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How Much to Apply
Home » Lawn & Garden » Fertilizers » How Much to ApplyIdeally, you should have your soil tested before fall or spring to determine the balance of nutrients needed for your lawn. A testing of the soil takes the guesswork out of fertilizing.
Before you begin fertilizing you need to determine the amount of fertilizer needed. To do this you must determine the square footage of your lawn. Typically, fertilizers are sold by the amount needed to cover a certain square footage.
The suggested rate per application is about one pound of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn. A bag of fertilizer will tell you the amount of nitrogen it contains. For example, a 4-1-2 fertilizer contains 4 percent nitrogen. If you use a fertilizer with a high percentage of nitrogen, then less actual fertilizer is needed to supply that one pound compared to fertilizers with low percent nitrogen. Recommended ratios of N-P-K for lawn fertilizers include 3:1:2 or 4:1:2.
Most bags of fertilizer give a spreader setting guide, which is usually calibrated to supply the one-pound per 1,000 square feet rate. This should help you in knowing the right amount to apply. The product label may tell you how much lawn area the product will cover.
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- How Much to Apply
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