Compost or fertilizer for growing tomatoes?

[MaggieH]

Hi, everyone

For growing tomato plants, is it best to use compost or fertilizer? I know that compost is for the soil and fertilizer is for the plant, but what I don't know is that during the growth of the tomato plant, do I need compost or fertilizer? Please reply below, thank you

[EricL]

Hello @MaggieH

Using compost feeds the entire soil food web, which in turn enhances the health of natural soil. It creates a more nutrient-rich soil that enables plants and vegetables to feed themselves. However, this takes time and does not happen immediately.  Fertilizer specifically targets a plant’s needs. It helps alleviate certain deficiencies in your plants. It can enrich plants that are lacking in micronutrients or macronutrients like calcium, potassium, magnesium, or phosphorus.

It's important to determine your soil health. This will give you a gauge of whether to add compost to improve the soil condition and wait for the soil to improve or add fertilizer to give your plant an added boost before its flowering season.

If you need more advice or information, please let us know.

Eric