Growing delicious healthy tomatoes starts with using the best organic fertilizer. An organic fertilizer made from natural ingredients like bone meal, kelp and compost provides a slow-release feeding that tomato plants thrive on.
In this complete guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about choosing and using organic fertilizers for optimal tomato growth and production.
Why Organic Fertilizer is Best for Tomatoes
Organic fertilizers made from plant and animal byproducts nourish the soil food web – the bacteria, fungi, and other microorganisms that keep soil healthy. These beneficial microbes help tomato plants take up nutrients and make soils resistant to disease.
On the other hand, chemical fertilizers can damage soil life. They leach into groundwater and contribute to environmental problems That’s why an organic fertilizer is the best choice for tomato plants and the environment.
Organic fertilizers also lead to better tasting tomatoes. The diverse nutrients and microbes boost tomato flavor and quality.
When to Fertilize Tomato Plants
It’s important to time your fertilizer applications for maximum benefit:
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At planting time, work 1-2 cups of organic fertilizer into the bottom of the planting hole before setting in the tomato start. This gives young roots an immediate nutrient boost.
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4 weeks after transplanting, sidedress plants with 1/2 cup organic fertilizer sprinkled around the base of each plant. Mix lightly into the top inch of soil.
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When the first fruits start ripening, it’s time for a final feeding. Repeat the sidedressing application above.
Avoid overfertilizing, which can cause leaf burn, excessive foliage, and poor fruit set. More is not better with organic fertilizers!
The 5 Best Organic Fertilizers for Tomatoes
After testing many products, these organic fertilizers produced the healthiest, most abundant tomato crops:
1. Espoma Tomato-Tone
This popular organic fertilizer is formulated specifically for tomatoes with a nutrient ratio of 3-4-6. The higher phosphorus and potassium promotes fruiting and ripening. Bone meal, feather meal, and Epsom salts provide a complete nutritional package.
Key Benefits:
- Enhances tomato flavor and quality
- Encourages abundant fruit set
- Also great for peppers, eggplant, and other vegetables
2. Down To Earth Vegetable Fertilizer Mix
A blend of plant-based meals and manures makes this a nutritionally complete organic fertilizer. Contains fast and slow release nitrogen for steady feeding. The diverse ingredients also provide an array of micronutrients.
Key Benefits:
- Balanced 6-3-3 NPK ratio
- Includes beneficial microbes
- Versatile for all vegetables and herbs
3. Dr. Earth Organic Tomato Fertilizer
With a higher nitrogen content, this fertilizer promotes vigorous foliage growth. The 4-6-3 ratio along with calcium, magnesium and iron feeds plants and corrects common deficiencies. Contains no manures for a vegan formula.
Key Benefits:
- Stimulates abundant leafy growth
- 7% calcium prevents blossom end rot
- Also great for peppers, herbs, and greens
4. Neptune’s Harvest Organic Tomato & Vegetable Fertilizer
Made from fish, seaweed, and molasses, this fertilizer provides fast nutrition. The 2-3-1 ratio encourages fruiting and ripening. Seaweed adds beneficial microbes and 60+ trace minerals. The odor fades quickly after application.
Key Benefits:
- Fish provides fast-release nitrogen
- Seaweed boosts soil health
- High iron corrects yellowing leaves
5. Jobe’s Organics Vegetable & Tomato Granular Fertilizer
Convenient spikes provide slow-release feeding for the whole season. Just push into soil around each plant. The 2-7-4 nutrient ratio focuses on phosphorus and potassium for more and larger tomatoes. OMRI listed organic.
Key Benefits:
- Easy to use spikes
- Feeds up to 8 weeks
- Also great for containers
How to Apply Organic Tomato Fertilizer
Always follow label directions carefully when applying any fertilizer product. Here are some general guidelines:
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For granular fertilizers, sprinkle evenly around the plant base and lightly mix into the top inch of soil. Avoid direct contact with stems or leaves.
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For liquid fertilizers, dilute per instructions and water into the soil around plants. Don’t spray leaves.
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When using fertilizer spikes, insert them 4-6 inches from the plant stem, pressing flush with the soil surface.
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After applying any fertilizer, water thoroughly so it can start breaking down.
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Reapply as directed on the label, usually every 4-6 weeks.
By using the best organic fertilizer for tomatoes at the right times, your plants will reward you with an abundant harvest of juicy red tomatoes!
How and When to Fertilize Tomatoes Properly
Here are some general tomato fertilizer recommendations based on the plant’s growth cycle:
- Before you plant tomatoes
The soil must be nutrient-rich to sustain tomato plants throughout the growing season, so compost should be buried underground before planting when the soil temperature is still low. Dig holes roughly 15 inches deep (around 40 cm), add compost from cow manure and other organic nutrients, such as bone meal and even smashed eggshells, and cover with soil.
Tomato seeds don’t require additional nutrients to germinate because they already contain enough to produce the first leaves.
The safest solution is to add fertilizer with nitrogen three or four weeks after transplanting when the tomato plants get used to the new environment. If the soil is already rich in nitrogen, add phosphorus-rich fertilizer — such as bone meal, which has an NPK ratio close to 3-15-0.
At this stage, the tomato plant needs potassium so that the potassium level in the soil becomes twice higher than that of nitrogen. Pick a fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 8-32-16 or 6-24-24 for best results. Instructions for spreading the product will vary with the type of tomato fertilizer you choose.
Tomato plants require enough phosphorus supply to ensure a healthy fruit set. It’s usually present in water-soluble fertilizer formulas with NPK ratios of 24-8-16 or 18-18-21. Spread the product about 6 inches (15 cm) from the plants.
Different Types of Tomato Fertilizers
Tomato fertilizers can be liquid, water-soluble, or granular — either organic or synthetic.
- Liquid tomato fertilizer is a fantastic option that quickly provides plants with the fundamental nutrients, micronutrients, and other necessary minerals. It’s the most straightforward approach to give your plants the proper nutrition, as you can use it with your current tomato watering techniques — drip irrigation, cone spike irrigation, bottle irrigation, or other methods. It’s safe to use after transplanting your plants when they start to bloom and during the first fruit-setting stage of the plant. The downside is water tends to wash away the nutrients in liquid fertilizers quickly.
- Water-soluble fertilizers are products dissolved in water and applied to tomato plants at the base throughout the growing season. With these mixes of nutrients, it’s essential to follow the producer’s instructions to the letter and respect suggested quantities to avoid over-fertilizing the plants.
- Granular fertilizers are cheaper than other products. They can be quick-release or slow-release formulas, so the plant might need more time to access nutrients. Granular fertilizer can be incorporated into the soil before planting or spreading around plants.
It Will Double Your Tomato Harvest with Incredibly Affordable Fertilizer, Just 2 Things Combined
FAQ
What is the best natural fertilizer for tomatoes?
Generally, animal dung from non-industrial farms is the most popular organic fertilizer used in tomato cultivation — cow, horse, and sheep-goat manures work best.
What do coffee grounds do for tomato plants?
Coffee grounds can be beneficial for tomato plants, primarily by adding organic matter and potentially boosting soil acidity. They also provide a slow-release source of nitrogen and can help improve soil drainage and water retention.
Which fertilizer is best for tomato plant growth?
It’s recommended to use fertilizers with a high percentage of nitrate-nitrogen, such as potassium nitrate.
What does baking soda do to tomato plants?