Is fish oil a good fertilizer for tomato plants?

Commercial fish fertilizer isn't fish oil at all; it's called fish emulsion and is a mild, liquid fertilizer made from fish byproducts and waste that provide nitrogen, enzymes and other essential nutrients for plant growth. The chocolate-brown liquid emits a strong odor, but it strongly benefits both tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) seedlings and transplants. When fertilizer is applied to a tomato plant at the right time with the correct ratio of liquid concentrate to water, growers can achieve greater yields and better-tasting fruit.

Fish oil fertilizer, also called fish emulsion, has been used for centuries to promote vegetable growth. Many native Americans placed fish remains in the trenches used to plant maize.

Tomato transplants
One technique that is used during the transplanting process is to first flood a planting hole with the diluted fish fertilizer solution; then, the tomato plant's root ball is inserted and covered with soil. This technique assures that young and vulnerable roots receive immediate moisture and nutrients. Fish emulsion can be applied right after transplanting as well by using a watering can at ground level around the base of the plant. The liquid should not be splashed on the foliage.

Starting from seeds
Most fish emulsion recipes call for 1 to 3 tablespoons of concentrated liquid fertilizer diluted in 1 gallon of water. However, when you are caring for delicate seedlings, the solution should be diluted even more. Too much concentrated fertilizer might "burn" or kill a young plant. When high levels of fertilizer are applied, concentrated salts damage roots leading to decreased water intake.

Choosing the right fertilizer
A consistent supply of nitrogen helps tomatoes maintain healthy, green leaves. Yellowed leaves often indicate nitrogen deficiency. Fish emulsion contains high levels of nitrogen. The trace minerals and additional nutrients vary from brand to brand. Growers with an organic philosophy might steer toward products made from wild-caught ocean fish rather than farm-raised fish. Others might see geography as a selling point, preferring brands that boast North Atlantic or Alaskan fish ingredients.

Application
Fish emulsion should be applied in cool weather, preferably in the early morning or evening. Avoid applying it in the midday heat or to any heat-stressed plants. If fertilizer is applied at the wrong time -- or if too much of the concentrate is applied at once -- it might prevent tomato plants from forming fruit. A sure sign of too much nitrogen fertilizer in tomato plants is lush and healthy plants with few flowers and fruit.

Actions
Fish emulsion works by delivering needed nutrients that encourage vine and fruit growth. It is an excellent source of nitrogen, and a good source of phosphorus. Fish emulsion increases yield and thwarts disease.

Mixing
Commercial brands of fish emulsion are available in concentrated form. Mix with distilled or rainwater: 1 tbsp. of emulsion per gallon of water.

Root delivery
When you first transfer tomato plants to the garden, add diluted fish emulsion to the first watering at the roots to strengthen the plant.

Foliar delivery
Spray diluted fish oil fertilizer on tomato plant leaves to help the plant absorb the nitrogen quickly. Spraying the blossoms also may increase fruit yield.

Experiment
Test how fish emulsion works by spraying half your tomato plants with the fertilizer, while leaving half untreated. Compare the number and size of the fruits, as well as health of the plants.

When to fertilize tomatoes and what to use?

Once upon a time, people thought tomatoes were toxic plants. Today, they're the most widely grown vegetable in American backyard gardens. Generally grown from started seedlings that are transplanted outside once the temperature reaches an average of 60 degrees Fahrenheit, these plants require lots of fertilization to ensure plant health and optimal fruit production. For the best results, time your fertilizer applications for when the tomato plants need them most.

At planting: compost
Tomatoes thrive best in well-drained dirt. At the time of planting, gardeners must add organic matter such as compost or rotted manure by mixing 3 inches of the soil amendment into the top 9 inches of dirt. This feeds the new tomato plants with micronutrients while enhancing drainage and soil structure.

At planting: 8-8-8 fertilizer
New tomato plants thrive best when given a balanced fertilizer at the beginning, which boosts the plant's ability to take root quickly. The plants react best to an 8-8-8 balanced garden fertilizer at a rate of approximately 1/2 cup of fertilizer per tomato plant.

At planting: mulch
A couple of inches of mulch will help feed the tomato plants while also reducing the risk of disease and weeds. Mulching ingredients include weed-free straw, wood chips and sheets of newspaper. As the mulch decomposes, it adds nutrients to the dirt that benefit the tomato plants. Mulch also helps keep the tomato plants' roots cool and enhances soil moisture retention.

At fruiting: ammonium sulfate
In side-dressing, a gardener applies a midseason fertilizer to help boost tomato health right when the plant starts growing fruit and needs that extra nutritional support. When the first tomato fruits measure a couple inches in size, gardeners sprinkle a tablespoon of 21-0-0 ammonium sulfate fertilizer in a circle around the tomato plant. For the best results, this should be repeated twice after the initial fertilization in three-week increments for a total of three post-fruiting applications.

Natural fertilizer for tomato plants

Nothing tops the great flavor of a vine-ripened tomato picked from your own vegetable garden. Giving your tomato plants the fertilizer they need is one of the most important factors in ensuring they produce flavorful, healthy fruit. You can accomplish this by choosing from several nutrient-packed, safe and effective natural fertilizers.

Tomato growers have many options when it comes to fertilizing their tomato plants. Chemical fertilizers are fast acting but can burn tender plants and leach nitrogen and salts into the environment. As a result, many gardeners are seeking natural ways to fertilize their tomatoes. Fortunately, natural fertilizer can be found in many forms. While natural fertilizers are not as fast acting as chemical fertilizers, they can be well worth the effort.

Definition of natural fertilizer
According to the Colorado State University Extension Service, natural or organic fertilizers are derived from plant or animal matter and must contain at least minimum percentages of nitrogen, phosphate and potash. General-purpose organic fertilizers are readily available at gardening centers and through the Internet in granular, powder and liquid formulas.

Types of natural fertilizers

The following is a partial list of some common types of natural or organic fertilizers:

Cottonseed Meal: High in nitrogen. Look for products labeled pesticide-free.

Bat Guano: Depending on the processing method, bat guano (bat feces) is high in either nitrogen or phosphorous.

Fish-Based Products: Available as fish emulsion, enzymatically digested fish liquid and fish meal.

Seaweed-Based Products: Available in kelp meal, kelp powder and liquid kelp. All types contain micronutrients and are often used in conjunction with fish emulsions.

Homemade fertilizers
In addition to purchasing natural fertilizers, you can also use common household items to fertilize your tomatoes. Creating your own compost pile is an excellent way to recycle organic materials such as leaves, grass clippings and vegetable peelings into a nutrient-rich soil amendment. Some organic gardeners add crushed eggshells or hair (from shedding pets or hairbrushes) to the holes before planting their tomatoes. Eggshells provide calcium, which can help prevent blossom-end rot (dark, sunken spots at the blossom end of the fruit). Hair is composed of keratin and releases nitrogen gradually as it decomposes.

Soil amendment
Tomatoes prefer soil that is rich in organic matter. Organic matter such as compost or rotted manure enhances soil drainage and provides some natural fertilization. Because organic matter must decompose before it begins releasing nutrients, you should work it into the soil several months in advance of planting.

Fertilizing tomatoes
Depending on the amount of organic matter in the soil, tomatoes generally require medium amounts of additional fertilizer. The Texas Gardener recommends starting tomato transplants by working 2 tbsp. each cottonseed meal and fish meal into the bottom of the hole before planting. Then use a diluted solution of seaweed and fish emulsion to water the roots and spray foliage about once per week. Once the first blossoms appear, work in 1/2 cup of cottonseed meal or a commercially available organic fertilizer such as 8-2-4 in a circle around the roots and water in thoroughly.

Requirements
Tomatoes are the number one choice of America's home gardeners, according to Organic Gardening. Although there are many different varieties to choose from, all have the same basic needs -- lots of sunshine, fertile soil, regular watering, good weed control and excellent nutrition. Although tomato plants need occasional fertilizing, you can avoid synthetic formulas by opting for natural, organic choices. Start feeding your plants at the time of planting, followed by additional applications two or three weeks apart while your plants are growing and producing.

Compost
Compost is basically pure organic matter packed with essential nutrients. Compost adds all the basic nutrients your plants need, along with macronutrients and micronutrients that are usually missing from synthetic fertilizers. Compost releases its components gradually during the growing season, providing long-lasting nutrition. Compost not only feeds your plants, it also neutralizes the soil, helps soil retain water and nutrients, and adds beneficial microorganisms to your garden. Work a handful of compost into the soil at the bottom of each hole as you plant your tomato seedlings and add a side dressing of compost to each plant several times during the growing season.

Organic cottonseed meal
Cottonseed meal is also a good choice as a natural tomato fertilizer that can be mixed into your soil at the time of planting. It contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in about a 6-2-1 ratio; it's nitrogen supports leafy growth early in the young tomato plants' growth cycle. Nutrients in cottonseed meal are released slowly and last about four months. Cottonseed meal contains other important elements, including calcium, magnesium, sulfur and copper, and also provides trace elements such as manganese, molybdenum and zinc. When purchasing cottonseed meal, choose only products labeled as Certified Organic, since nonorganic meal may contain pesticide residues and is restricted by the California Department of Food and Agriculture Organic Materials List.

Fish emulsion
Fish emulsion is another natural fertilizer that can give your tomato plants an extra boost, both at planting and during the entire season. It contains nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, with additional minerals that include calcium, magnesium, sulfur and other trace minerals. Most products are available as a concentrated liquid, produced by blending fish parts -- including bones -- and then subjecting the emulsion to heat to destroy any unhealthy bacteria. Unlike cottonseed meal and compost, the nutrients in fish emulsion are available to your plants immediately. Dilute the emulsion in water according to the package directions and apply to your plants as a foliar spray every few weeks. You can also give your seedlings a boost at planting by adding fish emulsion to your watering can and drenching the root zone of each plant after it is planted.

Tomato plant fertilizer requirements

The most common vegetable grown in American gardens, the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) needs nutrient-rich soil for healthy development throughout the growing season. These medium to heavy “feeders” require regular boosts of nutrients to ensure steady growth of stems and branches, leaves and blossoms, as well as healthy fruit. To provide proper nutrition for growing tomatoes, gardeners need to adequately prepare soil before planting, add fertilizer during the growing season and recognize signs of nutrient deficiency.

If your tomato plants receive four basic nutrients, they will thrive and produce maximal tomatoes. You can make sure your plants receive the correct amounts of nutrients through organic matter rich soil, through compost or through commercial fertilizers. Fertilize tomato plants just after planting them, when the flowers bloom, when the tomatoes reach the size of a small ball and after first harvest.

Prepping the soil
Although tomatoes can grow in many kinds of soil, soil that is rich in organic matter like peat moss, compost or well-rotted manure will result in healthy productive plants. If growing in a garden space for the first time, a soil test is recommended and can be easily arranged through local county extension offices. Soil test results will indicate nutrient deficiencies, which can be corrected in early spring before planting. Lime can be added to soil to lessen the chance of nutrient imbalances and to bring soil pH within the 6.2 to 6.8 range, which tomatoes prefer. A basic 8-8-8 commercial fertilizer---containing the three macronutrients nitrogen, potassium and phosphorus---or organic alternatives such as aged manure, sulfur and oyster shell lime can also be added to the soil in preparation of planting.

At planting
In addition to the early spring soil prep, tomatoes should also receive a light dose of fertilizer when planted. This will help to ensure sufficient nutrients for the young plants during the early stages of stem and branch development. If using a commercial fertilizer, recommendations for the ratio of the three macronutrients vary, depending on individual soil composition, but a balanced (8-8-8) or 5-10-10 or 5-10-5 mix is most often preferred. Always make sure to follow product instructions carefully during fertilizer application, because overuse of a starter fertilizer can burn a tomato plant's delicate root system. If following organic gardening practice, a mix of kelp meal, bone meal and organic compost added to the planting hole will provide young tomato plants the essential nutrients for early growth.

Side-dressing
The fertilizers added before and at planting will likely not provide sufficient nutrients for the complete growing season. Therefore, at least two additional fertilizer applications, called side-dressings, are recommended during a tomato plant's growth period. The first side-dressing is added soon after tomato fruit have set and are about one-third their final size. A standard 10-10-10 or 5-10-10 commercial fertilizer can be used, or organic alternatives include bone meal, dried manure or cottonseed meal. The fertilizer should be added to the top 1 inch of soil and applied 4 to 6 inches from the tomato plant stem to prevent fertilizer burn. Additional side-dressings can be added once the first ripe tomato is picked or every 3 weeks throughout the growing season, depending on the garden soil composition.

Signs of fertilizer problems
If tomato plants have grown tall with lush green foliage but few actual tomatoes, it is likely the soil has been over-fertilized with a nitrogen-rich product. As a result, ammonium sulfate, urea and fresh manure should be avoided. Ammonia fertilizers can also contribute to blossom-end rot. A calcium-rich side-dressing, like gypsum, can help correct this problem.

Nutrients requirements

Nitrogen
Nitrogen is good for the stem, leaves and stalk of your tomato plants. Don't feed the plants too much nitrogen, however, because the green parts of your plant will thrive but the tomatoes will be very small. If your plant's lower leaves turn yellow or the plant's growth is stunted, it likely isn't getting enough nitrogen. Nitrogen sources include compost, fully rotted manure and commercial fertilizer.

Potassium
Potassium helps tomato plants reach their full potential in growth and hardiness. It also helps make them disease resistant. Stunted growth, undersized plants, few tomatoes or yellow spots on the leaves are all signals of potassium deficiency. Potassium sources are wood ashes, compost and commercial fertilizer.

Phosphorus
The nutrient phosphorus helps aid in the production of the fruit, or the flowers, seeds and tomatoes. Phosphorus also promotes plant growth and health by helping it develop a strong root system and prevent disease. Stunted growth and leaves that turn purple on the undersides are signs of phosphorus deficiency. Feed your tomato plants phosphorus through chicken manure, bone meal, phosphate rock and commercial fertilizer.

Calcium
Your tomato plant won't develop without calcium. This nutrient also helps prevent a common tomato problem--rotting from the roots up. Tomato plants that get enough water should not have calcium deficiencies. Sources of calcium are clean chicken egg shells, bone meal and ground limestone. It is not contained in most commercial fertilizers, but probably is in fertilizers specifically made for tomatoes.

How to fertilize tomato plants?

Tomatoes need quite a big food supply over the season -- they're what we call "heavy feeders." This is no surprise when you look at all the work they're doing: extending the stem, putting out more branches, leaves and blossoms; developing, nurturing and ripening all those fruits! To do all this work they need a steady diet of water and nutrients.

All About Side-Dressing
In most gardens, it's a good idea to side-dress tomatoes. That simply means placing fertilizer around the plants to give them extra nourishment through the season. One or two side-dressings is fine for most gardens.

Many kinds of fertilizers can give tomatoes the extra nutrients they need. Some gardeners prefer to use a complete fertilizer (such as 5-10-10 or 10-10-10). Organic fertilizers such as bone meal, dried manure or cottonseed meal are also good. Just remember that most organic fertilizers don't contain balanced amounts of the three major nutrients - nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. For example, manure tends to be low in phosphorus so you could add bone meal at the same time to provide a more complete diet.

Stay away from high-nitrogen fertilizers such as urea, ammonium sulfate or fresh manure because it's easy to use too much. When you overfertilize, you get tall, dark green plants with few tomatoes.

When To Side-Dress
Start side-dressing when the first tomatoes have just formed - when they're about the size of golf balls. Make repeat side-dressings every three weeks after that. About a pound (two cups) of 5-10-10 should be enough for all the plants in a 30-foot row (about 20 plants). This works out to about 1-1/2 tablespoons per plant spread in a one-inch-deep circular furrow five to six inches away from the stem, usually right under the drip line of the plant. Be careful not to get any of this fertilizer on the leaves or stem because it will burn them. Cover the fertilizer with one to two inches of soil. The next rain or watering will start carrying the nutrients down into the root zone of the plants.

How often to fertilize tomato plants?

Tomatoes are easy to grow and work well in yards with large garden areas or in containers on small patios or balconies. To get the biggest tomato yield, start fertilizing before you plant and periodically during the growing cycle. Then, get your kitchen ready for homemade marinara sauce and juicy tomatoes topping your sandwiches. Fertilizing the tomato plants at the correct time helps yield the largest harvest. Tomatoes are low-calorie, rich in vitamins C and A and provide lycopene that may be helpful in preventing certain cancers. Tomatoes remain productive from midsummer until fall frost if they are supplied with the nutrients they need to grow healthy and produce fruits. While special tomato fertilizers are on the market, they are rarely necessary. A general-purpose fertilizer applied regularly in the proper amounts is all that's needed to feed your tomato plants.

Initial fertilization

Tomato plants grow quite well if they are planted in fertilized soil, so turn some slow-release fertilizer into the holes you dig for your tomatoes. Dig down about 6 inches and mix the fertilizer with the soil at the bottom and sides of the hole as well as the soil you plan to use to backfill the hole around the plant's root ball. Most young tomato plants should be placed in holes about 3 inches deep, but the fertilizer and soil mixture should be about 3 inches deep under the final hole.

Subsequent fertilizations
Tomato plants need a second fertilizer treatment just after the tomatoes begin to form. As soon as you see a few defined tomatoes about the size of marbles, add another round of fertilizer. Spray the ground around the plant with a water-soluble fertilizer or turn quick-release fertilizer into the soil around the base of the plant. As the tomatoes grow, fertilize the plants every seven to 10 days until the tomatoes are ready to pick.
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Soil types
Tomatoes are fairly hardy and grow in many soil types. However, not all soil holds the fertilizer well. For dense soils with large amounts of clay, stick to 10 days between fertilizations after the tomatoes appear. Sandy soils tend to let nutrients leach away, meaning you must fertilize more often, at least every seven days.

When to fertilize?
Fertilize the tomato plant about one or two weeks before the first fruit ripens. Repeat the fertilization two weeks after you pick the first fruit and then again one month later.

Proper amount of fertilizer
Test the soil before fertilizing. This tells you which nutrients the soil is lacking. Tomatoes prefer a soil with a pH of 6.5 to 7. Work a timed-release fertilizer into the top 6 inches of the soil before planting the tomatoes. Once the proper level is obtained, treat the tomatoes with a maintenance fertilizer at 1 lb. per 100 square feet.

Types of fertilizer
Tomatoes grow best with a balanced fertilizer with equal amounts of phosphorus, nitrogen and potassium. For instance, too much nitrogen results in a leafy plant with little fruit. Avoid the use of lawn fertilizers. Use a fertilizer product that is formulated for tomatoes or a complete garden fertilizer when preparing the soil. Use a water-soluble fertilizer once the plant begins to produce fruit.

Growing needs
Plant your tomatoes in areas with full sunlight. Areas away from trees and buildings offer the highest yields. A well-drained soil is important to prevent blossom rot or root rot. Tomato plants require a consistently moist soil. Stick your finger into the top 2 inches of soil. If dirt sticks to your finger it is moist enough. Mulch such as straw, pine needles, grass clippings, compost, shredded bark and leaf mold help conserve the moisture in the soil.

Soil testing
Each garden bed provides different nutrients and soil quality. When possible, perform a soil test to verify the nutrient quality in your garden. Soil test kits are available at most garden centers and require of taking a soil sample from the garden. The kit tests the soil pH, which should be between 5.8 and 6.5 for tomatoes. Kits may also test the amount of certain nutrients, such as phosphorous, already present in the soil. Use the information from the kit to determine what fertilizers and amendments are needed prior to planting your tomatoes.

Amendments
Most beds need agricultural lime added to bring the soil pH into the optimum range. Add the lime at the rate recommended on the soil test. If you didn't perform a test, apply 3/4 cup of lime to the bed for each tomato seedling you are planting. Also add 1/2 cup of 8-8-8 analysis fertilizer for each plant. The numbers indicate the percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the fertilizer. Compost helps improve the quality of the soil by adding organic matter and nutrients to the bed. Work in a 2- to 4-inch layer of compost before you plant. In heavy clay soils or in sandy beds, a thick compost layer helps ensure proper water drainage and moisture retention.

Starter fertilizer
Apply a starter fertilizer after planting the seedlings. A starter solution gives the plants quick access to the nutrients they need to begin forming healthy roots and establishing in the bed. Dissolve 1 lb. of 8-8-8 fertilizer in a gallon of water. Water each plant with one cup of the solution at planting. Commercial starter fertilizers are also available. Mix and apply these as detailed on the label.

Mid-season fertilizer
Begin mid-season fertilization once the fruits begin to form on the tomato plants. Reapply the fertilizer every four to six weeks until the end of the growing season in fall to ensure the plants remain productive. Use 2 tbsp. of 8-8-8 fertilizer per plant. Do not apply the fertilizer so it touches the tomato's stem or roots, as direct contact with undissolved fertilizer can burn plants. Instead, side dress the plants with the fertilizer. Work the fertilizer into the soil about 6-inches away from the plant stems. In row plantings, apply the fertilizer between the rows.

Considerations
Tomatoes need low-nitrogen fertilizers, such as a 8-32-16 or 6-24-24. These should be applied at a rate of about 1 pound per 100 square feet. If you are only planting one or two plants, mix a couple of tablespoons of fertilizer into the soil around each plant during the applications.

Mycorrhizae - Helpful Fungi for the Growing Plant

Fungi are organisms that rely on other living things to get their nutrients. Most people are familiar with fungi of two types - mushrooms which rely on dead or dying organic matter (like mulch or compost) and yeast used in cooking.  Most people are vaguely aware that fungi can be helpful (making alcohol or leavening bread).  Few people, however, how vital fungi can be to the roots of a growing plant.

Mycorrhizae, from myco - fungus and rhiza - root, are fungus that associate with the roots of a growing plant.  These fungi almost always have a mutually beneficial (symbiotic) relationship with the plants near them.  The fungus derive carbohydrates (sugars) from the roots of the plant, that has been produced by the plants leaves through photosynthesis.  The plant in exchange gains a huge water and nutrient absorption system with the mycorrhizae.  The mycorrhizae also may help with absorption of phosphorus, a nutrient absolutely essential to the development of the energy containing molecule (ATP) in plants.In fact, mycorrhizae can expand the water collecting ability of the plant several hundred times.  For this reason, plants with mycorrhizae are more drought resistant.

 In extremely poor soils where few plants survive, mycorrhizae sometimes need to be added.  In most soils, however, there are already sufficient spores to establish relationships with the roots of your plant.  Bill Gates, in his philanthropic ventures to feed the world, recently endorsed mycorrhizae.

The Waterboxx was designed to be used with mycorrhizae.  Since the Waterboxx allows planting of trees and other plants in extremely dry soil, the mycorrhizae can further increase water absorption by the plant.  If planting in soil that currently doesn't support much plant life, you may want to consider purchasing high quality mycorrhizae.

Be the first in your area to begin growing plants with the Groasis Waterboxx.  The Waterboxx can be purchased in the United States from Dew Harvest. We would love to hear your comments below - to leave one, please click on "Comments".

Sources:

http://mycorrhizae.com/

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mycorrhiza

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/faculty/davies/research/mycorrhizae.html

http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/nova/next/nature/more-food-with-microbes/#b06g17f20b14