These Are the Best Fertilizers to Nourish Your Plants

Best Overall : Jobe’s Organics All Purpose Fertilizer

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With such variety in the plant world, it isn't easy to choose one fertilizer that meets the needs of every type of plant for every kind of soil and every type of growing condition. However, the blend of nutrients in Jobe's Organics All-Purpose Fertilizer comes close. 

Your plants can have a productive growing season with a 4-4-4 mix of nitrogen for stem and leaf growth, phosphorus for seed or fruit growth, and potassium for drought resistance. The addition of organic matter enriches the soil to promote healthy microbes and improve water use. 

Safe to use around pets and children, the 6-pound bag of granular fertilizer will cover 1,200 cubic feet in the garden and should be reapplied every six to eight weeks during the growing season.

Best for Grass/Lawns: Scotts Turf Builder UltraFeed

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If you want a lush, green lawn, you need to feed it. Healthy grass will better survive the harsh heat of summer, help crowd out early emergent weeds, and overwinter in better shape. The high amount of nitrogen in Scotts Turf Builder UltraFeed inorganic fertilizer, 40-0-5, makes every grass variety from centipede to Bermuda to St. Augustine green up quickly to get a jump start on your neighbors.

A granular formula, the fertilizer is easy to distribute with a spreader. The 20.2-pound bag covers 4,000 square feet of lawn. Use it while the grass is in a growing season and water it in.  While Scotts is a leading name in lawn products, what sets this formula apart is that it feeds for up to six months and does not need reapplication in most parts of the U.S. during the growing season.

Best for Container Plants: Miracle-Gro Water-Soluble All Purpose Plant Food

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Regular feeding of a container plant can be tricky because you must apply the fertilizer in a way that reaches the root system. Miracle-Gro, made by Scott, solves that problem by offering a water-soluble fertilizer that goes directly into your watering can.

Cost-effective because you can mix just what you need and safe to use for flowers, foliage plants, and vegetables, the 24-8-16 mineral-based formula guarantees not to burn plant roots. Since the frequent watering required for containers leaches nutrients from the soil, most plants need feeding about every two weeks. The 5.5-pound container will mix gallons of fertilizer and last throughout the growing season.

Best for Trees and Shrubs: BioAdvanced Tree and Shrub Feed and Protect

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We tend to forget that mature, established trees and shrubs require nutrients to remain healthy. And, of course, newly planted specimens need food to grow. BioAdvanced Tree and Shrub not only feeds with a mix of inorganic nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash, it also protects against pests like aphids, leafminers, and borers that can kill trees and shrubs.

Sold as a concentrate with detailed instructions on proper mixing with water for different trees and shrubs and application methods, the one-gallon container will treat multiple trees. There is no need for a sprayer, just a large bucket or watering can for mixing. Safe to use around pets, the insecticides in the formula are not recommended for edible plants.

Best for Flowers: Jobe’s Organics Annuals and Perennials Granular Fertilizer

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The welcome burst of color from flowering annuals and perennials is often the magic in a garden. Every gardener wants the most extensive and longest show possible, and this fertilizer mixture from Jobe’s helps make that happen. This 3-5-4 NPK mix has the microorganisms necessary to promote healthy soil and is slow-released for up to three months.

The granules are safe for edibles and can be used for both tilled soil and container plants. The 4-pound package has excellent directions on how much fertilizer to use when planting seedlings or feeding established flowering plants to help you determine how much fertilizer you need.

Best for Vegetables: Hyponex All-Purpose 10-10-10 Garden Fertilizer

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The soil in a vegetable garden usually needs amendments to provide the plants with enough nutrients to produce full-sized and healthy vegetables during a growing season. This is especially true if you plant the same crops every year and don’t have the time or space to rotate their location. 

While it’s best to test the soil every year, a fast-release granular inorganic fertilizer like Hyponex with an NPK of 10-10-10 will give the seeds and seedlings a good boost toward maturity and vegetable production. Because it is fast-release, it will need to be reapplied every two weeks and watered in well. The usage rate is 2.5-pounds per 100-square-feet so the 40-pound bag may be all you need for the entire season.

Best for Tomatoes: Dr. Earth Home Grown Organic Tomato, Vegetable, & Herb Fertilizer

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Even if a gardener doesn’t have room for a full vegetable garden with corn and beans, they will find a spot for some tomato plants because there is nothing better than a homegrown tomato. Picked at the peak of ripeness and warmth from the sun, many a gardener has plucked one straight from the garden, resulting in juice dribbling down their chin.

Dr. Earth’s organic fertilizer can help you achieve the results you desire for tomatoes. The 4-6-3 NPK formula includes calcium for proper new growth development and fish-based organic matter. The 4-pound bag will cover up to 60-square-feet (that’s lots of tomatoes!) and is also excellent for berries, leafy greens, and root vegetables.

Best Organic: Espoma Organic Plant Tone

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Espoma Organic fertilizers contain the inorganic minerals nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in lower amounts (5-3-3) and organic materials derived from plants and animals. The organic matter helps improve water movement within the soil and feeds beneficial microbes. Since organic fertilizers are less potent, it reduces the risk of burning plants from over-fertilization.

Suitable for vegetables and flowers during the growing season, you can use Espoma on trees and shrubs in the spring and fall and indoor plants year-round. The 8-pound bag will cover 200-square-feet of garden soil, and the bag has excellent dosage instructions for other plantings.