I have to admit, tomato fertilization can be a lot trickier than fertilizing some of the other crops out there. You’re much more likely to over fertilize or mess up something during the process with this one.
But, don’t worry! I’m here to make sure you don’t.
In this article, let’s make tomato fertilization easy for everybody. Stick till the end because there are some very important tips and tricks you DO NOT want to miss!
Let’s get right into it!
Why Fertilization Matters
Although we’ve discussed this question a million times in other articles, let’s go over it once again for the newbies.
Tomatoes are considered heavy feeders, meaning they take up a lot of nutrients from the soil to grow and develop fruit optimally.
If the soil has inadequate nutrients and is of poor quality, problems like stunted growth, leaf discoloration, and delayed fruiting can emerge to disappoint you.
Before you even start reading the fertilization stages, save this article with 12 super tips for growing tons of tomatoes.
Fertilization By Growth Stages
Transplanting Stage:
In the transplanting stage, a high phosphorus concentration is needed in the soil for healthy root system development.
Phosphorus plays a key role in supporting root growth and making the underground department stronger.
For ideal results, play around with a fertilizer that has an N-P-K ratio of 10-20-10. You ideally want to scatter a thin layer of this fertilizer onto your soil and mix it in gently. Then, water deeply to help the roots absorb the fertilizer properly.
Also check some natural pest control for tomatoes.
Growth Stage:
In the growth stage, your tomato plants will call for nitrogen for proper leaf development. Nitrogen is the nutrient mostly responsible for matters related to plant foliage.
It encourages plants to shift more energy towards leafy growth and, if present in excessive amounts, can direct energy away from other important functions like blooming and fruiting.
For tomato plants in the growth stage, try a fertilizer with an N-P-K of 20-10-10 or foliar sprays like 30-10-10.
Just make sure not to overuse a fertilizer rich in nitrogen as it can encourage excessive leafy growth at the expense of proper fruiting, leaving you with weak, underdeveloped tomatoes that both look and taste quite unpleasant.
Flowering/Budding Stage:
Both calcium nitrate and phosphorus are nutrients essential in the flowering/budding stage.
It’s best not to neglect your tomato plant at this stage as it’s very important and will determine the quality of the upcoming harvest.
The best natural fertilizer to incorporate in this stage would be something rich in phosphorus like bone meal. However, if you’re going to opt for a store-bought fertilizer, try an N-P-K of 15-30-15 for the best flowering results.
Fruiting Stage:
Potassium plays a key role in the fruiting stage. If you’re looking for the best fruit size, firmness, and overall quality, definitely increase potassium near this stage.
To add to that, potassium can also improve the disease resistance of your tomato plants which can be especially helpful in this stage since fruiting plants are more likely to attract pests and fungal diseases.
In terms of ideal fertilizers for this stage, give granular or foliar fertilizers with either an N-P-K of 12-12-17 or 15-15-30 a shot.
Are the leaves on your tomato plants turning yellow? Here’s what could be causing it.
Conclusion
Folks on the internet have made fertilization some very complex and complicated task for some reason when it’s really not.
Yes, fertilizing tomato crops can be a little tricky since there are more chances of mistakes. But, it’s not something to break a sweat about.
I hope this article lived up to its promise and made tomato fertilization easier for you. Now, go ahead and put that knowledge into action!
