Fertilizer Labels

Objective: Students will identify how

to interpret fertilizer labels.
 What is fertilizer?
 A material applied to supply essential elements
 Major Ingredients
1. Most commercial fertilizers have 3 numbers
on the front label, separated by dashes.
 For example: 5-10-5.
2. This is the fertilizer analysis or percentage by
weight of the 3 major nutrients plants need:
 nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium, in that order.
3. These are abbreviated as N-P-K.
 Get out your Calculator and Analyze
1. If you purchased a 10 pound bag of fertilizer labeled 5-10-5,
it would contain…
 5% nitrogen
 10% phosphorus
 5% potassium.
 The remaining 80% could be comprised of other nutrients and
filler.
2. How many pounds of NP and K does it contain?
 .5 lb. nitrogen
 1 lb. phosphorus
 .5 lb. potassium
 The remaining 8 lbs could be comprised of other nutrients and
filler.
 1st Number = Nitrogen
1. The first number gives the concentration of
nitrogen in the product.
2. Nitrogen encourages foliage growth, among
other benefits.
3. A 5-10-5 fertilizer would contain 5% nitrogen
by weight.
4. For every pound of fertilizer applied there is
really only .05 pounds of nitrogen.
 (The 10 pound bag mentioned would contain .5 lb.
nitrogen)
 2nd Number = Phosphorous
1. The middle number refers to the concentration
of phosphorous.
2. Phosphorous contributes to many fundamental
plant processes such as rooting and setting
flower buds.
3. A 5-10-5 fertilizer would contain 10%
phosphorous by weight or .1 pounds of
phosphorous.
 (The 10 pound bag mentioned above would
contain 1 lb. of phosphorus.)
 3rd Number = Potassium
1. The final number states the concentration of
potassium.
2. Potassium contributes to the overall health and
vigor of plants.
3. Again, a 5-10-5 fertilizer would contain 5%
potassium by weight or .05 pounds of
potassium.
 (The 10 pound bag mentioned above would
contain .5 lb. potassium.)
 Complete Fertilizers
1. Fertilizers that contain all three major
nutrients are considered complete fertilizers.
2. There are specialized fertilizers which are
called incomplete because they lack one or
more major nutrients such as a fertilizer
labeled 0-20-20.
 Fertilizer Label
1. Some information is required by law
to be on the fertilizer bags:
1. Net Weight
2. Brand and grade of fertilizer
3. Guaranteed analysis of each
nutrient in fertilizer
4. Name and address of
manufacturer
 Other Valuable Information
 Some manufacturers add the following
on the bag as well:
 % of water insoluble nitrogen

 Potential acidity

 Salt index

 Source of carrier

 % of minor elements

 Calculation rates

 How to calibrate spreaders

 Reading a Fertilizer Label
 N- 24 %
 P- 5 %
 K- 11 %
 Remaining 60% is
other nutrients
and filler.
 Analyze This!
What do you know from the bag?
N: 24 %
P: 6 %
K: 12 %

Use: Lawn Fertilizer

 Check for Understanding
1. Jack and Jill went up the hill and noticed the grass was
very yellow. Which fertilizer would be best for them
to use, 12-12-12, 28-14-14 or 4-16-4?

28-14-14

 Why?
 Nitrogen is used to help promote lush green foliage
growth, the 28-14-14 fertilizer is the highest in
nitrogen.
 Practice Reading the Label
 In the boxes on your worksheet please provide
the following information for each fertilizer
placed on the tables around the class…
 Net Weight

 Brand and grade of fertilizer

 Name of manufacturer

 NPK percentage

 One Secondary nutrient and %

 One Micronutrient and %

Name of manufacturer, Brand and grade of
fertilizer, Use, Net Weight, NPK percentage, One
Secondary or Micronutrient and %