uh oh...here we go again! haha

I would consider mulching heavily (4-6inches) with woodchips, that will keep your soil cool and not dehydrate through the drought.

Best Fertilizer ? I don't know about that !!

There is no real consensouse among the experts. But most manufacturers add Ca and Mg to their fertilizers targeting tomato growers/home gardeners.

I personally have come to the conclusion that any all purpose like 10-10-10,, 16-16 - 16 etc is just as good as any fancy names. That is what mostly I am going to use. I bought a broken 20 lbs bag (granular) at half price ( 9 bucks) at Lowes the other day. I will also get a box of MG 24-8-16 ( $10 for 5 lbs). That should take care of my fertilizer needs for 2016 season.

My soil test tells me that there is plenty of Ca, Mg and "P" in there. already. It needs mostly "N" and may be some "K"

Don't be fooled by the nice picture on the fertilizer bags ! lol

Sey

I agree with Sey on the 10-10-10. If you're looking for an organic, you might try Espoma Tomato Tone.

John A

Here you go

best fertilizer for tomatoes discussions

Dave

There is an organic brand called EB Stone that I've had good luck with.

Thanks, guys. Dave and fireduck, I do know how to do a search, but I ask directly because I have limited data and don't have all day to scroll through all of the posts you link to.

This is why you might find the same post each year from me. If I can't find my ? from last year I AM going to ask again. Nancy

I for one, appreciate your link, Dave. I am undecided in the fertilizer department and like to look at more than one opinion before I make a decision. Thank you for that!

Rebecca

Foe general use, I am a fan of the Espoma products (i.e. Tomato Tone, pick the specific product based on the ratio you need at the time.) Easy, effective, readily available, and beneficial to the soil. Combined with compost even better.

Tomato plant is no different from most garden fruiting vegetables : They all need/use NPK at about the same ratio.plus Ca, Mg, S, .. and other trace elements. The manufacturers take the basic fertilizer and with little or no variation market them as tomato fertilizer ( with nice picture of tomato and peppers on the bag. hehe)

It is like soap and cleaners: They bottle the same basic stuff/ingredients and sell them for various uses.

Over all N should be supplied more than P and K. Why ? (a) plants use more N than P and K . (b) being readily water soluble, it leaches out fast. P is needed and used least. Why ? (a) plants need less of it compared to N and K . (b) It sticks to soil and sticks around much longer. No wonder most garden soil tests show abondance of P. Then come K. It is somewhere in between, more close to N than P.

If I put those together MG blue water soluble ( 24-8-16) seems something close to what garden veggies need. And pound per pound in terms of fertilizing contents its the cheapest money can buy. JMO...

Sey