Does EVERYONE fertilize their tomatoes?

SueCT · July 7, 2017

Had a soil test done a few years ago. Been confused ever since. I was told at the time by Univ. Of CT that I had too much organic matter and all nutrients were too high. They suggested too much compost or overuse of fertilizers. I had been using a lot of purchased compost, adding some each year. But tomatoes seemed to do quite well. Always looking for even better results, I added some plain purchased soil the next year because I supposedly had too high a percentage of organic matter to soil. Tomatoes went down hill. The next year I added a locally produced soil/compost combination that they call "super soil" that others have used with good results locally. Tomatoes did better again. Not as good as before the soil test, but definitely better. I have not been fertilizing. Plants tend to get kinda pale after being planted, but then green up as they grow, so maybe it is the cool soil or night temps in spring and not the soil. Since I can never have enough tomatoes, would fertilizing likely increase production? I used to fertilize a couple times or three times a year, sometimes only once depending on my level of laziness and how hot it was that year.

Do you just assume that the plants need it, do you get regular soil tests, wait until you see signs of nutrient problems, or only use compost because you feel fertilizer isn't necessary in well amended soil? I don't want to waste money or pollute the soil with excess fertilizer, but I need to maximize the productivity of each plant if possible because I don't have a large garden.

July 7, 2017	#1
SueCT Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Jan 2012 Location: Connecticut Posts: 1,460	Does EVERYONE fertilize their tomatoes? Had a soil test done a few years ago. Been confused ever since. I was told at the time by Univ. Of CT that I had too much organic matter and all nutrients were too high. They suggested too much compost or overuse of fertilizers. I had been using a lot of purchased compost, adding some each year. But tomatoes seemed to do quite well. Always looking for even better results, I added some plain purchased soil the next year because I supposedly had too high a percentage of organic matter to soil. Tomatoes went down hill. The next year I added a locally produced soil/compost combination that they call "super soil" that others have used with good results locally. Tomatoes did better again. Not as good as before the soil test, but definitely better. I have not been fertilizing. Plants tend to get kinda pale after being planted, but then green up as they grow, so maybe it is the cool soil or night temps in spring and not the soil. Since I can never have enough tomatoes, would fertilizing likely increase production? I used to fertilize a couple times or three times a year, sometimes only once depending on my level of laziness and how hot it was that year. Do you just assume that the plants need it, do you get regular soil tests, wait until you see signs of nutrient problems, or only use compost because you feel fertilizer isn't necessary in well amended soil? I don't want to waste money or pollute the soil with excess fertilizer, but I need to maximize the productivity of each plant if possible because I don't have a large garden.