Tomatoes are great plants to have in your garden. They grow fast, require no particularly rigorous care and provide a veritable bounty of fresh vegetables. However, to encourage the growth of these plants it is advisable to use fertilizer in order to get the most out of your garden. While it may seem a simple matter of spreading tomato fertilizer over your tomato plants, it helps to understand the exact mechanics behind spreading it properly. Not only will this help you understand how fertilizer works but can also be a stepping stone for greater knowledge of your home garden and how things work.

Fertilizer basics

Fertilizer for tomatoes needs to provide certain nutrients and minerals that promote plant health and encourage the growth of juicy and robust tomatoes. The prime nutrients needed are nitrogen, phosphate, potash, calcium, magnesium and potassium. These all encourage growth and promote the health of the plant. Think of it as a really potent multivitamin. Furthermore, fertilizer typically has a living component to it beyond the nutrients. Beneficial colonies of bacteria exist to not only generate food for the root system but to also maintain the roots as they grow from other harmful pests and bacteria. Remember, fertilizer goes in during the planting stage. Don’t purchase fertilizer after you have already planted your tomato seedlings unless you want to have to dig them back up.

Types of tomato fertilizer

The best way to ensure the greatest growth of tomatoes in your garden is to use a compound of fertilizers. Most people consider fertilizer to be a form of compost that you toss into the ground. While this is an accurate assessment, there are also water based varieties that you can add to the equation. This allows you to apply multiple fertilizers over the growing process. Plus, water based fertilizers can be applied after the tomato plant is already in the ground.

Tomato Fertilizer - 3 Tips For A Healthier Plant

Applying tomato fertilizer

The easiest way to get tomato fertilizer is to simply purchase some from a gardening store. Unless you compost, this is the easiest way to obtain fertilizer for your plant. After you have mulched and made your hole for the tomato plant seedlings, make a ring of fertilizer around the root system. It is important to never allow any of it to actually touch the tomato plant stem itself so be careful when you are planting tomatoes. The nutrients present can slowly corrode and burn the plant matter causing damage and potential death. It is also advisable to mix the fertilizer with soil to ensure an even spread as the roots begin to expand. Should you have purchased a water based variety follow the directions on the package about water mixture ratios.

Tomato fertilizer is a simple way to ensure the strong growth of your tomatoes. Again, each product is different so you should consult the directions on each package before utilizing the contents and remember to keep any developed plant matter away from physically contacting the fertilizer itself.

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