7 Best Fertilizers For Tomatoes: Help the Harvest Bear Fruit
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Like many other home gardeners, I find that growing tomatoes is one of the most rewarding parts of my yearly gardening routine. Although I might try out some courgettes or swap out string beans for something else, I always plant tomatoes.
Years of planting have taught me that, to get the best results, you need to use the best fertilizers for tomatoes. If tomato plants are missing nutrients at any of the vital stages of growing, it’s very difficult to get them to recover and deliver great yields.
In this article, we’re going to go over seven of the best fertilizers for tomatoes. Using any of these products, you’ll be able to set your tomato plants up for success over the entire growing season.
Read on to find the best tomato fertilizer for your garden!
Key Takeaways
When I was putting this list together, I started off with my personal favorite tomato fertilizers. Then, I added a few based on a combination of brands I like and customer reviews. Overall, Espoma Organic Tomato-tone 3–4–6 with 8% Calcium is the top of the best fertilizers for tomatoes. It contains everything you need to grow great tomatoes in a single package.
Tomatoes need a balanced fertilizer that contains plenty of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Tomatoes also benefit from extra nutrients at various stages of the growing process.
Calcium is particularly important for preventing blossom end rot, which can prevent flowers from developing into fruit. That’s why I’ve also included some calcium-rich options, like Nature’s Vitality Farms U.S.A. Eggshell Fertilizer Powder.
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Best Overall: Espoma Organic Tomato-tone 3–4–6 with 8% Calcium
Why this is a great choice: In my opinion, the Espoma Organic Tomato-tone is the top choice among the best fertilizers for tomatoes. That’s because its balanced formula contains everything you need to get your garden started, including calcium.
And, the all-organic ingredients like Feather Meal and Poultry Manure provide your soil with valuable microbes that can aid the natural recovery of your soil while promoting healthy tomato plants this season.
Who this fertilizer is for: This is a one-size-fits-all option for anyone who has a small patch of any kind of tomato. You won’t have to mess with multiple products to get the results you’re looking for.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: As an organic product, it does have a strong smell. That can be an issue for some apartment growers.
Fertilizer type: Slow-release granules | Herbicides: None | N–P–K: 12–15–30 | Package size: 4 lbs
Best Budget: Jack’s Classic Tomato Feed
Why this is a great choice: Jack’s Classic Tomato Feed stands out for home gardeners who want to get a great fertilizer for a great price. Not only does it have plenty of potassium to encourage high yields, but it also contains micronutrients to prevent problems like underfeeding and blossom end rot.
Who this fertilizer is for: The very high nutrient contents of this fertilizer (12–15–30) makes it a great option for soil that needs a big boost to grow vegetables well.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: The 1.5 lb. package size can be a bit awkward, since it’s a little less than an outdoor grower would need but a little more than an indoor grower would. However, you can buy as many packages of this tomato fertilizer as you need.
Fertilizer type: Water-soluble powder | Herbicides: None | N-P-K: 12-15-30 | Package size: 1.5 lbs
Best Organic: FoxFarm Happy Frog Tomato and Vegetable Fertilizer Mix
Why this is a great choice: This fertilizer is from FoxFarm’s Happy Frog, a brand I’ve had a lot of positive experiences with. They provide green solutions for gardeners who want to grow great tomato plants but also care deeply about the impact they’re having on the environment.
Who this fertilizer is for: This blend is high in nitrogen and phosphorus but low in potassium, making it great for the early stages of growing.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: Depending on the level of potassium your soil contains, you might need to switch to a higher-potassium option once your plants start flowering.
Fertilizer type: Water-soluble powder | Herbicides: None | N-P-K: 5-7-3 | Package size: 4 lbs
Best Fertilizer Spikes: Jobe’s Tomato Fertilizer Spikes
Why this is a great choice: Many gardeners love the convenience and ease of use of fertilizer spikes. The fact that you don’t need to guess how much you need or measure any fertilizer when using a product like Jobe’s Tomato Fertilizer Spikes can lead to a nice peace of mind. All you have to do is insert one spike per plant early in the season.
Who this fertilizer is for: If you’re a newer gardener who isn’t comfortable measuring out and applying fertilizer on your own, these fertilizer spikes are a great solution.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: Jobe’s Tomato Fertilizer Spikes don’t contain any calcium. It’s a good idea to add some high-calcium fertilizer once your plants are just about ready to flower.
Fertilizer type: Pre-measured fertilizer spikes | Herbicides: None | N–P–K: 6–18–6 | Package size: 18 spikes
Best for Large Gardens: Dr. Earth Organic Tomato, Vegetable & Herb Fertilizer
Why this is a great choice: This product from Dr. Earth is among the best fertilizers for tomatoes that are grown outside. That’s a result of its powerful blend of nutrients and active microorganisms. Its 4-pound bag can cover a lot of area and leave you with healthy soil and plants. It’s also pet- and child-safe, meaning you don’t need to worry about keeping either inside after application.
Who this fertilizer is for: Gardeners who are planning an extensive outdoor garden should opt for this product.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: The high levels of humic acid that this product contains can be problematic if overapplied.
Fertilizer type: Pre-measured fertilizer spikes | Herbicides: None | N–P–K: 6–18–6 | Package size: 18 spikes
Best for Indoor: Dynamite Mater Magic – Organic Tomato Fertilizer
Why this is a great choice: This innovative fertilizer for tomatoes offers a lot in a small package. Its very-slow release can keep adequate levels of nutrients in your soil for up to three months, which means that a little goes a long way. According to online reviews, it’s also smell-free, which is a huge deal for anyone growing in an apartment.
Who this fertilizer is for: I’d recommend the Dynamite Mater Magic – Organic Tomato Fertilizer as an affordable option for people who are cultivating a few plants in grow bags.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: This is another fertilizer for tomatoes that lacks calcium, so you’ll have to consider adding something like our next product.
Fertilizer type: Slow-release granules | Herbicides: None | N–P–K: 8–5–5 | Package size: 0.675 lbs
Best High-Calcium: Nature’s Vitality Farms U.S.A. Eggshell Fertilizer Powder
Why this is a great choice: This egg-shell fertilizer from Nature’s Vitality Farms isn’t a stand-alone product. But, it can work great as an add-on to one of the products we’ve gone over that don’t contain calcium. WIth a small phosphorus boost and 96% calcium content, this product is a great way to prevent blossom end rot.
Who this fertilizer is for: This product is perfect for a passionate home gardener who wants to add everything at just the right time to your tomatoes at just the right level. You can have ultimate control over exactly how much calcium your plants get.
Flaws but not deal-breakers: This product requires mixing with vinegar in a specific ratio to work properly, which can be a bit complicated.
Fertilizer type: Powder | Herbicides: None | N–P–K: 0–1–0 | Package size: 0.675 lbs
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Buying Considerations for The Best Fertilizers For Tomatoes
N–P–K
The N–P–K, or Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium content, of fertilizers for tomatoes should be the first consideration for gardeners. Generally, you should select a balanced option that has the same or similar values for all three nutrients (like 10–10–10, for example).
If a soil test reveals that you already have enough nitrogen in the ground, you may want to go with a low-nitrogen option (like 5–10–10) to ensure that you don’t end up over-fertilizing your plants. Even the best fertilizers for tomatoes can’t protect against that.
Extra Ingredients
Tomato plants do require other nutrients in the soil to reach their full potential, such as calcium and magnesium. There’s a choice to be made between fertilizers that contain these compounds or getting a simple N–P–K fertilizer and then adding these compounds on your own.
Since tomatoes don’t really need the extra nutrients until they flower and begin producing fruit, some gardeners prefer to wait until this point to add them. Others take the easier option and use a fertilizer that contains everything tomatoes need from the start.
Where you plan to grow
Where you’re planning to grow your tomatoes also makes a big difference to which tomato fertilizer you should choose. If you’re planning on growing a large patch of tomatoes outdoors, you’ll naturally need a larger bag of fertilizer to spread around.
But, if you’re growing in pots or bags indoors, I’d recommend using a liquid fertilizer. That’s because you have control over the amount of nutrients your tomatoes get and it’s more convenient than having a huge bag of fertilizer and using only a little bit.
How I Choose These Products
To create this list of the best fertilizers for tomatoes, I primarily chose products that can give plants a boost during the early stages of their development.
Some gardeners like to add all sorts of different fertilizers at different stages of plant growth. But, in my experience, supporting the development of tomato plants when they’re young is the key to getting great yields. That means I prioritized high N–P–K options that lots of other gardeners have also had success using.
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Final Verdict
At the end of the day, Espoma Organic Tomato-tone 3-4-6 with 8% Calcium is the best of the best fertilizers for tomatoes, as a result of its well-rounded formula. It helps your plants grow quickly with its high nitrogen content, and it has lots of potassium to support fruit growth. I’d recommend ordering now to get a head start on your spring planting season!
FAQs
What nutrients are best for tomatoes?
Tomatoes need a lot of nutrients to grow and develop fruit. The three most important nutrients for young tomato plants are nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. Once the plants have begun to flower, the levels of potassium and calcium that they have access to becomes more important.
What fertilizer increases tomato fruit size?
All the products on this list of the best fertilizers for tomatoes will end up increasing the size of tomato fruits that a plant produces. That’s because the better a plant grows during the early stages of its development, the larger the fruit it will eventually produce. As a result, using a fertilizer like Jack’s Classic Tomato Feed will lead to high fruit production.
You can try to increase the size of fruits by using a high-calcium fertilizer like Nature’s Vitality Farms U.S.A. Eggshell Fertilizer Powder.
