7 Best Organic and Natural Fertilizer for Tomato Plants

What is the best fertilizer for tomato plants? On top of my recommendation list is the Miracle-Gro 2000422 Plant Food.

It provides plenty of nutrients that are necessary for the crops’ growth cycle. With its long-lasting effect, reapplication will no longer be a relevant issue.

The best thing about this organic fertilizer for tomatoes is that it won’t burn, making it safe to use directly on your crops, a unique selling point compared to other plant foods on the market.

Feature To Look For When Choosing Fertilizer

Consider the following factors to find the best tomato fertilizer:

• Nutrients: macronutrients and micronutrients.
• NPK ratio (“NPK” stands for nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium).
• Compatibility between the fertilizer and your plants.
• Benefits your plants can get.
• Price of the product.

7 Recommendation For Best Fertilizer For Tomatoes

Miracle-Gro Plant Food – Best NPK Ratio

You will see a big difference between the plants that use this manure and the unfed ones. It helps them grow bigger and healthier and produce more bounteous tomatoes.

With a well-balanced blend of NPK ratio of 18-18-21 and other essential micronutrients like magnesium, copper, iron, and zinc, it provides an impeccable amount of sustenance for your plants to grow to their highest potential.

This product’s downside is that it doesn’t contain calcium, which helps prevent blossom rot.

Blossom end rot appears as water-soaked spots at the bottom of fruits. This issue is caused by a lack of calcium in the tissue of the tomato.

However, there is a solution. You can easily make some homemade calcium feed by adding crushed eggshells to the soil.

What we like:

• Well-balanced nutrients ratio
• Reasonable price
• Suitable for other vegetables like cucumbers or peppers

What can be improved?

• Lack of calcium

Jobe’s Tomato Fertilizer Spikes – Best Odorless Plant Food

Even though it is not certified 100% organic, it is still safe to use around people. This tomato plant food has the pre-measured manure to nourish the roots.

This slow-release formula is easy to use. You won’t have to be concerned about the messiness or wasteful runoff anymore.

Use 2 spikes per plant, one on either side. Push the spikes about 1 inch below the soil and 6 to 8 inches away from the stem.

Plus, this fertilizer doesn’t have a strong odor. If you have a sharp nose, it is an ideal choice for you.

Joe’s Spike can feed the plants for up to 8 weeks, so you don’t need to reapply regularly, making it an excellent choice for time-saving.

It has an NPK ratio of 6-18-6, which means the same nitrogen and potassium levels but higher phosphorus. Thus, if your soil already has a rich nitrogen source, you should go for this one.

What we like:

• No toxic ingredients
• Long-lasting time, up to eight weeks
• No smell

What can be improved?

• Part organic

Bonide Rot-Stop Tomato Blossom End Rot Concentrate – Best Solution For Blossom Rot

This tomato plant fertilizer is a life savior for those who have trouble with blossom rot, an annoying tomato plant disease. As you may know, calcium is a nutrient that plays an essential role in preventing blossom rot.

Bonide specializes in dealing with this problem. It helps correct calcium deficiency and gives your tomato garden the amount of calcium they require to grow healthily.

Simply mix with water, then apply it to the foliage using a garden sprayer or a spray bottle. The fertilization process will take you a couple of minutes to complete.

But remember to follow the label instructions on the package. If the water and fertilizer ratio is off, the result may be either way: the tomato leaves will burn, or the fertilizer won’t be effective.

What we like:

• Contains calcium
• Suitable for melons, peppers, and cucumbers
• Simple to apply

What can be improved?

• Requires careful measurement

Dr. Earth Organic 5 Tomato, Vegetable & Herb Fertilizer – Best All-Natural Option

With a balanced ratio of 4-6-3, this high-quality product offers plenty of organic nutrients your plants desire. As a result, it gives you much tastier and more nutritious fruits and bountiful vegetables.

This fertilizer has 100% organic and natural ingredients, making over-applying no longer a threat as your plants won’t burn. You can use Dr. Earth even when the sun is out.

Plus, this natural fertilizer for tomatoes contains probiotics to boost the tomatoes’ growth faster and healthier. Even though this is an organic product, I notice that it doesn’t have an unpleasant odor like other organic tomato fertilizers on the market.

The application is trouble-free because it does not require water to be activated. All you have to do is spread this powder fertilizer around the stems.

What we like:

• Contains solely organic ingredients
• Safe for children, pets, and the environment
• Helps with fruit development

What can be improved?

• Lower primary nutrients compare to other non-organic products

Fox Farm 6-4-4 Instant Concentrate Grow Big Liquid Plant Food – Best For High Nutrients

Besides the primary nutrients, this one also consists of essential micronutrients and earthworm castings, bringing you lush, beautiful plants. The low pH formula also helps maintain the storage stability.

Your plants will need a few days to settle in before you fertilize them with Fox Farm. After the first application, continue to do it every 2 weeks for the best result.

You can use this fertilizer for tomatoes plants on other kinds of herbs or vegetables. The only downside is that it is partly organic, but it remains safe for your garden.

What we like:

• High in nutritions
• Versatile, compatible with various of vegetables
• High quality
• Stable and long shelf life

What can be improved?

• Partly organic formula

Burpee Organic Tomato And Vegetable Granular Plant Food – Best For Long-Lasting Results

This pick is a fast-release fertilizer while still maintaining to feed your garden for up to 3 months. It is perfect for all types of tomatoes, but you can also use it for other vegetables and herbs.

The Burpee product has an NPK ratio of 3-6-4 and provides vital nutrients and beneficial microbes, offering your plants lots of benefits to achieve the most fruitful outcomes.

This fertilizer for tomato plants comes in granular form, enabling effortless application. Sprinkle it around the base and water the plants.

Unfortunately, you might have some issues with blossom end rot due to the lack of calcium in this product.

What we like:

• Long-lasting results
• Lots of nutrients
• Easy to use

What can be improved?

• Lack of calcium

Schultz Water Soluble Tomato Food 17-18-28 – Best For Root Health

This fertilizer for tomatoes has a high NPK ratio of 17-18-28. It also consists of a perfect amount of micronutrients your tomatoes need to grow healthily and rapidly.

This balanced fertilizer is good for the root system, ensuring the plants will flourish healthier and absorb more nutrients. As a result, it gives you bigger, healthier, and tastier tomatoes.

The nutrients are delivered steadily for up to 3 months. This product is also simple to use since it doesn’t require mixing with water before the application.

What we like:

• Concentrated formula
• Reasonable price
• Steady source of nutrition

What can be improved?

• Doesn’t contain calcium

Buying Guide For Best Fertilizer For Tomatoes

Fertilizing Basics

Plants need nutrients in the soil for healthy growth; however, the nutrients supply reduces after every crop.

If there are not enough nutrients, trees and plants can’t function and grow to their full potential. Now is the ideal time for you to add nutrients to your garden soil.

There are various methods to do this: using leaves, wood ashes, etc. But the easiest and most effective way is using fertilizers.

The plant foods’ additional substances increase crop productivity and improve soil conditions.

However, always be careful with chemical fertilizers since they can be harmful to your health and the environment if not used correctly.

Nutrients That Tomato Plants Need

Nutrients are the life sources of plants. The 3 most essential nutrients (also known as the macronutrients) they need are nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K).

• Nitrogen is vital for foliage growth.
• Phosphorus helps roots and fruits to develop.
• Potassium is necessary for general plant growth.

Some micronutrients are also beneficial:

• Magnesium and manganese maintain strong growth.
• Zinc and boron promote chloroplast development.

When To Fertilize Tomatoes

If your garden soil is healthy and full of nutrients, you don’t need to fertilize it from the beginning.

It’s best to wait until the tomato crops start to set fruits to do it again. Only add fertilizer lightly every 10 to 14 days.

The evening, when the sun is waning, is the best time of the day to use fertilizer.

However, the sunlight can reduce the benefits of manure due to its heat. Thus, using it after the sun has set is a smart move.

Beware that your plants can wither from overfeeding, meaning they absorb too many nutrients at once. Therefore, it’s important to pay attention to the amount of fertilizer you apply.

How To Fertilize Tomato Plants

The fertilizing method depends on the stage the plants are at.

Suppose you want to fertilize while planting. In this case, you should mix the soil with fertilizer at the bottom of the planting hole.

Before you put the tomatoes into the hole, spread some unfertilized soil on top of the fertilized one, creating a layer that protects your plants’ roots from direct contact with the fertilizer as it can cause burning.

After the fruits have begun to set, you can fertilize them once again but in a small amount. It’s advisable to water them first; otherwise, they can absorb too much fertilizer, resulting in burning.

Spread the tomato fertilizer on the ground away from the plants’ base, about 6 inches, to get the best result. Don’t fertilize too close to the stem to avoid burning.

When To Stop Fertilizing

More is not always better. The benefits of fertilizing are great, but you need to know when to stop to protect your plants from overfeeding.

It is best to stop when the harvest period is about to set in. Late fertilizing can be the reason for the plants to focus on growing foliage instead of producing blooms.

Watering Tomato Plants

Watering can affect the fertilization process. Water the plants before fertilizing them to prevent burning.

The most important rule of watering is that you need to go slow and lightly. Use a drip hose to water the plants gradually at the roots, not the top.

Don’t over-watering your garden, however. It can wash the fertilizer away, so it won’t get any benefit it deserves.

Fertilizing every 2 or 3 days is enough, reduce to once a week when it gets cold and when the fruits have set.

Types Of Fertilizer

Granular Fertilizers

The granules come in 2 types: slow-release and fast-release, which usually come dry in a bag. You only need to water the granules to activate them.

The slow-release fertilizers continuously release the nutrients over time, typically up to 2 months or slightly more, depending on the heat and water.

As a result, you don’t have to reapply too frequently, saving you a lot of time and investment in the plant food. But this type of fertilizer requires time to release the nutrients, so be patient.

The fast release formulas, as their name suggests, deliver the nutrients faster. These usually cost less than the slow release types. But be aware of how much you apply. If you overdo it, you may burn your plants.

Liquid Fertilizers

These types need to be mixed with water before the application and a spray bottle or a hose, offering users optimal ease of use.

But liquid forms are considerably more expensive as they are not long-term and need to be reapplied often.

Synthetic Fertilizers

In other words, they are chemical fertilizers. They typically consist of all the necessary nutrients.

Unlike organic manures that can take months to act on the soil’s health, you can see their effects almost immediately with chemical plant foods.

Despite being easy to use, they can be harmful to your health and the environment. Thus, be cautious of how much you apply.

Organic Fertilizers

They are the safest to use in the garden and 100% environmentally friendly since they derive from animal or vegetable matters.

For example, compost, blood meal, bone meal, feather meal, etc., are organic manure.

They are the perfect option for those who love organic food and want to protect the environment. Nonetheless, organic composts may not be as effective as the other counterparts and usually have a strong odor.

Tips for fertilizing tomatoes and the best natural fertilizer for tomatoes:

Conclusion

If you want to have a garden filled with juicy tomatoes, the Miracle-Gro Plant Food will give you a helping hand.

Remember that knowing the nutrients and the benefits your plants can get is the key to choosing the fertilizer.

I hope this article can help you decide which is the best choice for your vegetable garden this season.

Last update on 2024-06-07 / Affiliate links / Images from Amazon Product Advertising API