From nitrogen percent to pounds
Product per 1,000 square feet is the nutrient rate divided by the fraction on the bag. One pound of nitrogen and a 30-0-4 bag is 1 ÷ 0.30 = 3.33 pounds of product. Multiply by the lawn in thousands. Area comes from square feet. Seed is a different rate, on grass seed.
FAQ
How much fertilizer for 5,000 square feet?
At 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet and a 30% nitrogen bag, that is 3.33 pounds of product per 1,000, or 16.7 pounds for the whole lawn. A 15 pound bag means 2 bags.
What does the middle number do?
The three numbers are nitrogen, phosphate, and potash, as a percent of the bag. This page divides by the nutrient you are targeting. If the schedule is written in phosphate, type that percent, not the nitrogen percent.
Sources
- University of Minnesota Extension, Fertilizing lawns: A common single application is about 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. The bag’s analysis replaces that default.