Question:
What type of fertilizer should I use on my lawn?Answer:
A slow-release fertilizer is the best option for many homeowners. A fertilizer label will include what type of fertilizer is in the bag. Slow-release fertilizers include sulfur-coated urea, methylene urea, IBDU, and natural organic fertilizers.
The fertilizer analysis most appropriate to use on lawns is a complete fertilizer (contains nitrogen, phosphate, and potash) having an approximate 2-1-1 or 3-1-2 ratio, and having at least 35 percent of the total nitrogen as water insoluble nitrogen (slow release).
Fertilizer analysis is listed on the bag as three numbers, such as 20-5-10. This analysis means that 20% of that bag is nitrogen, 5% is phosphate (P2O5), and 10% of that bag is potash (K2O).
Take the first number of the analysis (the percentage of nitrogen) and multiply it by 0.35 to give you the minimum percentage of nitrogen that should be water insoluble (slow release). For example, using the fertilizer listed above, 0.20×0.35=0.07. So the water insoluble nitrogen of the 20-5-10 fertilizer should be 7% or higher to provide the minimum amount of slow release fertilizer needed for a home lawn.
Fertilizers can be conventional or organic. Most organic fertilizers have a lower analysis, so more product is typically needed to provide the appropriate amount of fertilizer.