where can i find the meaning of each lawn fertilizer code?

Question

example: winter 10-10-10 fall 15-3-3 or 10-3-3 spring 25-2-3. what do they mean so that i can use the right ones to solve my lawn care problems.

Answer 1

Get one that lists the three in a ratio of 3:1:2. They're always listed in order, and that's the ratio required by the military cemeteries who are very selective about the fertilizer for their grass. It has the proper mix for good growth, green, soil conditioning, and healthy roots. Make sure it includes some sulfur and iron as well. So a ratio like 24:8:16 would work, or 12:4:8. Just take the center number and multiply it by 3 and 2 for the 1st and 3rd numbers (easiest way). They don't have to be exact, just get the fertilizer which is closest. You may have to shop around, I did. The closer, the better. The higher the numbers, the stronger concentration. Just follow the directions for spreading it. Good luck. I did this professionally for 5 years, and the ratio match works best for getting nice healthy lawns.

Answer 2

Nitrogen...turns things green
Potassium..makes for strong roots
Potash..healthy plant
If you are fertilizing a lawn it is best to go with equal numbers as in a 17-17-17 For vegetables and flowers you don't want as much nitrogen so go with a 5-10-10. For root crops such as carrots go with a 5-20-5. For lawns look for a slow release one. That means it works for a few months and you don't have to keep applying.

Answer 3

The numbers represent the ratio of Nitrogen-Potassium-Phosphorus (NPK for short) in the mixture.
It depends on where you are located, but usually 3-1-2 or 4-1-2 or close to that ratio is best for grass. A bag of fertilizer with 12-4-8 on it is an example of a 3-1-2 fertilizer - a 24-6-6 is close, so it would be ok, too.

I love watching Paul James the Garden Guy on HGTV, here is what he says about what each element in the fertizer is used for:

"All landscape plants require three major nutrients: nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium. Nitrogen is essential for leaf growth and green leaves. Phosphorus is good for flower and fruit development, and potassium helps to maintain strong roots."

Here is a link to some info from him on growing beautiful grass

http://www.hgtv.com/hgtv/gl_lawns_maintenance/article/0,,HGTV_3600_2036585,00.html


Here are a couple of other links to state horticulture dept fact sheets on growing grass, you might find them helpful, too

http://ohioline.osu.edu/hyg-fact/4000/4006.html

http://www.ext.vt.edu/pubs/turf/430-011/430-011.html

Hope this helps :-)

Answer 4

Besides the above answers, the #'s are the percent of the bag of that ingredient. So if the first # is 20, then 20% of the bag is Nitrogen. In a 20 # bag, there would be 4lbs. of nitrogen, the recommended amount for 4000 square feet of lawn.

Some areas, including ours , it is illegal to apply fertilizers with any Phosphorus.

Answer 5

The first number is the percentage of nitrogen, the second is potassium and the third is potash. The remainder are inert ingredients.

Answer 6

Try HGTV.COM