Fertilizer labels always have three largely printed numbers, such as 10-10-10 fertilizer. This is called the fertilizer grade and it is a standard among all brands of fertilizers. These numbers represent the amount of nitrogen (N), phosphate (P2O5), and potash (K2O). Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium are the prime nutrients of fertilizers. The numbers on the bag represent the percentage of each of these nutrients that the bag of fertilizer contains. For example, one common mix of nutrients is labeled as 10-10-10. This would mean that the bag contained 10 percent nitrogen, 10 percent phosphorus, and 10 percent potassium. This is considered to be a complete bag since it contains a mix of all three nutrients. An example of an incomplete fertilizer would be 0-0-60. It is missing two of the nutrients, nitrogen and phosphorus.
A bag of 10-10-10 fertilizer contains an equal ratio of nutrients. The ratio is 1-1-1. So a bag of 20-20-20 fertilizer would have the same ratio as 10-10-10 fertilizer. Those bags of fertilizer with larger numbers on the label would be applied at a lower rate to yield the same results. In other words, 10 pounds of a 20-20-20 fertilizer would generate the equal amount of nutrients as 20 pounds of a 10-10-10 fertilizer. So if a particular plant grows best with a particular ratio, it easy to convert the ratio into the appropriate mix of fertilizer. Here are a couple of examples. Lawns grow best with a 3-1-2 ratio, so a fertilizer with 30-10-20 on the label would be an appropriate ratio. Certain types of vegetables prefer a 1-2-1 ratio, which would convert to10-20-10 fertilizer.
So how would you know when to use higher levels of any of three main nutrients? Each nutrient is useful for a different aspect of plant care and maintenance. Larger amounts of nitrogen in fertilizer should be used during periods of growth. Phosphorus is essential for root growth and blooming in plants. It creates rapid root growth in young plants. Potassium is useful for winter hardiness in plants. It also helps plants ward off diseases. Each nutrient has it place in the mix, and the best way to understand what is in a bag of fertilizer is to understand what each of the nutrients is doing. Having the correct mix of nutrients for your plant will create a beautiful result.
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