like 5-8-7
2006-12-02 07:43:55 · 8 answers · asked by Anonymous in Home & Garden ➔ Garden & Landscape
The first number is Nitrogen. That is for green growth. That's why lawn food is always high in the first number.
The second number is Phosphorus. It's for flowers and fruit. That's why Miracle-Gro is high in the middle number(15-30-15).
The third number is Potassium. It's for strong roots and stems.
I hope this helps :-)
2006-12-02 07:54:42 · answer #1 · answered by prillville 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
The numbers on a bag of fertilizer (or container) tell you the percentages of available nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium found in the bag. So 12-8-10 fertilizer has 12-percent nitrogen, 8-percent phosphorous and 10-percent potassium. In a 100-pound bag, therefore, 12 pounds is nitrogen, 8 pounds is phosphorous and 10 pounds is potassium. The other 70 pounds is known as ballast and has no value to the plants. Nitrogen is required for the growing of green parts of the plant. Potassium is element required for root and non green stem development and phosphorous is for the blooming. Often fertilizer is formulated for specific need lawn fertilizer could be 24-5-5 while fertilizer for flower bed is more likely 10-10-30.
2006-12-03 05:37:00 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
First # = N for Nitrogen
Second # = P for Phosphorus
Third # = K for Potassium
If all three numbers are the same that means there are equal parts of all three elements. The numbers tell you the content of these three elements that are in the fertilizer.
In the number you gave 5-8-7, 8 is the largest number so the mixture has more Phosphorus in it than the other two. It has the least amount of Nitrogen.
To remember it: N P K
2006-12-02 08:14:49 · answer #3 · answered by Goldenrain 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Most of the other answers are right on, but he numbers are actually the percentage of nitrogen phosphorus and potassium in the bag of fertilizer. In your example our example in a 100 hundred pound bag. Ouch! You would have 5# N, 8# P and 7# K. It would take a lot more space than we have here to go into types, availability and composition, but I think that answered your question.
2006-12-02 09:35:21 · answer #4 · answered by Rick C 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
First number tells you the amount of Nitrogen Content, the second number is Phosphorus and the last number is Potassium. It will help you determine what type of fetilizer to buy. For example, if the soil is deficient in phosphorus, then that number must be high.
2006-12-02 07:47:46 · answer #5 · answered by onekewlscouter 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They have number's on the bag according to what you need at what time of the year. There are 4 stages to applying and number 1 is the first treatment follwed by the others.
2006-12-02 07:53:15 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
nitrogen phosphorous and potassium
2006-12-02 13:56:20 · answer #7 · answered by mowman 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
im guessing the amount of items that were in it
2006-12-02 08:06:50 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋