Hello, I am in the process of preparing my yard for fertilizing in a week. I noticed Scotts Step 1 fertilzer is the most expensive but is it necessary better than Jonathan Green fertilizer? I noticed Vigorio from Home Depot is cheaper than Scotts also. I have an acre of ground so I need to pick the best but need to watch the prices too. Thank you for any help you can give me. Murph
The best "fertilizer" is the one your soil and plants need and to determine that you need to have a good, relibale soil test done. Spreading any major brand "fertilizer" can mean applying too much Nitrogen which then flows away and causes pollution, and wastes your money. Then many states now ban Phosphorus without a soil test that shows you need that nutrient because excess P contributes to the growth of toxic algae in ponds and lakes.
The sign of a good gardener is not a green thumb, it is brown knees.
Posts: 7929 | Location: Twin Lake, MI USA | Registered: Aug 19, 2004
When I do buy turf fertilizer, (after you figure out what you need) I just read the numbers on the bags to compare. We have not bought highly advertized Scott products in decades, but choose to buy other brands with the same numbers/percentages. (Especially with starter fertilizer or winterizer to start new grass seed.) Works just as well at half the cost.
With mulching adding to the turf nutrients each mowing, we now only apply one additional application in the fall or when starting seed.
Murph....you are preparing a ground...you haven't stipulated for what you are fertilizing for.
If its for a vegetable garden, then buy a fertilizer for that specific growing. If for sod, then prepare the soil and forget the fertilizer--instead instill into the soil 4 to 6 inches of compost or other soil amendment such as cattle or sheep manure, or well composted horse manure.
The area, I agree, is rather large...an acre occupies 43560 square feet....1" deep of compost would require 130 cubic yards of soil..and if 4" depth was wanted...well, you can see the cost would be prohibitive.
Of course this would be offset by the not having to buy fertilizer...but its still a lot of money. Perhaps you can improve a section at a time...spreading the cost over many months---perhaps years. Sometimes you can offset cost by looking for soil from recent construction of homes where the topsoil hasn't been entirely removed from site.
