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| Slicing tomato brought to the University Orchard several years ago. Might not get the same production year after year when planting unproven varieties. |
The
choices you make when fertilizing tomato plants right now might be the
difference between having tomatoes to eat or not. If we have a long drawn out
cool spring with temperatures in the 80’s, it won’t make much of a difference. You
just might have an abundance of tomatoes. If we have one of those springs that
jumps from cool weather to hot weather you will have fewer tomatoes. Tomatoes
stop setting fruit when daytime temperatures are consistently well above 90° F.
But you can harvest into June.
choices you make when fertilizing tomato plants right now might be the
difference between having tomatoes to eat or not. If we have a long drawn out
cool spring with temperatures in the 80’s, it won’t make much of a difference. You
just might have an abundance of tomatoes. If we have one of those springs that
jumps from cool weather to hot weather you will have fewer tomatoes. Tomatoes
stop setting fruit when daytime temperatures are consistently well above 90° F.
But you can harvest into June.
Nitrogen Fertilizer Management
It’s all
about nitrogen fertilizer management. High nitrogen fertilizers, like 21-0-0 or
fish emulsion, guano or blood meal can cause tomato plants to grow abundantly
with dark green leaves during warm weather but push flowering and fruit
production a little longer than necessary in the spring. Once flowering and
fruiting begins, rampant growth subsides usually keeping tomato plants from
growing too rapidly. However, using high nitrogen fertilizers soon after
planting can cause a lot of top growth and, along with that, delay flower and
with it fruit production.
about nitrogen fertilizer management. High nitrogen fertilizers, like 21-0-0 or
fish emulsion, guano or blood meal can cause tomato plants to grow abundantly
with dark green leaves during warm weather but push flowering and fruit
production a little longer than necessary in the spring. Once flowering and
fruiting begins, rampant growth subsides usually keeping tomato plants from
growing too rapidly. However, using high nitrogen fertilizers soon after
planting can cause a lot of top growth and, along with that, delay flower and
with it fruit production.
Start With a Pre-Plant Fertilizer
If you
are planting into a dark, rich soil mix then don’t fertilize with anything. If
this soil mix is one year old, I would use a starter fertilizer at the time of planting and not fertilize
again until flowers and small fruit are seen. Those who use conventional
fertilizers might use 16-20-0 as a starter fertilizer. Ideally we are looking
for a fertilizer that contains about twice as much phosphorus as nitrogen and
still delivers some potassium. In fertilizer lingo this would be as close to a 1-2-1
ratio.
are planting into a dark, rich soil mix then don’t fertilize with anything. If
this soil mix is one year old, I would use a starter fertilizer at the time of planting and not fertilize
again until flowers and small fruit are seen. Those who use conventional
fertilizers might use 16-20-0 as a starter fertilizer. Ideally we are looking
for a fertilizer that contains about twice as much phosphorus as nitrogen and
still delivers some potassium. In fertilizer lingo this would be as close to a 1-2-1
ratio.
Organic Fertilizers
Those
who prefer organic fertilizers might use bone meal mixed in the soil at the
time of planting and follow that with an organic foliar spray when needed. Fish
emulsion mixed with water or compost tea sprayed on the foliage when tomato
leaves become light green.
who prefer organic fertilizers might use bone meal mixed in the soil at the
time of planting and follow that with an organic foliar spray when needed. Fish
emulsion mixed with water or compost tea sprayed on the foliage when tomato
leaves become light green.
The same principle holds true with garden
soils. If you mixed in a rich compost before planting, then don’t fertilize
with anything more until fruit is first seen. If the garden soil is a little
worn out from last season’s harvest, then use a starter fertilizer at planting
time.