What do the numbers on a fertilizer label mean?
All fertilizer labels have three bold numbers. The first number is the amount of nitrogen (N), the second number is the amount of phosphate (P2O5) and the third number is the amount of potash (K2O). These three numbers represent the primary nutrients (nitrogen(N) – phosphorus(P) – potassium(K)).
What do the 3 numbers mean on fertilizer?
The three numbers you see on the label of every bagged or bottled fertilizer represent the product’s N-P-K ratio. The N in the ratio stands for nitrogen, the P stands for phosphorous, and the K stands for potassium.
What do the fertilizer letters mean?
These three numbers form what is called the fertilizer’s N-P-K ratio — the proportion of three plant nutrients in order: nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K). The product’s N-P-K numbers reflect each nutrient’s percentage by weight.
What do the numbers on the back of fertilizer mean?
These nutrients are the three numbers on a fertilizer bag listed in order (N-P-K). So, a fertilizer that contains 5-10-10 means it has 5 percent nitrogen, 10 percent phosphorus (phosphate), and 10 percent potassium (potash). A “complete” fertilizer contains all three.
What is 16 16 16 fertilizer good for?
16-16-16 Fertilizer Triple 16 fertilizer is a general purpose fertilizer for use on most shrubs, trees, lawns, flowers and vegetables. It contains a fast acting form of nitrogen which plants use, even in cool weather, to help develop a rich green color.
How do you read a fertilizer label worksheet answers?
Reading the Label: 15-10-5 The numbers on a bag of fertilizer tell the percentages of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. For example, a 15-10-5 fertilizer has 15% nitrogen, 10% phosphorous and 5% potassium. The bag contains 30% nutrients.
How do I know what fertilizer to use?
What you choose will depend on your soil and what you are growing. The three numbers that you see on a fertilizer label, such as 5-5-5, tell you what proportion of each macronutrient the fertilizer contains. The first number is always nitrogen (N), the second is phosphorus (P) and the third is potassium (K).