While making your own fertilizer is what some tomato growers swear by, it’s also a lot of work and not always feasible (especially in small, city apartments). These are the top best fertilizers for tomatoes on the market and we’ve compiled them and made it easy to pick which one best works for your garden.
COMPARISON CHART
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TeaDrops Organic Tomato + Pepper + Eggplant Fertilizer
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Down to Earth Organic All Purpose Fertilizer
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Big Foot Organic Mycorhizal Granular Plant Food
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Neptune’s Harvest Tomato & Veg Fertilizer
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Dr. Earth Organic 5 Tomato, Vegetable & Herb Fertilizer
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Worm Compost Tea Concentrate
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Features
- 1 Tube = 16 TeaDrops packets which make 32 gallons of fertilizer
- Pet- child- eco-friendly
- Vegan
- 100% sustainably made in the USA
While this doesn’t come immediately ready to use from the get-go, this fertilizer is easy to put together: simply drop 1 TeaDrops packet into a gallon of water and let the tea steep for a few hours. Once the liquid turns a different color, then water away at the plants and watch as they grow.
WHAT WE LIKE
You needn’t worry about what type of tomatoes you have as this fertilizer works with a variety of tomatoes (grape, cherry, beefsteak, heirloom, paste, vine, roma, salsa, etc.), peppers (bell, chili, jalapeno, cayenne, habanero, poblano, serrano, etc.), and eggplants. Plus other flowering plant breeds. Past users experienced this fertilizer saving their plants from dying or wilting (especially when they aren’t native to the area) and feel the fertilizer gives great results.
WHAT WE DONT LIKE
While this TeaDrop fertilizer does work well, it is rather expensive and sometimes too light of a solution compared to what the package and marketing claim.
PROS
- Odorless
- Easy-to-use
- Good value for money
CONS
- Expensive
- Little light in content
Features
- 4-pound bag
- No GMOs, chicken manure, or sewage sludge
- Made with 100% organic and natural ingredients
- Contains probiotic, seven champion strains of beneficial soil microbes, plus ecto and endo mycorrhizae
This organic vegetable and herb fertilizer is made for summer and winter plants as well as plants in containers or just a simple backyard garden. This fertilizer can be used (and reused) throughout the planting process from seeding to transplanting to just a regular top coating or in a compost tea.
WHAT WE LIKE
For 6-foot tall tomato plants and a beginning crop in 90 days, this is a great fertilizer to use. This fertilizer makes crops strong and healthy, fights pests (theoretically), and makes incredibly delicious tomatoes. Furthermore, it’s pet-safe making this fertilizer a great fertilizer to have in the house. Plus, plants love it! Especially if you’re growing organically.
WHAT WE DONT LIKE
Some reviewers have said that the Amazon product (in the affiliated link) isn’t the correct description of the product, although it’s close. Furthermore, this product smells awful and attracts swarms and infestations of bugs. Others have mentioned how it has a “cancer-P65 warning” on the back of the package which isn’t advertised on the original advertisement of the product.
PROS
- Easy to use
- Good value for money
- Pet safe
CONS
- Smells bad(but its fertilizer)
- Attracts bugs
Features
- Helps Plants Tolerate Drought
- No Assembly Required
- Comes in three sizes: 36 oz, 1-gallon, and 5-gallon
If used every 1-2 weeks on the crops during the vegging stage of the plant, this Harvest Tomato and Veg Fertilizer provides the necessary minerals and nutrients to help the plants grow roots and stay vigorous while also heightening the plants’ tolerance to drought, temperature, and diseases.
WHAT WE LIKE
This product was recommended by a famous gardening YouTuber, Brian, from California Garden TV and has many positive reviews – if tomatoes could review products, I think they would have, too. Plants respond very well to this fertilizer and grow thick, luscious, and absolutely delicious.
WHAT WE DONT LIKE
The packaging isn’t the greatest and the fertilizer doesn’t arrive looking beautiful… but it is fertilizer. However, during shipping, the lid has broken on more than one occasion and left the shipping container and the plastic wrapping covered in fertilizer.
PROS
- Sprayer friendly
- Effective for plant growth
- Economic, well-priced for value
CONS
- Bad packaging
- Leaky lid
Features
- 100% organic certified
- Enhances roots surface area and overall plant health
- 100% American
Big Foot Granular Mycorrhizae has a unique endomycorrhizal blend, which works at a quick pace to stimulate and promote mycorrhizal colonization. This blend can be used in indoor, outdoor, and greenhouse plants. This mycorrhizal fertilizer helps root growth, increases the root surface area underground, and reduces transplant shock to plants if they are moved (keeping them healthier).
WHAT WE LIKE
Although it’s expensive, it’s worth the price tag. It’s renowned for having the best price for volume on the market online, in a local nursery, or in a big-box store. Plus, lots of people rebought this product and swear by it.
WHAT WE DONT LIKE
Unfortunately, it’s costly. Additionally, due to its high levels of ingredients and contents, it’s necessary to take a very strict look at what your soil levels are and if this product is compatible.
PROS
- The content percentages are openly advertised (no sneaky hiding)
- Value for money
CONS
- Expensive
- Has many ingredients (which could make or break the plant)
Features
- Ingredients: Fish Bone Meal, Blood Meal, Feather Meal, Rock Phosphate, Langbeinite, Greensand, Humates, and Kelp Meal
- Certified for organic production
- Non-burning formula
- Comes in four sizes: 1-pound, 5-pound, 25-pound, and 50-pound containers
This fertilizing mix is ideal for all types of plant transplants and has a gentle, non-burning formula that is designed to create a steady supply of essential nutrients to the plants with organic ingredients while also delivering microbial activity and enhancing soil fertility naturally.
WHAT WE LIKE
While this is designed for tomatoes, this all-purpose fertilizer also sells for and works well with general vegetable gardens and flower beds. Down to Earth Organic fertilizer mixes very well with the soil making this fertilizer a great fertilizer and doesn’t contain any chicken products. Many buyers saw a noticeable difference in plant size and flower production in just a short amount of time as their plants short up inches.
WHAT WE DONT LIKE
Since this fertilizer contains phosphate and phosphorus runoff poses a threat to water quality, some states have restricted the use of fertilizer that contains phosphates so ensure that your local laws and regulations allow for the use of this fertilizer. It’s also smelly which then attracts bugs and flies (and dogs); however, it’s fertilizer which isn’t meant to smell great.
PROS
- Natural alternative to chemical fertilizers
- Works for tomatoes, vegetable gardens, and flower beds
- Very effective
CONS
- Contains phosphate/phosphorus
- Smelly
- Attracts bugs
Features
- Safe for all plants
- Easy to use
- Natural and sustainable
- Compost boost
This compost concentrate is ideal for a variety of plants and gardens from outdoor plants and houseplants to vegetable and herb gardens to trees (fruit and non-fruit). What makes this tomato fertilizer great is that it can be used on its own or be added to homemade compost to boost its nutrients.
WHAT WE LIKE
Regardless of if you have a small garden and need only 8 oz or a large garden and 128 oz will do the trick, this worm compost tea concentrate comes in 5 sizes and works for any sized garden. Plus, you can either mix the worm tea concentrate into your own compost or add the fertilizer directly to your garden (outdoor or indoor). According to one happy reviewer, the compost provides “immediate results” to aiding dying or unhealthy plants come back to life.
WHAT WE DONT LIKE
Some past users of the product have cited that the tea concentrate actually burned their plants -and therefore killing the whole crop of that year – and another says it’s not very concentrated making the fertilizer weak and ineffective. That said, only 2% of reviews are critical (2 stars and under) out of the +1000 ratings. Plus, being a tea product that needs to steep, ensure that you have steeped the tea concentrate long enough in water so it’s effective and not weak.
PROS
- 100% natural
- Compost boosting
- Helpful for dying or wilting plants
CONS
- Can burn crop
- Not as concentrated as promised
FINAL VERDICT
If you’re looking for something that is odorless and has fantastic reviews, the TeaDrops Organic Tomato + Pepper + Eggplant Fertilizer is the one. Plus, it works on all flowering plants and the company has several types of fertilizer for a myriad of plants to help your everyday growing needs. However, it’s on the expensive end. So, if you’re looking for something that works well but doesn’t try to break the bank, the Down to Earth Organic All-Purpose Fertilizer is a great choice with its variety in sizing choices, fantastic reviews, and value to money advantage.
Making Compost
Many of these fertilizers work well with compost – homemade is best – so don’t forget to start making your own composts with four basic ingredients: nitrogen, carbon, water, and air. Composting is essentially putting organic materials into a container with water and then using the bacteria-rich soil/compost to help fertilize plants. Start by taking a tub or bucket and adding green material (coffee grounds or eggshells), adding brown material (branches and twigs) on top, adding moisture (like water), and then occasionally “stirring” the compost.
FAQ Section
What do I do if my roma tomatoes have blossom end rot?
That’s typically due to a calcium/magnesium deficiency in the soil. Luckily many fertilizing companies have additives to help with that. It’s also possible to make your own additives from food compost.
What are the fertilizer requirements for tomatoes?
If the soil is low in nitrogen, use a balanced fertilizer. If it’s high in nitrogen, use a fertilizer that is high in phosphorus but low in nitrogen.
Can I use all-purpose fertilizer on tomatoes?
Yes, absolutely. However, be aware that all-purpose fertilizers contain a higher proportion of nitrogen so make sure to check your soil’s nitrogen levels beforehand so the plants don’t burn.
How long should fertilizer be used from planting and when should a plant stop being fertilized?
During a tomato plant’s first four to eight weeks in the ground, the plants need a steady, slow diet to build a strong root structure. This is done by fertilization. Once plants have begun to bloom a large portion of their fruit and harvesting is about to begin, fertilizing should stop.
How do I get my tomato plants to bloom more?
Treat tomatoes to low-nitrogen snacks as well as phosphorus soil (such as the Down to Earth fertilizer which is number six in the list above)
How do I add fertilizer to the plant?
According to Kevin from the Green Thumb blog who specializes in tomatoes, “Add fertilizer to the hole in which you intend to plant, working the fertilizer lightly through the soil. If it’s an organic fertilizer, you’re set. If it’s chemical, place a thin layer of normal soil between the fertilizer and the base of the young plant. This prevents root-burn while the plant is unwinding itself from being in a pot.”
Which is better: organic or chemical fertilizer?
There aren’t many studies that can confirm any significant signs or risks of chemical additives showing up in the crops; however, go with organic if you are at all worried.
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