The best fertilizers for tomato farming in Nigeria are NPK fertilizers, high potassium fertilizers and high calcium fertilizers etc. Tomato needs Nitrogen, Potassium, Phosphorus, Calcium, Magnesium and the micronutrients.
The soil in Nigeria is generally poor, hence the need for the use of fertilizers for the growing of crops. Fertilizers are known for enhancing the yield of tomato crop.
NPK fertilizer and other fertilizers like calcium nitrate, calcium magnesium nitrate fertilizer, potassium nitrate, Muriate of Potash (MOP) and potassium sulfate are the commonest type of fertilizers used for tomato farming in Nigeria.
The Best Fertilizers for Tomato Farming in Nigeria
The following are the best fertilizers for tomato farming in Nigeria:
NPK Fertilizers
The NPK fertilizer has nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium as their main nutrients components. Tomato does well when grown with the use of NPK fertilizers.
NPK 15:15:15 has 15% nitrogen, 15% phosphorus and 15% potassium. This type of balanced fertilizer is usually applied as a basal in tomato farming. The NPK 15:15:15 has equal quantity of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.
NPK 20:10:10 has 20% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 10% potassium. This type of NPK fertilizer is usually used during the vegetative stage of the tomato crop.
NPK 12:12:17 fertilizer has 12% nitrogen, 12% phosphorus and 17% potassium. This type of NPK fertilizer is usually used during the flowering and fruiting stage of the tomato crop.
Potassium Nitrate
Potassium nitrate (KNO₃) is a soluble fertilizer that supplies potassium and nitrogen in nitrate form to plants. Potassium nitrate is one of the most effective potassium fertilizers for tomato farming.
This fertilizer works in a way that it supplies nitrogen and potassium to crops in a synergistic manner.
Potassium nitrate has 13% content of nitrogen and 44- 46% content of potassium.
Muriate of Potash (MOP)
Muriate of potash also called potassium chloride is a type of fertilizer with a high content of potassium and chloride.
Muriate of potash has a 50% content of potassium. It is one of the high potassium fertilizers that can be used for tomato farming. Caution should be exercised when using MOP because of its high content of chloride.
Urea Fertilizer
Urea fertilizer can be used for tomato crop during the vegetative stage. To have a good yield in tomato farming in Nigeria, urea fertilizer may be used.
Urea fertilizer contains mainly nitrogen. The nitrogen component of most urea fertilizers is 46%. Urea fertilizer is used to increase the leaf mass and size of tomato plants. This can have positive effects of photosynthesis.
Urea fertilizer can be applied by hand and it can also be applied through the drip irrigation system.
Diammonium Phosphate Fertilizer (DAP)
Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) is a type of fertilizer used for basal application in tomato farming. Diammonium phosphate fertilizer contains ammonium nitrogen and phosphorus.
The total nitrogen component of diammonium phosphate fertilizer is 18%. DAP fertilizer has 15.5% ammonical nitrogen, 2.5% total nitrogen as urea and 46% phosphorus.
Diammonium phosphate fertilizer can be applied by hand and can also be applied through the drip irrigation system.
Single Super Phosphate Fertilizer
The single super phosphate fertilizer is one of the phosphatic fertilizers that can be used for tomato farming. It has a high phosphorus content and usually used in tomato farming at the initial stage of the development of the roots of the tomato plant.
The phosphorus content in single super phosphate fertilizer is usually 7 – 9%. It has a calcium content of 18 – 21% and a sulfur content of 11 – 12%.
Humate
Humates like humic acid, fluvic acid and potassium humate are one of the best fertilizers for tomato farming in Nigeria.
Humates can improve your soil.
Other fertilizers that can be used for tomato farming are:
- Lime
- Calcium Nitrate
- Mono-Ammonium Phosphate
- Mono Potassium Phosphate
- CAN fertilizer
Should you need more information about the best fertilizer for tomato farming in Nigeria, please contact us through sales@veggieconcept.ng.