How To Decipher The Numbers On A Bag Of Lawn Fertilizer?

Answer 1

Deciphering the numbers on a bag of lawn fertilizer often may seem to be a daunting task. As you walk down the lawn care aisle of your local home improvement store, you’ll notice that each type of fertilizer is labeled with a unique 3 number code. Examples of labels that you will find on bags of lawn fertilizer include 18-6-12, 10-10-10 and 18-46-40. By law, these 3 numbers are required to be posted on every bag of fertilizer sold in the United States. With so many options on the market you may feel like you need a degree in botany to determine which fertilizer is right for your lawn, but it’s actually pretty simple once you know what these three numbers mean.

1. Know What Each Number Represents. The first number always represents nitrogen (N). The second number always represents phosphorus (P). The third number always represents potash (K).

2. Understand The Value Of Each Number. The value of each of the three numbers indicates the potency of these elements within that bag of fertilizer. These numbers will always represent the elements existence within the bag as a pecentage according to weight. For example: A 20 lb. bag of lawn fertilizer labeled 10-10-10 would indicate that the bag contains 10% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus and 10% potash (or 2 lbs. of each element).

3. Understand The Importance Of filler Ingredients. In the above example, you may have noticed that the three main nutrients in the 20 lb. bag of fertilizer only add up to 6 lbs. Every bag of fertilizer has a percentage of filler ingredients, which are more properly referred to as micro-nutrients. These micro-nutrients include sulfur, iron, manganese and zinc. Most micro nutrients exist even in lawns that have been long neglected of proper fertilization, but adding more can only help. These fillers are also necessary to ensure proper distribution of the product throughout your lawn.

Armed with the knowledge of what the numbers on the bag represent, you are now ready to determine which fertilizer is right for your lawn. Be sure to follow the manufacturers instructions, and avoid over-fertilization, which can actually be harmful to your lawn.

Answer 2

The numbers on a bag of lawn fertilizer represent the ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the product, usually displayed as N-P-K. For example, a 10-10-10 fertilizer contains 10% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus, and 10% potassium. Higher numbers indicate a higher concentration of that nutrient.