Check Before you Choose a Fertilizer!

Check Before you Choose a Fertilizer! Tips to safely apply your fertilizer

Problems • Improperly applied fertilizer can: • Harm plants • Waste money & time • Pollute water

Check the following before applying a fertilizer • Soil nutrients • Plant type • Area to be fertilized • Fertilizer label

Check Soil Nutrients • MSUE soil test • Type of plant • Tests for • Soil texture • pH • Potassium • Phosphorus • Calcium • Magnesium • Cation Exchange Capacity

Plant type • Different plants have different nutrient requirements • Contact MSUE for recommendations

Area to be fertilized W • Recommendations based on 1,000 sq. ft • Two methods • Subtract non-fertilized areas • Add together areas to be fertilized • Basic geometry • L x W = Area Area to be fertilized L House

To find your area • Difficult areas • Divide and conquer • (Length/#of sections) x sum of Widths = Area • Length = 140 ft. • Width 1 = 70 ft., 2 = 75 ft., 3 = 55 ft. • Length = 140 = 35 feet • # sections 4 • 70’ + 75’ + 55’ = 200 ft. • 200 ft x 35 ft = 7000 sq.ft.

Fertilizer Label • Match nutrients to requirements • Nitrogen • Phosphorus • Potassium

Application • A different method • Measure the amount of fertilizer needed • Low rate of application • Apply over the area multiple times • Always clean up after yourself and sweep fertilizer off side walks and driveways back onto lawn!

For more information

Check Before you Choose a Fertilizer!