When you shop for fertilizer you will see three numbers on the box or bag. The first number is nitrogen, the second is phosphorous, and the third is potassium.
The numbers tell you the percentage of that nutrient in the bag
.
What is the best ratio for lawn fertilizer?
The ideal lawn fertilizer ratio for most lawns is
3:1:3 or 4:1:2
, but every lawn is unique and evaluating your soil with an accurate soil test kit is the best way to understand exactly what your lawn needs and unlock the full potential of your yard (more on that later).
When buying fertilizer What do the 3 numbers mean?
Understanding the Fertilizer Label
These three numbers represent
the primary nutrients (nitrogen(N) – phosphorus(P) – potassium(K))
. This label, known as the fertilizer grade, is a national standard. A bag of 10-10-10 fertilizer contains 10 percent nitrogen, 10 percent phosphate and 10 percent potash.
What does nitrogen phosphorus and potassium do for plants?
Nitrogen is
used by plants for lots of leaf growth and good green color
. Phosphorous is used by plants to help form new roots, make seeds, fruit and flowers. … Potassium helps plants make strong stems and keep growing fast. It’s also used to help fight disease.
What does 10/5 10 mean on a fertilizer bag?
These nutrients are the three numbers on a fertilizer bag listed in order (N-P-K). So, a fertilizer that contains 5-10-10 means it has
5 percent nitrogen, 10 percent phosphorus (phosphate), and 10 percent potassium (potash)
. A “complete” fertilizer contains all three.
What is a good starter fertilizer?
Any
high-quality, complete fertilizer that contains at least nitrogen and phosphorus
will work as a starter fertilizer. Generally, it should contain a high phosphate (P
2
O
5
) ratio (e. g., 1-2-1, 1-3-1, 1-4-2, or 1-5-0) and the phosphate in starter fertilizers should be highly water soluble.
How do I know what fertilizer to use?
What you choose will depend on your soil and what you are growing. The three numbers that you see on a fertilizer label, such as 5-5-5, tell you what proportion of each macronutrient the fertilizer contains. The first number is always nitrogen (N), the second is phosphorus (P) and the third is potassium (K).
What number on fertilizer makes grass green?
Understanding Fertilizer
The 3 numbers represent the ratio of the three nutrients that make up most fertilizers. This is called the N-P-K ratio. A
20-20-10
is made up of 20% Nitrogen, 20% Phosphorus and 10% Potassium. N for Nitrogen, makes grass grow and become greener.
What is the best lawn fertilizer for early spring?
- Miracle-Gro Lawn Food. …
- Espoma EOLB30 Organic Lawn Food. …
- Safer Lawn Restore Fertilizer. …
- Scotts Turf Building Lawn Fertilizer. …
- LawnStar 16-4-8 NPK With Seaweed Spring Fertilizer. …
- BioAdvanced Weed & Feed Crabgrass Killer Lawn Fertilizer.
How often should you put Epsom salt on your lawn?
How Often Can I Use Epsom Salts for Grass? You should use Epsom salt when you first plant the seed in your lawn, using
one cup of Epsom salts per each 100 square feet of lawn
. This is recommended to replenish the sulfur that is lost in the germination process.
What fertilizer is high in nitrogen and phosphorus?
Complete fertilizers sold as “all-purpose” fertilizers for gardens, such as
24-8-16 or 12-4-8
often contain higher amounts of nitrogen (the first number) than phosphorus or potassium.
What is a good nitrogen fertilizer?
- Blood Meal 12-0-0.
- Feather Meal 12-0-0.
- Worm Castings 1-0-0.
- Poultry Manure 3-2-0.
- Rabbit Manure 7-2-0.
- Tea Leaves 4-1-1.
- Silkworm Cocoons 9-1-0.
- Bat Guano 7-3-1.
What does N-P-K mean in fertilizer?
What the Numbers Mean. All fertilizer products must provide some uniform information to help consumers compare products easily. … These three numbers form what is called the fertilizer’s N-P-K ratio — the proportion of three plant nutrients in order:
nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K)
.
What is the ratio of a 10 10 20 fertilizer?
To illustrate the point, if you purchase a 10-pound bag of fertilizer labeled as 10-20-20, it means the fertilizer contains
10% nitrogen, 20% phosphorus, and 20% potassium
. The remaining 50% of the package’s weight is composed of the other micronutrients and/or fillers.
What are triple 10 fertilizers good?
A common use of 10-10-10 fertilizer is as a
all-purpose fertility boost for perennial plants
. If your plants are well established and you want to make sure that they have what they need to put out new growth in the spring, a balanced fertilizer such as a 10-10-10 is a common choice.
