Tomato plants are highly adaptable, low-maintenance plants that yield a desirable fruit for a multitude of culinary uses. However, fruit production is influenced greatly by the care practices employed. Even the fertilizer can affect plants in different ways. If your plants aren't achieving the growth and development you hoped for, chances are the problem has to do with the fertilizer.
Planting Preparation
Although tomato plants grow well in just about any soil, you can enhance their growth and development by preparing the soil before planting. Fortify the soil by adding a layer of organic fertilizer such as compost, manure or peat moss. These fertilizers increase the soil's nutrient content and aid in plant growth, as they help roots absorb moisture and nutrients.
Planting Preparation
Although tomato plants grow well in just about any soil, you can enhance their growth and development by preparing the soil before planting. Fortify the soil by adding a layer of organic fertilizer such as compost, manure or peat moss. These fertilizers increase the soil's nutrient content and aid in plant growth, as they help roots absorb moisture and nutrients.
Nitrogen
When your tomato plants look lush, green and healthy but fail to form fruit, the fertilizer might be to blame. A fertilizer with too much nitrogen (N) can make plants grow quickly, but can also impede fruit development. In particular, plants that receive too much nitrogen develop many leaves but few or no blossoms, which are required for fruit to set. Change to a more balanced fertilizer formula of equal or nearly equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium (NPK).
Phosphorous
Tomato plants probably aren't getting enough phosphorous if they appear healthy but have fruit that never ripens or fruit of irregular size. Phosphorous (P) encourages fruit development. Switch to a fertilizer with higher amounts of phosphorous if your tomato plants have a fruiting problem.
When your tomato plants look lush, green and healthy but fail to form fruit, the fertilizer might be to blame. A fertilizer with too much nitrogen (N) can make plants grow quickly, but can also impede fruit development. In particular, plants that receive too much nitrogen develop many leaves but few or no blossoms, which are required for fruit to set. Change to a more balanced fertilizer formula of equal or nearly equal amounts of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium (NPK).
Phosphorous
Tomato plants probably aren't getting enough phosphorous if they appear healthy but have fruit that never ripens or fruit of irregular size. Phosphorous (P) encourages fruit development. Switch to a fertilizer with higher amounts of phosphorous if your tomato plants have a fruiting problem.
Potassium
Fertilizers with concentrations potassium (K) of 50 percent or more can cause a tomato plant to suffer from calcium deficiency. A calcium-deficient plant growing in less-than-optimal environmental conditions is prone to blossom rot, which causes blossoms to drop prematurely. Blossom rot severely reduces crop production because the fruit isn't able to form. Apply 3/4 cup of lime to the soil around each plant to counteract the fertilizer's effects and replace the fertilizer formula with one that contains less potassium. Lime helps reverse the damage done to the plant before the nutrient imbalance is corrected.
Fertilizers with concentrations potassium (K) of 50 percent or more can cause a tomato plant to suffer from calcium deficiency. A calcium-deficient plant growing in less-than-optimal environmental conditions is prone to blossom rot, which causes blossoms to drop prematurely. Blossom rot severely reduces crop production because the fruit isn't able to form. Apply 3/4 cup of lime to the soil around each plant to counteract the fertilizer's effects and replace the fertilizer formula with one that contains less potassium. Lime helps reverse the damage done to the plant before the nutrient imbalance is corrected.
Considerations
A fertilizer low in nitrogen, high in phosphorus and medium to high in potassium is often ideal for initial soil preparation, according to horticulturist David Trinklein of the University of Missouri Extension. He suggests an initial application of a fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 8-32-16 or 6-24-24. Do not use a fertilizer containing urea or ammonium nitrate because those chemicals can interfere with plant development. Once plants begin to develop, apply a balanced fertilizer with NPK ratios of 5-10-5 or 5-10-10 to enhance normal plant maintenance. Apply it at a rate of 1 lb. per 100 square feet.
A fertilizer low in nitrogen, high in phosphorus and medium to high in potassium is often ideal for initial soil preparation, according to horticulturist David Trinklein of the University of Missouri Extension. He suggests an initial application of a fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 8-32-16 or 6-24-24. Do not use a fertilizer containing urea or ammonium nitrate because those chemicals can interfere with plant development. Once plants begin to develop, apply a balanced fertilizer with NPK ratios of 5-10-5 or 5-10-10 to enhance normal plant maintenance. Apply it at a rate of 1 lb. per 100 square feet.
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