Tomatoes are one of the most important greenhouse produced crops and the number of producers using greenhouse to grow them has risen in recent years. Sustainable development and effective resource management are becoming more and more important to the agricultural industries as well. Applying fertilizer precisely is becoming more and more important in different agricultural systems. Different physical and chemical characteristics of soilless growing substrate result in varying capacities for retaining nutrients. As a result, precise fertilizer rates are essential. This study investigated 14 fertilizer blends with varying proportions of nitrogen (0-400ppm), phosphorus (0-100ppm), and potassium (0-425). Six-cell seedling starter trays were filled with Berger BM6, and 'Big Beef' tomato seeds were planted. After four weeks, the seedlings were transplanted into five-gallon aeration fabric grow bags. Plants were hand-watered once a week with each treatment fertilizer rate to maintain a 10% leaching fraction. End measurements included the number of leaves, dry shoot weight, fresh root weight, dried root weight, and SPAD readings. The study revealed that a higher rate of nitrogen increased fresh shoot weight and lower rates of phosphorous increased number of non-harvestable fruits, increasing the need for further investigation to determine optimal fertilizer rates for various specialty crops grown in soilless greenhouse environments. Such endeavors are crucial for maximizing agricultural productivity while minimizing resource wastage and environmental impact.
