What do the numbers mean on a fertilizer spreader? All fertilizer labels have three bold numbers. The first number is the amount of nitrogen (N), the second number is the amount of phosphate (P2O5) and the third number is the amount of potash (K2O). Phosphorus is provided as 0-46-0 and potash as 0-0-60 or 0-0-50.
Scotts Turf Builder 5-lb Broadcast Hand Spreader.
For success with overseeding your lawn, follow this basic guide:
- Establish Your Goal.
- Time The Task.
- Prepare The Area.
- Correct Existing Problems.
- Select A Quality Grass Seed Product.
- Spread Your Seed.
- Fertilize Overseeded Areas.
- Keep Your Lawn Well-Watered.
If you have no other way to do it, you can certainly spread it by hand. Just make sure to use gloves and apply it very carefully. Walk backward, throwing fertilizer out as you go in a sweeping motion. Of course, you can use water-soluble or liquid fertilizers with a hose too.
Nitrogen (N) promotes rapid growth and lush green color. Phosphorous (P) helps develop healthy root systems. Starter lawn fertilizers have a high phosphorous count for this reason, while fertilizers for established lawns have a relatively low amount.
So to ensure good coverage apply half the fertilizer in one direction and the second half at ninety degrees to the first direction. Run the spreader around the outside of the lawn first so you can use that area to turn around on more easily. For accurate application of lawn fertilizer a spreader is best.
Spread grass seed and other lawn products uniformly, quickly and efficiently using a broadcaster grass seed spreader. Too much is wasteful and could kill your lawn; too little won't do the job. A good fertilizer spreader can apply just the right amount of product.
Use a small nail with a hammer or a 3 mm (1/8 inch) drill bit for starters. Make a second row of holes offset from the first row. Place the lid on the bottom of the can and fill just enough seed to test the spreader. Test the grass seed spreader over an open newspaper to see the flow of seeds.
Place your spreader setting on a low setting (usually one-fourth of the spreader setting range or less). Spread the material over a 50 x 20-foot area (1,000 square feet). If there is material left over, increase your setting. If you come up short, decrease your setting.
A spreader setting is the rate in which you apply product to your lawn. In general, the smaller you set your spreader setting the smaller the hole and the slower the material releases from the hopper.
Pelletized lime should be applied every other year (approximately 15 lbs./1,000 ft²) once you have your soil pH to its optimum level, which is between 6.0 and 6.5.
Lime.
| Spreader | Setting |
|---|
| Prize Lawn (Broadcast) | 5 |
| Prize Lawn (Drop) | 11.5 |
| Central Quality (Broadcast) 600B, 700, 100A | 7 |
| Central Quality (Drop) 175, 185, 205 | 12 |
Topsoil is easily spread in small areas using a shovel and over larger areas using a push spreader or wheelbarrow. For spreading compost or topsoil, you will have a hard time with a broadcast spreader. You might be able to get by with a peat roller if you have finely screened topsoil or compost.
Product description
The poly hopper holds up to 5000 square feet of lawn fertilizer. The comfortable U-shaped handle features an easy on/off control. Made of rugged high-impact plastic, this sturdy drop spreader applies fertilizer in a full 18-inch wide pattern.The Standard Broadcast Spreader from Scotts is ideal for fast application for mid-sized lawns. The spreader comes ready to use -- pre-assembled and pre-calibrated. The newly designed poly hopper holds up to 10,000 square feet of lawn fertilizer and spreads a swath up to 5-feet wide.
You should apply 10 pounds of the fertilizer per 1,000 square feet (five pounds from the table multiplied by the two pound recommendation). * When using a soluble inorganic nitrogen fertilizer a typical recommendation is to use only one pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet for a single application.
