http://whyy.org/cms/youbetyourgarden/

http://www.gardensalive.com/product/soil-tests-sick-trees-and-fertilizers

Basil doesn't need much fertilizer, indeed doesn't really care for it and it can create problems for the plant.

Otherwise, ahhh if it was only that simple. How often and what you feed tomato plants all depends on many variables. It isn't some scheduled on the calendar thing. Rather it is as the plants need nutrients. And just as with water, sometimes less gets you more - in terms of production.

What was your prior-to-planting soil amendment process? What are the nutrient levels in your soil? Are these plants in ground or in containers? How dense is your soil and how well does it drain? What sort of fertilizer do you use? How often do your water? etc. etc.

Many people do a great soil prep and never have to feed again throughout the season. Others prefer to time their feedings to the cycles of the plant. At planting, after first fruit set, mid-season dormant period, fall growth flush. Others, especially if they use drip irrigation prefer to feed well diluted nutrients each time they water - called fertigation. And others are firm believers in foliar feeding. There are many other approaches discussed in detail over on the Growing Tomatoes forum.

Personally my gardens are well amended with lots of manured compost before planting and plants are side-dressed with more mid-season. Any other supplements my plants may need during the season they get from fertigation every 10-20 days or so because my soil is very alkaline and low in magnesium so I have to watch my micro-nutrient level closely.

Dave

depends on the kind of fertilizer.. water soluble, slow release granular, organic, and the amount applied. water soluble should be applied more frequently as it's leeches faster. for water soluble some people fertilize weekly at low dosage or higher strength and less frequently. organic fertilizers usually have to be broken down by soil micro organisms before they are available to the plants so they work a bit slower and since they are less concentrated, so they can be applied more frequently.

so it really boils down to the kind of fertilizer and the condition of your soil.. when in doubt, read the directions and apply at lower concentration (ie half strength) and at the recommended intervals.

Fertilizing tomatoes discussions

We use store bought 10-10-10 granular fertilizer. This is a brand new garden in straight Georgia sand. I know it probably sounds crazy to most of you, but we have grown some amazing tomatoes and watermelon in straight, unamended sand. The plants are in the ground. We also planted bell peppers at the same time. We water when it needs it. Rain is sporatic here. My husband doesn't believe is soil testing, so it's a guessing game. Our property used to be a pasture many years ago.