This post was last updated on March 3rd, 2024 at 05:28 pm
This is a complete guide to best tomato fertilizer for containers in 2023.
In this new guide you will learn-
- Detailed reviews of Top 10 best fertilizer
- Buying guide
- Commonly asked questions on tomato fertilizer
- Lots more
Let’s get started..
Container grown tomato fertilizing is not so easy as your garden tomato. It is because of the space you have in your container. Conventional garden tomato plants can spread their roots as much as they can to search for foods from the ground. As container tomatoes, on the other hand, have no such option. It depends on your feeding style.
You should use the right fertilizer for growing your tomatoes in containers. When there is a huge variety available on the market, it can be confusing for you to opt for the perfect fertilizer.
Worry not! The guide below is for your reference. It’s based on product information, users’ experience, thorough research, keen observation, and a lot more.
When it comes to planting tomatoes, you must take some measures to make sure you get a bumper harvest. One of these things is to identify the most effective fertilizers for the job.
Read on for more information. Here is our top ten choices that might be helpful for you specially when you are growing in containers..
1. Miracle-Gro Continuous Release Plant Food Plus Calcium
You can use this fertilizer for the better growth and nourishment of your tomatoes. It contains natural ingredients for the microbes. When you are aiming for a beautiful garden, you have to select the right fertilizer for your crops. This product is suitable for the containers, so you need not worry! Plus, you would find it suitable for the ground as well, so it’s a win-win.
Using it would be easy for you! You have to apply it evenly to the soil. It’s good to reapply every 3 months. Half a cup for 10 sq ft is enough, don’t overapply if you are aiming for suitable results. You can mix it lightly on the top 1-inch to 3-inches of the soil. Make sure you are providing an adequate amount of water that’s essential for the growth of tomatoes. The added calcium in the fertilizer would help to form stronger cell walls plus, it would be suitable for avoiding the calcium deficiency leading to disorders of the plant.
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2. Dr. Earth Organic 5 Tomato, Vegetable & Herb Fertilizer Poly Bag
If you are searching for a fertilizer that can make your tomatoes delicious and healthy, you can take a look at this one! There are primary plant nutrients added to this fertilizer so you need not worry. There is no chicken manure, sewage sludge, or GMOs. When you are selecting a product like this for your plant, you can check out the list of ingredients to see what’s actually in there. You can find the ingredients natural and 100% organic. It’s important to thoroughly check the ingredients while selecting the right fertilizer for your plants.
It’s designed to be suitable for pets and people. When there are kids or pets around the house, you have to careful in selecting the right fertilizer for your plants. There are no toxic ingredients or synthetic chemicals to worry you. You can find proteins, carbohydrates, multi-minerals, and a lot more. This fertilizer for the tomatoes is OMRI, OIM, CCOF, NOP, and Non-GMO Project verified. To learn more about the relevant features and specifications of this product, you can see the details.
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3. Dr. Earth Home Grown Tomato Fertilizer
You can get this vegetable and herb fertilizer for your plants and you can easily use it for growing tomatoes. It’s safe for the people in your community so you need not worry! Plus, if there are pets running around your plants, it’s safe for them too. It’s certified organic so you would be happy with the ingredients. When selecting the tomato fertilizer, you have to see what ingredients are there! If you already know what exactly is important for the growth of your plants, finding the relevant product would be a lot easier.
This product is also Non-GMO Project Verified. A 12 lb bag would be suitable for covering 165 sq feet so you can keep such specifications in mind when selecting this fertilizer. This living fertilizer would be suitable for transplanting, planting seeds, and a lot more. To learn more about it, you can see the details. The ingredients show 4% total Nitrogen, 6% available Phosphate, 3% soluble Potash, and 7.5% Calcium. There are also non-plant food ingredients and a lot more. You can check out the details to know more about this product.
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4. Plant Magic Premium All Purpose Organic Fertilizer
This fertilizer is suitable for indoor and outdoor use so you would find it suitable for growing tomatoes. It doesn’t matter whether you are a beginner or a professional as using it would be easy for you! Using ½ lb of the bag would be suitable for 32 plus gallons, so if you are searching for a product like this, take a look! It would be suitable for feeding the required nutrients to your plants. You can always check the detailed list of ingredients when you are concerned about the health of your plants.
It has beneficial microorganisms, 55 plus trace elements, and a lot more that’s essential for the growth of the tomatoes. It’s earth-friendly, non-toxic, and 100% organic. Using this product can help you grow your plants easily. You can safely use it around pets and people. Selecting fertilizer that’s suitable for the community is important. You have to see whether the fertilizer you are getting is safe for the environment or not. Make the right choice! To learn more, you can see the relevant details.
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5. Jobe’s Organics Vegetable & Tomato Fertilizer Spikes
Using this product means, you would be providing nourishment to the plants at their roots as it’s pre-measured. You need not worry as this product contains no synthetic chemicals and it’s organic certified. It’s important to know what exactly you are applying to your precious plants. After all, it’s about the health and well-being of your plants. With the help of this product, it would be possible to improve the soil conditions of the plant. It would be suitable during the drought also.
Using the spikes would be easy for you and you can prevent waste! The total Nitrogen is 2%, available Phosphate is 7%, and soluble Potash is 4%. Using this product early in the season can help. It can help in promoting root growth plus, it can help the tomato plants resist disease. You can safely use it around pets and kids plus, it is safe for the environment as well. To learn more, you can see the details. It’s OMRI listed as well. You can reapply it every 4 weeks to 6 weeks. To make the most of it, follow the instructions on how to use it!
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6. Harris Organic Plant Food and Plant Fertilizer, Hydrolyzed Liquid Fish Fertilizer (Great for Tomatoes and Vegetables)
An interesting thing about this fertilizer is that the micronutrients are derived from fish. It uses trace minerals that are also from the fish. Isn’t it amazing! Thus, you would find it suitable for growing your tomatoes. When you are investing in the right fertilizer, it can help in the growth of your plants. This product is suitable for indoor and outdoor use! So depending on your preferences, you can use it where you prefer! It’s designed not to burn the plants.
You can enjoy high production yields and it can help in rebuilding the soil too. It’s safe for the plants and organic so you need not worry. You have to select the fertilizer that would be safe for the growth of your tomatoes. In order to make the most of such products, it’s important that you are using them the right way. Use it as per the instructions. It has a total Nitrogen of 3%, available Phosphate 3%, and soluble Potash 0.3%. You can learn more about this product from the details.
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7. Miracle-Gro Plant Food, Tomato Fertilizer
If you want beautiful tomatoes that are bigger in size, you can consider this product! It can help in feeding your plants, but you should use it every 1-2 weeks. It’s important that you are following the relevant instructions when using a certain fertilizer to make the most of it. This fertilizer is suitable not just for the tomatoes, but also for many other vegetables! Using the right kind of fertilizer is important so that you get the best outcome.
You can use a feeder of the same brand or it’s possible to use it even with the watering can! The choice is yours just make sure you are using it the right way so that your plants are nourished and grow on time. When you are selecting a fertilizer for the growth of your plants, make sure it doesn’t burn the plants so it should be safe. Luckily, you would find this fertilizer safe for the tomatoes. It’s a good idea to use this product during the growing season so that you can achieve quick results.
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8. Espoma Tomato-Tone Organic Fertilizer – for All Your Tomatoes
If you are searching for a fertilizer that’s suitable for organic gardening, you can consider this one. You can get it in a pack of 2. It is available with thousands of living microbes so you can make the most of it for the growth of your tomatoes. It can help in the balanced feeding of the tomatoes plus, you would find it suitable for all the tomatoes so you need not go through much hassle. Using this product can help you get juicy tomatoes, so if you are searching for such features, you can definitely go for it!
It is available with 15 essential nutrients. It is designed to be safe for the environment so you need not worry! In fact, when selecting a fertilizer for the tomatoes, you should look at whether it’s environmentally safe or not. The ingredients are not hazardous or toxic plus, there are no sludges so you can easily use them for growing the tomatoes. It’s 100% organic and contains natural ingredients. You can see the list of ingredients to learn about what’s in the product. It’s long-lasting and can help you get plump tomatoes. To make the most of it, you can see the relevant details.
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9. Dr. Earth 733 Organic Fertilizer Tomato, Vegetable & Herb
Providing the primary plant nutrients can help with the proper nourishment and growth. When you are selecting the right fertilizer for your plants it can help in the growth! There are beneficial microbes that are important for your tomatoes. When you are looking for a fertilizer that can help in getting you abundant crops, you can consider this one! Selecting the right fertilizer is important. With the help of this product, you need not use chemical fertilizer! If you are not sure about a certain product, you can see what other users are saying about their experience as it can give you an idea of what to expect.
This product is organic and because of the natural ingredients, you would find it suitable for your use. There are probiotics and a lot more! You can expect the vegetables to be tasty. The vegetables would be tasty! It’s important that you are following the directions of use so that you can make the most of it! When you are using it as per the instructions, you can get the desired results. Learn more about this product from the details.
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10. Plant Magic Plant Food 100% Organic Fertilizer
Growing healthy tomatoes would be possible when you are using a suitable fertilizer. You can check out this 100% organic fertilizer! Using it would be easy for you as you can add it directly to the soil plus, it’s possible to add it to the roots! It depends on what you like doing as you can even mix it with water. If you are using half lbs of the bag then it would be suitable for 32 plus gallons!
Your plants would be safe when you are using the fertilizer as there is no chance for the burn as per the description! It’s safe to use when you have kids or pets around the house. When you are getting fertilizer for your plants you have to see that it’s safe for the community. There are more than 55 trace minerals, essential elements, and a lot more that are necessary for the optimal growth and well-being of the plants. Your tomatoes would be colorful and healthy when you are investing in the right fertilizer. You can check out the details to learn more!
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If you crave garden fresh tomatoes but lack the space for a garden, the best option would be to grow them in containers. Although it is challenging to grow tomatoes in containers, with the right approach, you can harvest delicious homegrown tomatoes.
Growing tomatoes is an intricate process that requires a lot of attention to detail. This fact is proliferated when the tomatoes are grown in containers. Containers can be a very effective means of making sure that the space available is utilized without lowering the tomatoes’ quality.
That being said, specific importance has to be placed in the tomato fertilizer to be used when it comes to tomatoes in containers. So what exactly is the best tomato fertilizer for containers?
The raison d’etre of this article is to answer this question.
Read more: How to grow tomatoes inside apartment.
What to look for when buying the best tomato fertilizer for container
To understand the specific fertilizer or type of fertilizer needed, attention has to be paid to the needs of the tomatoes themselves. This means that the nutrients the plants need not only have to be in the fertilizer, but they also have to be in the required quantity, not too little nor too much.
The best fertilizer for tomatoes consists of micronutrients like phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium in addition to vital micronutrients like calcium, magnesium, zinc and boron. Nonetheless, tomatoes require various ratios of these nutrients during every growth cycle.
So, what is the best fertilizer for tomatoes in containers, and what exactly do you have to look for when searching for the best organic fertilizer for tomatoes in containers?
Solubility
The fertilizer must be soluble in water. Since the tomatoes are planted in containers, it is impossible to uproot them to administer the fertilizer. There are some fertilizers that you can use when planting tomato seeds. However, over time, the nutrients that they offer will diminish, and thus the tomatoes will require some more nutrients.
Thus, it is necessary to ensure that the fertilizer used is soluble in water. This way, you will ascertain that the tomatoes will get their feel, both in terms of hydration and nutrition.
Combination of N-P-K
As stated earlier, it is important to make sure that the fertilizer has all the required nutrients and that the aforementioned nutrients are properly balanced in the fertilizer.
Nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium are some of the few nutrients that the plant needs in abundant supply irrespective of the stage of growth.
- Phosphorous is essential for the growth and development of fruits and roots. Therefore, it is a vital nutrient in the first stages of growth and in the final stages.
- Nitrogen helps with foliage. However, if too much nitrogen is applied, the plants become bushy and bear little or no fruit.
- Potassium helps plants grow rapidly and produce fruit and flowers. Yet, it is vital when it comes to tolerance to certain diseases and photosynthesis.
When it comes to fertilizers for tomatoes, it is recommended that you get one with the three nutrients in a combination of 1-1-1. This ensures that the plant can get the required nutrients at the most effective ratios possible.
Ease of use
It doesn’t make sense to purchase a fertilizer that you will find cumbersome and difficult to use. With the advancements in technology, there is a myriad of fertilizers in the market that are both effective and easy to use.
Ease of use is an umbrella term, and it can refer to a lot of things. Simply, it means that you need to find something that isn’t onerous in both preparation and application.
When it comes to container gardening, the two basic choices of fertilizers are liquid and granular.
Granular fertilizers
Dozens of different brands of granular fertilizer blends are available. Many of these products combine assorted manure, plant, mineral and animal-based ingredients. Depending on the brand, they can have an NPK ratio of 3-3-3 or 4-5-4 or something similar. These fertilizers are complete because they consist of a combination of ingredients that offer some amount of all 3 macronutrients (potassium, nitrogen and phosphorous) as well as many vitamins and trace nutrients, among other ingredients. These products have different composition and formulations. Therefore, make sure you choose the right fertilizer for tomatoes. Some complete granular fertilizer blends are tailored for certain crops like flowers, tomatoes or bulbs and have labels on their containers.
For the best outcome, add granular fertilizers to your containers based on the label instructions. Most gardeners achieve the best results by fertilizing their containers with these fertilizers 2 or 3 times throughout the growing season.
Liquid fertilizers
Plants absorb liquid fertilizers through both the foliage and roots. Generally, the nutrients provided to plants through liquid solutions are more rapidly and readily available for plants to use. Water soluble fertilizers provide plants with some essential nutrients for improving vigor and growth, and increasing yields. However, liquid fertilizers differ.
Even though water soluble chemical-based fertilizers supply plants with the macronutrients listed on the label, they are made from salts which can ruin beneficial soil organisms. Therefore, instead of buying chemical salt-based fertilizers choose natural or organic based liquids. This way, you will minimize the risk of fertilizer burn and provide your tomatoes with a more balanced diet. Apart from the 3 macronutrients, many natural liquid fertilizers for containers also consist of many vitamins, trace nutrients, plant hormones and amino acids. Each of these ingredients play an essential role in the vigor and health of plants.
Organic option
It is always a better idea to choose organic fertilizers over synthetic ones. This is because you are assured that what you are using is natural and will not be harmful to the plant. In some cases, even the minimalistic use of synthetic fertilizers will have a notable negative effect on the plants’ productivity.
Organic fertilizers are pretty easy to identify, as they have the identification clearly labeled on their cover. If you are in doubt, simply ask for clearance from assistance from the experts in the store.
In organic gardening, the soil’s and plant’s overall health is the major concern. Therefore, even though synthetic chemical fertilizers can do an excellent job now, organic fertilizers ensure that a garden or the soil in a containers remains healthy in the days to come.
Organic fertilizers work at a slower pace. For them to work, the soil has to break them down first. Therefore, both the plants and soil obtain the nutrition they need at the time they need it. Even though synthetic fertilizers are speedy, they often overfeed the plants and do not benefit the soil in any way. They can also harm plants by burning them.
Organic fertilizers also enhance the soil. They improve the soil texture, enabling it to hold water for a more extended period. They also help increase the fungal and bacterial activity in the soil. Organic fertilizer are also safe and easy to use.
FAQs
1. Does the container size matter for growing tomatoes in a container?
It is essential to match the pot’s size with the projected size of the tomato plant at full blossom. You can approximate the size of the tomato plants based on the specific breed of tomatoes it is.
Thus, before you even plant the tomato seeds, you need to know the plants’ size so that you can know the size of the plant you need.
Choosing a pot of the right size is vital. Remember that even though the tomato seedlings are small, they will grow into full grown plants that require a lot of space to support a strong root system. For optimal production, the ideal pot size is 24-inch diameter for indeterminate tomatoes and 18 inch diameter for determinate tomatoes. If you are planning to use a fabric pot or any other pot sold by volume, aim for twenty gallons.
2. Can I use soil from the garden or yard in a container?
Though it may seem like a good idea and maybe the most convenient method of getting soil, using garden or yard soil isn’t the best idea. Garden or yard soil may be a bit denser than potting soil, which means that aeration may be a bit of a problem.
Additionally, the soil from the garden may have warms and bacteria that are detrimental to tomato development. You’d want your tomatoes to start their life cycle most healthily, right?
3. Liquid or granular? What type of fertilizer should you use for container tomato gardening?
Liquid and granular fertilizers, many times, are akin. This becomes an issue of ease of use. With granular fertilizers, you will have to dissolve the fertilizer in water first, while liquid fertilizers can be added to the plants directly if they don’t have to be diluted.
All in all, it is usually a matter of preference, as you will find liquid and granular fertilizers that are very similar in composition.
4. Is all-purpose fertilizer good for tomatoes growing in containers?
Tomatoes are heavy feeders. When you plant them in containers, they need feeding about every two weeks. You need to ensure that you feed your tomatoes with the basic nutrients they need which ae potassium, phosphorous and nitrogen. These nutrients are vital foe growing any plant in a container. Some posting soils come with fertilizer in them. Therefore, read the soil bag to find out if these vital nutrients are included. If the potting soil does not include fertilizer, you can feed them with an all-purpose fertilizer. It is not a must to use all-purpose fertilizers. As stated earlier, the plants’ nutritional needs are based on the stage of growth. Thus, it would help if you made sure that the needs are met, and it may require changing the fertilizer a bit. Thus, though it may seem like a good idea to use all purpose fertilizers, it is better to use other fertilizers.
5. Should I test my soil before planting tomatoes?
Yes, you should. This way, you will identify the soil’s nutritional deficiencies and remedy them by using the required fertilizers.
Additionally, with testing, you will be able to identify any organisms in the soil that may be harmful and thus address the issue before planting the seeds.
Testing the soil will enable you to know its pH. You can utilize a simple pH test kit to find out the pH in your tomato patch. If you need to plant many tomatoes, test several containers. 7.0 is the neutral pH level. If the pH is lower than 7.0, the soil is acidic. Numbers above 7.0 indicate alkaline soil. Tomatoes do well in soil that is slightly acidic. The ideal pH level is between 6.0 and 7.0 and the optimum is between 6.5 and 7.0.
Testing the soil will also let you know if there is a proper balance between potassium, nitrogen and phosphorus. By evaluating nutrients, you can prepare your soil well and know what to add.
Conclusion
When you are ready, choose the best fertilizer for growing the tomatoes. Make sure you select the one you like the most! It’s good to know what features to look for in such a product as it can help you with the final decision.
