Lawns only need N, so look for a product where the first number is much higher than the other 2 numbers, such as 33-3-3 or 10-0-0. You may not find those exact numbers, but it's the ratio of the numbers that is important.

Since flower and vegetable gardens do use P, a more balanced ratio is appropriate for them. Look for numbers such as 10-10-10 or 5-4-3 which will provide a more even balance of both N and P. Potassium (K) is helpful but not critical, focus your attention more on the first two numbers.

Real Life Example

I recently saw a product that was labeled as an organic lawn fertilizer but its numbers were 3-4-1. This would not be a good choice for lawns because I would have had to put on way too much P in order to get enough of the N my lawn needs. This product would be a good choice for my flower or vegetable garden, however.

Don't P!

Readers may have heard of the new campaign this year, "Don't P' On Your Lawn!" being promoted on both sides of Lake Champlain by various agencies, including Cornell Cooperative Extension. The goal is to encourage homeowners to use P wisely. Since lawns don't need any P, we're urging you to look for lawn products with little or none. Look for middle numbers of 3 or less, and ask the stores you buy from to stock this kind of product for lawns.

I know I packed a lot of information in here. Please call our office to discuss any of this further with our horticulture staff.