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
• 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
W
LHouse
Area to be fertilized
To find your area
• Difficult areas– Divide and conquer– (Length/#of
sections) x sum of Widths = Area
1 2 3
706 sq. ft. 1200 sq. ft. 900 sq. ft.
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
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