research, I have created the article, 10 BEST Tomato Fertilizers for MORE Tomatoes.
The list below is sorted by the most expensive to least expensive tomato fertilizers.
And scroll down to the bottom of this article to find answers to the 7 Most Frequently Asked Questions about Tomato Fertilizers!
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10 BEST Tomato Fertilizers
1. Great Big Tomatoes Fer
- Fertilizer Type: 4-6-6
- NPK Ratio: Liquid
- Benefits: Natural Compost, boosts plant and soil, and can be combined with other fertilizers
Great Big Tomatoes Natural Compost Fertilizer is perfect for anyone who wants to add organic fertilizer to their tomatoes.
This fertilizer contains essential microbes and nutrients to boost plant and soil nutrition and to help minimize the impact of disease.
Not only that, but it will help provide stronger plant root growth to better absorb water and nutrients from the soil around it.
This is perfect for any beginner gardener who wants bigger and more tomatoes!
2. JR Peter Tomato Feed
- Fertilizer Type: 12-15-30
- NPK Ratio: Water-Soluble
- Benefits: Made for fruiting vine plants, no assembly required, does not require a large amount.
If you want the best water-soluble tomato fertilizer on the market then look no further than JR Peters.
This type of fertilizer is perfect to help your tomatoes have bigger and better fruit!
It feeds your plant through roots and leaves, is a great transplant solution, and comes in numerous sizes!
What makes this product stand out is that a little amount of fertilizer (that contains a lot of potassium) will provide your plant stronger vines, bright leaves, and more fruit!
3. Dr. Earth Organic Fertilizer
- Fertilizer Type: 4-6-3
- NPK Ratio: Granular
- Benefits: No GMOs, 100% organic, and reasonably priced.
Dr. Earth Organic Fertilizer is the perfect option for someone who wants a reasonably priced fertilize that is organic and safe for the environment.
Use just a little bit of this fertilizer for more nutritious and tasty tomatoes.
If you are a beginner gardener you’ll love this fertilizer because it provides the optimum level of basic nutrients for your tomatoes and feeds for several months.
Best of all is that it is one of the high-quality fertilizers on the market!
4. Espoma Organic Tomato Fertilizer
- Fertilizer Type: 3-4-6
- NPK Ratio: Granular
- Benefits: well-known organic brand, a complete plant food with all nutrients, and easy to use.
Espoma Organic Tomato Fertilizer is one of my favorite products on this list and a fertilizer I use often.
It is perfect for all types of tomatoes and helps prevent blossom rot and provides a safe and well-balanced feed with over 15 nutrients!
Not only that, but it is environmentally safe and has been university tested with consistent results of bigger and plumper tomatoes.
Best of all is how easy it is to use! You will only have to feed your plants once or twice a summer!
5. Miracle-Gro Performance Fertilizer
- Fertilizer Type: 7-6-9
- NPK Ratio: Granular
- Benefits: Covers up to 220 feet, reasonably priced, and results as quick as 7 days
You probably have heard of Miracle-Gro fertilizer, but the Miracle-Gro Performance Fertilizer was created especially for bigger and better organic plants.
What you’ll love about this product is that it will help you save money because you can not only use it for tomatoes, but other fruits, vegetables, and herbs.
It is made with all natural and organic ingredients and can be applied every 4-6 weeks for best results.
6. Farmer’s Almanac Tomato Food
- Fertilizer Type: 8-4-8
- NPK Ratio: Granular
- Benefits: Features quick and slow-release mix, covers a large area, and does not use harsh chemicals
If you are looking for a unique fertilizer from a well-known company then look no further than the Old Farmer’s Almanac Tomato and Vegetable Plant Food.
This fertilizer provides both quick and slow release nutrients to help your plants over both the short and long-term.
Not only this, but it contains high-quality protein nutrients making it suitable for indoor and outdoor plants without the smell of typical fertilizer.
And finally it comes with a reseable bag which makes it handy as this fertilize covers such a large amount that it can last for several years.
7. Miracle-Gro Shake N Feed Fertilizer
- Fertilizer Type: 8-2-12
- NPK Ratio: Granular
- Benefits: Inexpensive, long-lasting, and all-natural ingredients
The Miracle-Gro Shake N Feed is your classic fertilizer that provides a foundation of feed throughout spring, summer, and even fall.
What sets this fertilizer apart is that one feed can last up to 3 months and provides nutrients not only to your tomatoes, but also the soil it is planted in.
You can use this fertilize in the ground, in raised garden beds, and even in gardening containers and pots.
Finally, if you have a problem with your tomatoes getting diseases then you will want to use this to help minimize and prevent issues during the summer.
8. Miracle-Gro Tomato Plant Food
- Fertilizer Type: 18-18-21
- NPK Ratio: Water Soluble
- Benefits: instantly feeds, can be used in any watering can, safe for all plants
The Miracle-Gro Tomato Plant Food is the best water-soluble fertilizer on this list.
This fertilizer immediately feeds your tomatoes, should be used every two weeks, and is great for vegetables and tomatoes.
What makes this fertilizer perfect for beginners is that it is easy to use, is safe for all plants, and cannot burn if you used it as directed. Best of all is that you can use it with any watering can!
9. Jobe’s Tomato Fertilizer Spikes
- Fertilizer Type: 6-18-6
- NPK Ratio: Spikes
- Benefits: Feeds for 8 weeks, Easy to Use, and continuous supply of nutrients.
The Jobe’s Tomato Spikes is the only and best spike fertilizer on the list.
This is pre-measured fertilizer spikes that nourishes the roots, while being time-released for your tomatoes.
What beginner gardeners will love about this type of fertilizer is how easy it is to use. You just plant the spikes into the ground and you don’t have to worry about messes or hazardous waste.
Best of all is that this tomato fertilizer spike feeds your tomato plants for 8 weeks and provides continuous nourishment and nutrients to your plants.
10. EcoScraps Tomato Food
- Fertilizer Type: 5-4-6
- NPK Ratio: Granular
- Benefits: Organic, inexpensive, and uses recycled ingredients
If you are looking for an organic fertilizer that is inexpensive and easy to use then look no further than EcoScraps Tomato Fertilizer.
This fertilizer was developed to support all types of gardening and is made of an all-in-one particle for easy, even, and clean application.
EcoScrap guarantees uniform feeding, recycled nutrients, and best all of all success when used correctly.
Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is a NPK Ratio?
NPK stands for the ratio of Nitrogen to Phosphorus to Potassium.
Typically, tomatoes need 1/2 pounds of fertilizer per 50 square feet of garden.
For almost all tomatoes you will want a fertilizer with a 6-24-24 or 8-32-16 ratio.
2. How Do I Choose a Tomato Fertilizer?
Choosing a Tomato Fertilizer will depend on what you want them to do.
- Bloom Boosting Fertilizer – This is good for tomatoes that struggle to grow throughout the summer or grow flowers.
- Strengthening Fertilizer – This is good for flowers not blossoming. This will help tomatoes absorbing water and root growth.
- Organic – This will not only help your tomatoes but the soil around it.
3. How Do I Fertilize Tomatoes?
If you want to fertilize tomatoes there are several important tips you should follow:
- First, use a pH tester to ensure your soil is between 6.0-6.8
- Apply fertilizer according to the instructions on the label
- Apply liquid fertilizer more frequently
Watch the below video on how to fertilize tomatoes
4. What are the Different Types of Tomato Fertilizers?
A) Granular
Granular fertilizer is a dry fertilizer that can be applied with a spreader or shaken.
One of the benefits of this type of fertilizer is that you can see the actual fertilizer. You can also see where you have applied it and where it needs to be applied.
This type of fertilizer can be slow-release or quick-release.
Slow-Release fertilizer releases nutrients steadily over an extended period of time. This means you only have to fertilize once or twice a year.
Quick-Release delivers nitrogen immediately. Because of this, you will need to fertilize frequently.
Make sure you read the instructions of the fertilizer to have a better understanding of how to do this.
B) Liquid
Another type of fertilizer for your tomatoes is liquid fertilizer.
Liquid fertilizer needs to be diluted before it can be applied. It can be applied using a canister, hose, or a watering can.
It is easy to apply and is quickly absorbed.
One of the disadvantages of this type of fertilizer is that it can wash away from the rain.
So make sure to apply this when no rain is in the forecast.
C) Spikes
The final type of fertilizer that can be applied to your tomato is spikes.
Spikes are fertilizer in the shape of sticks. This is a slow-release fertilizer meaning it will be released over time.
It is applied directly to the ground and is incredibly easy to use.
This is perfect for beginner tomato growers.
5. What Should I Consider When Buying Tomato Fertilizer?
Below, are 4 Tips I recommend before purchasing fertilizer.
Tip 1 – Get your soil tested!
Before you purchase the BEST Tomato Fertilizer you must first understand what nutrients your tomato currently lacks.
For this, you will want to conduct two tests.
You will first need to conduct a soil test. For this, I recommend purchasing a home soil test.
Next, I recommend continuously testing your soil. For this, I recommend a pH Meter.
Tip 2 – Fertilize with the right nutrients!
When analyzing your soil test there are numerous nutrients your plants may need.
Below, is a list of the nutrients plants need for strong growth.
- Carbon – This is found in the air and is essential for plant growth
- Hydrogen – This is found in water and again is needed for plants to grow strong
- Oxygen – This is found in water and air. This is a key component that all other nutrients will use to help plants grow.
- Nitrogen – This is the most lacking nutrient in garden soil. This is the one nutrient that can help plants grow the fastest
- Phosphorous– This nutrient helps stimulate root growth
- Potassium – This nutrient helps plants become more disease and drought-resistant
- Magnesium – This helps plants better process sunlight
- Sulfur – This nutrient provides plants with protein. This is the building block of life
- Other nutrients that are needed for plant growth are boron, copper, iron, zinc, chlorine, and manganese.
- Related Article: Ultimate Composting Guide: What to Compost
Tip 4 – Decide on Organic or Synthetic
My next tip for deciding on the Best Tomato Fertilizer is simple:
Buy either organic or synthetic fertilizer.
Synthetic fertilizer releases nutrients quickly and should be applied in the spring.
- This type of fertilizer comes in liquid, granular, or spikes.
Organic fertilizer releases nutrients slowly and should be applied in the fall. It typically is not concentrated meaning that the odds of killing plants are much less.
Below, are my three favorite organic fertilizers.
Jobe’s Organic All Purpose Fertilizer
Tip 4 – Learn the best time to fertilize!
While a soil test is a great way to determine what nutrients are lacking, there are other things to beware of.
- You can tell if there is a fertilizer deficiency if your plants have yellow or small leaves.
- In addition, there is a deficiency if there is poor flowering
- Finally, there is a deficiency if the plant is small.
- You can tell if there is too much fertilizer if you have all yellow leaves. In addition, there is too much fertilizer if there are poor quality flowers
6. When Should I Fertilize Tomatoes?
When you should fertilize tomatoes depends on the fertilizer you use and the soil.
- Always read the instructions for best use!
- Apply a fast-release fertilizer in May, June, or even July to promote the best growth
- Apply a slow-release fertilizer as soon as you plant your tomatoes into the garden to promote the best growth.
7. What Alternatives Can I Use to Tomatoes Fertilizers?
If you do not want to use retail or commercial tomato fertilizers then you can use the below alternatives. These alternatives will not only help your plant but the soil around it:
- Alfalfa Meal (perfect alternative to chemicals)
- Kelp Meal (perfect for tomatoes in containers)
Conclusion
As a reminder
- All tomatoes should be fertilized in late spring or early summer. Make sure you read the instructions and apply them as needed.
- There are three types of tomato fertilizer; Granular, Liquid, and Spikes. Each one meets the different needs of a gardener and you may have to use all three.
- Organic is a great tomato fertilizer to be used if you want to improve soil quality and plant quality.
- I recommend getting your soil tested, deciding to use organic or synthetic, and what type of NPK mix you need.
- Any of the above 10 fertilizers are great options. All are reasonably priced, easy to use, and can dramatically improve your tomato plant growth and blooms.
- If you would like to use alternatives to commercial fertilizer then purchase Kelp Meal or Alfalfa Meal.
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