Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya [2022]

Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya.

The Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya contains macronutrients like nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium, along with essential micronutrients like magnesium, calcium, boron, and zinc.

However, during each phase of their growth, tomatoes require varying amounts of these nutrients. If you're new to gardening, fertilizing tomatoes properly can seem like a daunting task. Whether you're growing from seed or seedlings, soil nutrition is a topic you shouldn't ignore.

With guidance, you will reap an incredible harvest from your tomato plants year after year. But before we continue, let me make one thing clear: there is no one Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya that works best for all gardens at all times of the year. If there were, gardening would be pretty easy (and maybe also boring). Let's take a look at some fertilizer facts and options to help you choose the right one based on the growth stage of the plant.

Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya

Ideal pH for Tomato Growth - Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya

Tomatoes prefer a pH range of 6.0 to 6.5. They will continue to grow if the pH is off a bit. They may not be able to absorb nutrients as efficiently. Anything drastically above will completely block access to nutrients. Too low (too acidic) and your plants will be vulnerable to the photosynthesis inhibiting effects of harmful heavy metals in the soil.

A little lime will raise your pH if needed. And elemental sulfur will knock it down. However, the Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya will have pH balancing properties already built in.

Tomatoes need more nutrients throughout the growing season for high yields.

However, adequate nutrition is achieved through the application of basal and foliar fertilizers.

Basal fertilizers are applied around the root zone of the plant, while foliar fertilizers are taken up by the foliage of the plant. Foliar fertilizers are mixed with water and sprayed on plant foliage.

Basics of Fertilizing Tomato Plant - Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya

Depending on the stage of growth, tomato plants require different amounts of fertilizer. It is important that all nutrients are always present; however, the suggested nutrient ratio changes with each growth stage.

Typically, the roots of a tomato plant are no deeper than 6-7". Keep this in mind when mixing fertilizers into the soil.

Commercial fertilizers have a series of numbers, like 10-8-10, which basically stands for Nitrogen-Phosphorus-Potassium (or N-P-K elements). 10-8-10 means the fertilizer is 10% Nitrogen, 8% Phosphorus, 10% Potassium, the rest is filler.

Week 0-4 Seeding – Establishment - Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya

At this stage, the seedlings use the food stored in the cotyledon or the endosperm of the seed. The medium should have a high fertility level for quicker growth and robust seedlings.

Seed Dressing with Mycorrhizal Fungus Bio Fertilizer - Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya

Plants can access more nutrients and water from the soil thanks to mycorrhizal fungus. They also make plants more resilient to various environmental challenges. These fungi also significantly contribute to the process of soil aggregation and promote microbial activity. Mycorrhizae offer many advantages to plants and the environment depending on the plant species, cultivation methods, and environmental factors:

Table Showing Type of Nutrition Needed - Establishment-Week 0-4 Seedbed

Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes Establishment-Week 0-4 Seedbed
Nitrogen and Potassium	To promote strong early growth
Phosphorus	To maximize root development
Calcium	To boost root and leaf growth
Boron, Zinc, Manganese, Molybdenum	To ensure good shoot growth

Week 4-6 Transplanting - Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya

It is advisable to utilize Diammonium Phosphorus (DAP) as a first fertilizer application. Diammonium phosphate (DAP) fertilizer is a great source of P and nitrogen (N) for plant nutrition prior to transplanting your tomatoes. It quickly dissolves in the soil due to its high solubility, making phosphate and ammonium available to plants. The alkaline pH that forms surrounding the dissolving granule is a prominent feature of DAP. D.A.P. has a lot of phosphorus and nitrogen. While nitrogen promotes vegetative growth, phosphorus helps the development of roots.

Week 6-8 Vegetative Growth - Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya

Vegetative growth is the growth of leaves, stems, and roots. Generative growth is the development of flowers, fruits and seeds. The plant divides its energy between vegetative and generative growth.

The leaves of a plant are the sugar-producing organ of the plant. The greater the vegetative growth, the more leaf area created can be used for sugar production. These self-growing sugars nourish the plant, allowing growth, fruiting and the formation of tubers. Vegetative growth can be sub-divided into two processes:

• Cell Development: more cells are added, making the plant larger.

• Cell Stretching: the existing cells take up more water, which elongates them and makes the plant larger.

Top dress with Nitrogen Phosphorus and Potassium N.P.K. Nitrogen plays an essential role in the physiological functions of plants; Phosphorus maintains sustainable root development, while potassium facilitates the movement of water and nutrients within the plant.

For good vegetative growth, it is important that the plant can properly absorb nutrients from the soil. Primary elements (N, P and K), secondary elements (Ca, Mg and S) and trace elements (Mn, Zn, Fe, Cu, B and Mo) are important in vegetative growth. Vegetative growth is the result of many physiological processes in plants such as photosynthesis, cell division, cell elongation, sugar transport, etc. If any of these processes are inhibited, vegetative growth will slow down.

Recommended Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya.

Covering plants with CAN and other basal fertilizers high in nitrogen and phosphorus, such as N.P.K 23.23.0, can be applied at this stage to ensure crops receive sufficient nutrients.

Table Showing Type of Nutrition Needed - Vegetative Growth

Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Vegetative Growth
Nitrogen and Phosphorus	To ensure continued growth
Calcium and Sulfur	To maintain vigorous plant growth
Potassium and Magnesium	To maximize concentrations in leaf tissue prior to flowering
Boron, Zinc, Manganese, Molybdenum	To ensure growth is not limiting

Week 8-10 Flowering and Fruiting - Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya

To improve flowering and fruiting, start by applying a topcoat with N.P.K and Calcium Ammonia C.A.N in a 1:1 ratio. Calcium will help prevent blossom end rot and improve root development. Then supplement with C.A.N after two weeks of application of C.A.N and N.P.K at the rate of 50 g per 20 litres of water.

If flower abortion occurs, foliar fertilizers containing boron, such as Foliar can be applied. Recommended Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya

Plants will need more potassium than other nutrients.

1. Spray plants with calcium-rich fertilizers before fruiting to prevent flower tips from rotting. For better fruit quality and size.

2. Do not forget to apply basal fertilizers rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, such as N.P.K 17.17.17.

3. Apply small amounts of potassium-rich fertilizers as they help maintain ionic balance and water status in the plant.

4. To prevent blossom end rot, spray FERRARI GOLD 60 ml/20 l, which provides sufficient calcium to the crop, before fruit formation.

Basal fertilizer, e.g. The plant takes up DAP mainly through the roots, while foliar fertilizers, e.g. OPTIMIZER, are absorbed by the foliage of the plant.

Table Showing Type of Nutrition Needed - Flowering - Fruit Set

Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Flowering and Fruit Set
Nitrogen and Potassium	To maintain plant growth and maximize flower numbers
Phosphorus	For fruit development
Calcium	To maximize crop reproductive development
Magnesium	To improve flowering and crop production (maximum requirements are at this stage)
Boron and Zinc	maximize flower set, development and fruiting

Week 12 Harvesting - Best Fertilizer for Tomato in Kenya.

At the beginning of harvest, for outdoor (determinate) tomatoes, it is not necessary to apply Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya, as this will only increase costs. For greenhouse tomatoes (indeterminate), continue to apply C.A.N calcium or ammonia fertilizers every two weeks until the end of the harvest.

In the spirit of cost reduction, the application of foliar fertilizers perceived as improving flowering only increases costs and does nothing to help. According to plant physiology, the absorption of macro and micronutrients occurs mainly in the roots. The leaf stomata cannot allow absorption like the roots.

Table Showing Type of Nutrition Needed - Fruit Ripening - Maturity

Best Fertilizer for Fruit Ripening and Maturity
Nitrogen	To maintain fruit fill
Phosphorus	To boost tomato nutritional quality
Potassium	To maximize high potassium levels in the fruit and minimize disorders
Calcium	To maintain good fruit firmness and quality and reduce BER risks
Magnesium	To maximum requirements are ate this stage for quality fruit production
Boron and Zinc	To ensure even ripening

Soils should always be moist before applying fertilizers. Care should be taken to prevent the plant from burning. Do not touch the stems or leaves with the same hands that apply the fertilizer.

Fertilizer Application Schedule - Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya

Tomato plants grow best when grown in the nursery and transplanted later.

Apply Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya to the transplanted plant before it begins to grow vigorously.

According to Xaxa Farms, spraying plants with Optimizer 10ml or 20ml about a day or two before transplanting helps plants overcome transplant shock. The same amount should also be applied to the nursery soil as it breaks seed dormancy and provides additional nutrients to young plants.

After transplanting, be sure to spray young seedlings with fertilizers rich in phosphorus and potassium, which promote root formation and early ripening of the crop. The nutrients present in the soil should be considered before applying any fertilizer.

Over-Fertilizing Tomato Plants - Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya

Lack of nutrients leads to stunted growth, increased risk of disease and inhibited fruit. But over-fertilization can be even worse than a lack of nutrients in the soil.

Your tomato plant may struggle to grow and produce tomatoes if the soil isn't fertile, but if you give it too much fertilizer, it may die in place. Don't let this phrase scare you. It's not easy to over-fertilize, and fixing it is always an option.

Signs of Tomato Over Fertilization - Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya

• Yellowing leaves Excess; Nitrogen in the soil can be one of the causes of yellowing tomato leaves. Under conditions of excess nitrogen, tomato plants do not take up enough water, causing some of the older leaves to turn yellow prematurely.

• Bushy Leaves And Delayed Flowers; Too much nitrogen will also result in too many leaves and delayed flowering. Only experienced gardeners who know when to expect flowers will be able to spot this problem.

• A Skin of Stuff on The Surface: You can see a large accumulation of sediment and fungus growing on the top surface of the soil.

• Yellowing and Wilting Of Lower Leaves; There are so many issues that cause leaves to turn yellow; you have to be an expert to see the difference. My guides to tomato yellow leaf curl virus and the causes of tomato plant wilt may be helpful.

• Sudden Loss of Leaves.

How to Fix Over Fertilization - Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya

• The decomposition process uses nitrogen, so one-way to deal with excess nitrogen in the soil is to spread mulch, or for even faster results, sawdust, over the soil. Mixing sawdust and not just putting it on top would be a better way to use it.

• If you notice a buildup of fertilizer through white salts on top of the soil, scrape up that top layer and discard it.

• If in a container, wet the soil well with water and let it drain. If planted in the ground, simply submerge the plants completely. Repeat the soak several times, this is it's known as "flushing" or "leeching” the soil.

Other Points to Consider:

1. Sandy soils need fertilizer more often than sticky clay soils because sandy soils also don't retain nutrients.

2. Container gardens need more fertilizer because the plant uses soil nutrients faster.

3. Do not apply fertilizer to the leaves of the plant, only to the roots. If you dissolve the fertilizer in water, be sure to water the soil, not the leaves, regardless of the time of day.

Xaxa Farms Tips! - Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya

In conclusion, large amounts of nitrogen can lead to green tomato plants with very little fruit and foliar sprays should be applied weekly.

Nitrogen should not be provided in large amounts as this can lead to green tomato plants with very few fruits.

Potassium is needed throughout the growing season as it helps maintain the ionic balance and water status of the plant. However, it considerably limits the absorption of other elements.

Optimizer 10ml/20l should be sprayed at any stage of growth and development to help boost crop immunity, manage stress and improve overall crop performance.

Foliar spraying should be repeated weekly while continuing to monitor crop performance.

Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya must be applied at the right time and at the right rate, taking into account the stage of growth.

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Best Fertilizer for Tomatoes in Kenya [2022] | Xaxa Farms