15 Tomato Fertilizer Homemade Recipes for a Bountiful Harvest

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Tomato fertilizer homemade is the best way to ensure a generous tomato harvest while saving money and the environment. Inside this guide, we’ll share 15 easy and inexpensive recipes you can craft yourself using ingredients found in any kitchen to fuel the growth of your tomato plants. Each natural fertilizer recipe provides essential nutrients from coffee grounds to fish emulsion to promote more significant and abundant yields.

Whether you grow tomatoes in the garden or on your patio, using these organic fertilizer mixes is a simple way to boost production without expensive store-bought alternatives – so get ready for the most productive tomato season yet!

Genius Tomato Fertilizer Homemade Strategies

1. Coffee Grounds

Coffee grounds are a great homemade organic fertilizer using multiple tea leaves you likely already have in your kitchen. The plant nutrients in coffee grounds tomatoes grow similar to those in commercial fertilizers. You can simply sprinkle some grounds around the base of your tomato banana peel or work them lightly into the soil liquid tomato plants. The grounds will release vitamins and minerals liquid fertilizer over time as they softly compost plant tomatoes.

Add your spent coffee grounds fish emulsion to the vegetable garden for hearty tomato plants’ natural fertilizer and pest deterrent. With regular application all season long, you’ll be rewarded with an abundant harvest of fertilizers, fish, and delicious homegrown tomatoes. Just be sure not to over-apply the grounds, as too much can make the soil more acidic for organic plant growth.

2. Banana Peels

Who knew that banana peels could be so good for your tomato plants? As one of the more unexpected items on our homemade fertilizer list, banana peels are a potent source of nutrients when used in the garden. Ripe banana peels are full of potassium, phosphorus, and nitrogen – three major macronutrients that tomato plants require to thrive. These nutrients help promote vigorous plant growth from seedlings through flowering and fruiting.

When should you apply banana peels to maximize their benefits? The best times are during plant establishment at transplant or the start of the growing season. Digging a few peels into the soil around each plant’s base at these times will provide a steady, long-lasting release of nutrients as the peels slowly break down. You can also top-dress peels by scattering pieces around the soil surface to boost fruit production, especially once flowering begins.

For an even more concentrated dose of nutrients, try making a banana peel “tea.” Place a handful of peels in a bucket of water, cover, and allow to steep for five to seven days. The peels will release their potash, phosphate, and nitrogen into the water.

Use this infused liquid to water your tomato plants, pouring it around each plant’s base or utilizing a watering can. The diluted nutrients nourish the soil, and the leaves absorb their needs through their roots.

So don’t throw those banana peels out; put them to good use in your tomato beds instead! With their valuable composition of growth-promoting elements, banana peels provide tomatoes with a powerful natural pickup that is inexpensive and easy to harvest from your kitchen. Plus, your plants will love the occasional potassium boost throughout their time in the garden.

3. Eggshells

Looking to give your tomato plants an extra boost of minerals but don’t want to use boughten fertilizers? Consider saving your eggshells instead of throwing them out. Once home to the basis of a healthy breakfast bowl, eggshells provide valuable calcium and magnesium when recycled into the garden. These minerals are essential for cell production and division throughout the various stages of tomato growth.

A casual kitchen composter can crush dried eggshells directly into a fine powder and lightly sprinkle them around plants. The powdered shells gradually release minerals as rainfall filters them into the soil profile. For a more potent method, boil eggshells to make a “slurry” tea and use it to water your tomato beds.

Simply place cleaned, dried shells in a saucepan, cover with water, boil for ten minutes, then steep overnight. Strain and dilute the liquid with additional water before watering – your tomato plants will readily absorb the concentrated minerals from the shells.

No matter the application method, eggshells provide tomatoes with a mineral-rich boost to support structural plant processes. The extra calcium assists fruit development by improving flower pollination while increasing disease resistance through strengthened cell walls. So start collecting eggshells to feed your tomato crop, and enjoy the rewards of extra large, vibrantly red ornaments for your kitchen table!

4. Alfalfa Meal

Alfalfa meal is an excellent homemade fertilizer addition to nurture your tomato garden. This finely ground dehydrated legume is packed with a complete profile of nutrients for optimum plant performance. As one of nature’s most nutrient-dense plants, alfalfa collects nitrogen and other vitamins/minerals from deep soil using its extensive root system. It gently feeds tomatoes a balanced diet suitable for robust growth when incorporated into planting areas.

An excellent herb that enriches soil organically when used sparingly, alfalfa meal should be broadcast across beds and included a few inches into the topsoil before tomatoes are transplanted in early spring. Additional light applications every few weeks will ensure your plants stay healthy throughout the growing period as they pump out bigger, tastier fruits. Exposure to this all-natural soil amendment also produces tomatoes with more decadent flavors than chemical-fed varieties.

Incorporating alfalfa meal represents a simple way for home gardeners to boost tomatoes without relying on intensive fertilizing practices. This hardy legume is a beautiful choice for natural nutrient cycling approaches that nourish soil and crops for years.

5. Grass Clippings

With their high nutrient content and quick decomposition rate, grass clippings make recycling them in the garden a no-brainer. As living plants, lawns absorb nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium from the soil, concentrating these essential elements in their leaf tissue. When clippings are incorporated around vegetable beds, tomatoes readily access this reservoir of growth-promoting nutrients. The clippings also add valuable organic matter to depleting garden soils with each application.

Rather than bagging your grass trimmings and sending them to the landfill, where they take years to break down, consider spreading them around your tomato plants instead. A thin layer of clippings applied after mowing acts as a natural mulch, helping retain soil moisture while gradually releasing nutrients over one to two months as rainfall encourages their breakdown. Clippings can be mixed directly into planting holes or topsoil a few weeks before transplanting tomatoes for an even faster nutrient boost.

As a bonus to nourishing tomatoes, grass clippings have allelopathic properties that inhibit weed seed germination when used as a living mulch. Their high nitrogen content also deters pests by discouraging insect egg-laying and disturbing larval development in the soil. With all these great benefits, spending less time bagging clippings means more time enjoying a bountiful harvest!

6. Tea Leaves

With their high nutrient and antioxidant content, tea leaves offer tomatoes much more than a refreshing flavor. As one of our list’s easily sourced garden amendments, spent tea leaves can benefit tomatoes in several ways. Their nitrogen and potassium encourage solid stems and abundant foliage ideal for maximizing photosynthesis and energy production. Additional minerals like magnesium also assist with various metabolic plant functions.

Rather than treating them as waste, start collecting your used tea bags to nourish your tomato patch. The simple tannins and caffeine-like compounds leaves release as they decompose make an excellent natural fungicide and insect deterrent. Simply open tea bags and allow leaves to air dry before composting them to heat beds for planting.

Alternatively, scatter leaves directly around the base of plants as a living mulch. Their slow breakdown releases a steady dose of nutrition for tomatoes all season as rainfall leaches compounds into the soil profile below.

For an even more potent tea leaf boost, try a compost or “fertilizer” tea. Steep dried leaves in water like a standard cup and allow the liquid to infuse for several days. Dilute and use the potent brew to water tomato beds periodically. Leaves absorb the concentrated nutrients and antioxidants directly through their roots and foliage. With creativity in the kitchen, even spent tea can produce giant red ornaments for your dinner table all summer!

7. Kelp Meal

If you want to grow big, vibrant tomato plants naturally, look no further than adding kelp meal to their diet. Derived from dried and ground seaweed, kelp concentrates the trace minerals leached from ocean waters during its growth.

These compounds act as a powerful plant growth catalyst when incorporated into soil. Rich in nitrogen, potassium, and over 60 trace elements, kelp supplies all tomatoes’ raw materials for optimum structural development and flavonoid production.

The ideal application method is to work kelp meal into planting beds before transplanting seedlings in early spring. At a rate of 1/4 cup per plant, its mineral components slowly break down to nourish tomatoes throughout their entire lifecycle. Additional side dressings throughout the growing season replenish depleted levels from prolific crop yields. But do not moderate use, as high levels may impart a brine flavor note to fruits.

As a bonus, kelp strengthens cell walls, making plants more resistant to common issues like mold, blights, or insects. Its natural growth regulator properties also produce noticeably larger tomatoes bursting with rich, complex flavors. So, for a genuinely bountiful harvest, start regularly feeding your plants this super marine fertilizer that nourishes both body and spirit!

8. Fish Emulsion

As organic gardeners seek to nurture the soil and reuse resources sustainably, fish emulsion is an excellent choice for feeding tomato plants. Derived from ground fish remnants, this amber-hued liquid concentrate contains valuable nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium that tomatoes need the most during flowering and fruit production. Rather than seeing fish waste as garbage, fish emulsion recycling transforms it into a natural miracle-grow!

The process of making fish emulsion extracts and concentrates these nutrients in a liquid form, easily absorbed by plant roots and leaves. Home gardeners can make their version by collecting fish scraps, submerging them in a barrel of water, and allowing them to ferment and decompose for four to six weeks. Stirring periodically exposes more surface area for microbial breakdown. Once fully rendered, the fish-infused water is strained and diluted as needed before application.

The ideal strength is one to two tablespoons of emulsion per gallon of water. This diluted “tea” can then be poured around the base of tomato plants, keeping leaves dry. Or, for an even more potent treatment, the nutrient-rich solution can be sprayed directly onto plant foliage on a sunny morning.

This external application allows for rapid nutrient absorption through leaves. Providing tomatoes with this organic fish manure every two to four weeks, especially during flowering and fruit sets, energizes robust vegetative growth and prolific cropping all season long.

In addition to nourishing the crop, fish emulsion conditions the soil microbiome as its proteins break down. This fosters beneficial microbes that unlock locked nutrients already present in the soil. With a simple home recipe, gardeners can tap into a natural bounty from the seas and feed their tomatoes to produce flavorful harvests sustainably.

9. Wood Ash

When used judiciously, wood ash from your home fireplace or wood stove packs a mineral-rich punch for tomato gardens. Leftover ashes harvested from completely burnt wood contain potassium, calcium, and phosphorus in a water-soluble form perfect for plant uptake. These elements are key in photosynthesis, flowering, disease resistance, and fruit quality and shelf life.

The ideal application method is to work ashes directly into planting beds months before transplanting tomatoes. This allows time for the slow release of nutrients as rainwater leaches them into the root zone over the spring. Apply at a rate of one to two cups of ash per square foot, no more than once annually, mixing thoroughly to avoid hot spots. Proper incorporation distributes benefits while mitigating any temporary pH fluctuations.

Over time, wood ash additions also improve soil structure, texture, and drainage. The calcium it provides helps open up tight clay soils for improved aeration and water movement. Loose, well-aggregated soils make deep, expansive root systems better sustain vigorous tomato plants loaded with juicy produce all season.

So, don’t throw out those ashes when the fireplace is crackling next winter! Save them to enrich your garden beds before spring planting. Harness this slow-release fertilizer to grow the most flavorful, problem-free tomatoes that highlight all your culinary creations throughout the summer harvest. With some forethought, even seemingly essential household byproducts gain valuable nutrient-cycling functions!

10. Comfrey Leaves

With its rapid biomass production and dynamic nutrient-pumping capabilities, comfrey makes an invaluable plant ally for any vegetable garden. Often labeled “green manure,” these dynamic leaves simultaneously suppress weeds and mellow soil as they break down. But comfrey’s most significant asset lies in its astonishing concentration of nitrogen, potassium, and phosphorus – critical nutrients needed in ample supply in tomatoes.

A thoughtful organic farmer may dedicate growing areas exclusively for perennial comfrey herb patches. The thick foliage produced monthly can be cut back as mulch around vegetable beds or composted to boost homemade mixtures. As a mulch, comfrey’s high potassium supports vigorous tomato plants, while nitrogen encourages bushy foliage. Its decomposing tannins also naturally suppress diseases and deter common garden pests like aphids.

Alternatively, comfrey leaves can provide a powerful infusion of nutrients when steeped as a compost or “fertilizer tea.” Simply fill a bucket with leaves, cover it in water, and steep it for two to four weeks before diluting and watering the tomato plants. Through this direct method, tomatoes readily absorb concentrated nutrition levels that improve crop vigor, speed ripening, and boost flavor nuances.

Adopting comfrey as an on-site nutrient generator requires minimal effort but provides phenomenal gardening rewards season after season. For glorious tomato harvests with minimal chemical inputs, this dynamic leafy plant deserves an honored spot in any organic vegetable operation.

11. Cottonseed Meal

While cotton is primarily known as a cash crop, its byproducts hold immense value when recycled back into agricultural systems. When cottonseeds are pressed for their oil content, the resulting dried residue called cottonseed meal remains a concentrated source of plant nutrients. Rich in nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium, just a tiny amount mixed into beds boosts any garden, but tomatoes significantly benefit.

The ideal application method is to incorporate 1/2 cup of cottonseed meal per plant into planting holes or beds a few weeks before transplanting tomatoes in the spring. It allows time for the slow release of nutrients to establish and promotes extensive root development before active growth above ground. Some gardeners like to follow up with side dressings of additional 1/4 cup amounts every four to six weeks throughout the season as an organic “fertilizer.”

The nitrogen content stimulates vigorous foliage production, which is ideal for maximizing energy through photosynthesis. Meanwhile, phosphorous and potassium fuel fruit development and ripening processes, leading to plentiful harvests. Tall, thick-stemmed tomato plants easily support heavy fruit loads without staking from this all-natural cotton byproduct.

Overall, cottonseed meal is an affordable organic soil amendment that delivers high-quality, long-lasting nutrients season after season with little risk of leaching or runoff. It’s a sustainable way to return a cash crop’s leftovers to nutritive use!

12. Epsom Salt

While often used medicinally for its soothing properties, Epsom salt plays an important yet overlooked role in gardening – supplying crucial magnesium. As one of the central atoms of chlorophyll, magnesium is vital to maximizing photosynthesis and carbohydrate production within plants. Given its significant role in over 300 enzymatic processes, sufficient levels significantly impact tomato vitality, yields, and flavors.

Epsom salt breaks down gradually when applied to the soil, releasing bioavailable magnesium over several months. For container-grown tomatoes, the ideal administration is one to two teaspoons diluted in one gallon of water and watered every two to four weeks during active budding and fruiting stages. Alternatively, a similar strength solution can lightly mist plant leaves on an overcast day for rapid uptake through their surfaces.

Notable benefits include blemish-free tomatoes with richer ripeness. Magnesium regulates sugar and acid levels, contributing to superb taste. Strong, lush foliage results from optimized chlorophyll production, too. Furthermore, adequate magnesium improves fruit firmness and shelf life by supporting cell walls post-harvest.

Overall, pay attention to this simple mineral often missing from soils. Its affordable, hassle-free addition to a garden fertility routine naturally boosts crop quantity and quality through balanced plant nutrition. Lush, vibrant gardens and delicious harvests are well worth a pinch of Epsom salt know-how!

13. Bone Meal

As an organic farmer’s secret garden elixir, bone meal offers a triple threat of essential tomato nutrients – nitrogen, phosphorus, and calcium. Rendered down from leftover animal bones, its concentrated mineral levels pack serious potency while breaking down slowly for steady feeding. Phosphorus mainly drives tomato flowering, fruiting, and ripening processes when optimum levels are optimum.

The go-to method is to blend bone meal into planting beds or holes at transplanting time. At a rate of 1/4 cup per plant, its benefits establish roots for a strong foundation before energy shifts above ground. Some supplemented through side dressings of 1/8 cup amounts every three to four weeks. Another trick is to toss a teaspoon around each transplant cluster for an extra localized boost as fruits develop.

Nitrogen greens up leaves while calcium strengthens cell walls and imparts texture. Combined, they result in picturesque plants draped in clusters of blemish-free tomatoes. The phosphorus triggers prolific and prolonged cropping through multiple flushes. Staying power, flavor, and productivity define bone meal-fueled gardens.

14. Blood Meal

Derived from dried blood, this scarlet-hued fertilizer contains a highly concentrated nitrogen essential for plant protein creation and cellular division. When accessed effectively through a balanced introduction into beds, blood meal pushes tomatoes into productive overdrive without stress or loss of quality.

A preferred technique involves incorporating 1/4 cup per plant circle into the soil a couple of weeks before transplanting seedlings in spring. It frontloads the root zone with slow-releasing nourishment laid down as tomatoes establish. Complementary applications of one to two tablespoons of surrounding transplants every four to six weeks sustain vegetation and fruiting throughout summer.

Nitrogen stimulates succulent leaves and stems capable of harvesting maximum solar energy. Additionally, it supports cell multiplication, which is fundamental for generative processes and bumper harvests.

15. Compost

As the foundation of any healthy organic system, compost provides the ultimate balanced meal for microbes, soil structure, and hungry plants. Derived from carefully sorted and aged plant and animal materials, compost encapsulates life’s fundamental building blocks in a robust yet subtle form primed for assimilation. With diligent layering of greens, browns, and moisture, an active compost pile transforms jumbles of remnants into rich, living potting gold.

Gardeners routinely apply compost to beds weeks before transplanting tomatoes. At a ratio of 1:4 compost to soil, its benefits integrate thoroughly while avoiding compaction issues. Further top dressings mid-season nourish ongoing leafy and fruit development. Finished compost feeds an expansive soil food web, breaking nutrients down accessibly for plant uptake.

Aside from its trifecta of primary macronutrients, compost adds humus conditioning clay or sand into ideal crumbly textures. It balances pH, retains moisture, and protects seedlings from pathogen assault. Its diverse micronutrients catalyze metabolic processes for vibrant growth and complex flavors characteristic of organically-grown tomatoes.

Conclusion

Organic tomato growers have numerous effective homemade fertilizer options for a bountiful harvest. Here is a summary of everything we’ve discussed:

• Kelp meal improves plant vigor and mineral content for enhanced flavors.
• Fish emulsion energizes growth and soil biology for prolific yields.
• Compost strengthens soil structure while delivering balanced nutrition.

With careful planning and diligent preparation using many of the highlighted plant-based and organic materials, gardens can be transformed into thriving ecosystems, empowering tomatoes to reach their highest potential. Though requiring attentive nurturing, the rewards of operating within nature’s balanced cycles far outweigh any alternatives.