Apply 5.25 pounds of 19-19-19 fertilizer for every 1,000 square feet of ground you are fertilizing. If you are fertilizing land by the acre, apply 230 pounds of 19-19-19 fertilizer for every acre. Both of these application rates deliver ½-pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. This is enough to fuel impressive plant growth for fruits, vegetables, and some pasture crops. Repeat your application monthly, until 2 to 4 weeks before harvest.
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What is the Best Use for 19-19-19 Fertilizer?
19-19-19 fertilizer is best used for growing fruits and vegetables. Like other balanced fertilizers (where all 3 numbers on the bag are the same), 19-19-19 has a 1:1:1 NPK ratio. This means it contains equal parts nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium. This balance of nutrients helps garden plants develop leaves, flowers, and fruits. Additionally, pasture crops, such as hay, can experience a boost from applications of 19-19-19.
- 19-19-19 is best used to fertilize fruits and vegetables.
- Pasturage, such as hay, grows well when treated with 19-19-19.
- Never use 19-19-19 fertilizer for lawn grass.
Do not use 19-19-19 fertilizer for your lawn. It simply doesn’t have the right nutrient balance for healthy grass growth. Established lawns require high nitrogen fertilizer with little-to-no phosphorus and small amounts of potassium. 19-19-19 doesn’t have enough nitrogen and contains far more phosphorus and potassium than is necessary. The excess phosphorus can run off your yard and cause harm to the environment. So, never use 19-19-19 in place of a specialized lawn fertilizer.
How Much 19-19-19 Fertilizer Should You Use?
Before you begin spreading 19-19-19 fertilizer, it’s essential to find the square footage of the area you are planning to fertilize. Whether it’s a backyard garden or acres of land, you can use these application rates.
How Much 19-19-19 Fertilizer Should You Use in Your Garden?
Spread 5.25 pounds of 19-19-19 fertilizer per 1,000 square feet of soil in your garden. Begin by measuring the length and width of your garden. Then, multiply the length times the width to find the square footage. A 50-foot by 50-foot garden has an area of 2,500 square feet. 13 pounds of 19-19-19 fertilizer spread evenly over the soil will provide adequate fertilizer. After application, water the garden to pull the fertilizer down into the soil. Then, it can begin feeding plant roots.
19-19-19 Fertilizer Application Rates by Acre
If you are using 19-19-19 to grow hay or another pasturage, apply 230 pounds of 19-19-19 per acre. This will provide ½-pound of actual nitrogen per 1,000 square feet. This is the ideal rate for applications because you won’t overfeed the hay and waste fertilizer. Don’t worry about underfeeding—you will be making several applications of fertilizer throughout the growing season. We’ll cover how frequently to use 19-19-19 fertilizer below.
How Often Should You Apply 19-19-19 Fertilizer?
When fertilizing a garden with 19-19-19, repeat the application monthly during the growing season. Start by fertilizing once in spring, just before you plant your annuals. Then, repeat the application every 4 weeks, using the rates we provided above. Stop fertilizing 2 to 4 weeks before the fall harvest. Usually, you will make your first application of 19-19-19 in March or April. Your final fertilizer application will occur in July or August.
- Apply 19-19-19 fertilizer to gardens monthly.
- Begin garden fertilizer applications at spring planting time and stop fertilizing 2–4 weeks before harvest.
- Fertilize pastures with 19-19-19 at spring green up.
- Provide pastures with an additional 19-19-19 application after each hay cutting.
When growing hay or other pasture crops, fertilize with 19-19-19 once at spring green-up. Then, repeat the application after each hay cutting. The number of times you cut hay depends on the length of your local growing season, the year’s weather, and other factors. So, you may make anywhere from 2 to 4 applications annually.
Is 19-19-19 a Good Starter Fertilizer?
19-19-19 is not an ideal lawn starter fertilizer. Although the high levels of phosphorus in 19-19-19 are far more beneficial to new grass than established grass, there is still too much potassium in 19-19-19 to make it a great lawn starter. Instead, look for a starter fertilizer where the nitrogen and phosphorus content are nearly equal, but the potassium content is much lower.
- 19-19-19 is an okay lawn starter but it is not the best.
- This lawn starter fertilizer is better for grass seed and sod than 19-19-19.
- Lawn starters should have nearly equal nitrogen and phosphorus levels, but much lower amounts of potassium.
Our favorite lawn starter fertilizer has a nutrient balance of 22-23-4. The 22 and 23 represent nitrogen and phosphorus, respectively. Meanwhile, the 4 in 22-23-4 signifies that the fertilizer only contains 4% potassium. This is ideal for grass, since potassium is essential for flower and fruit production, but is not necessary for grass in high doses.
- Great starter fertilizer for new seed or sod.
- You can also use Pennington UltraGreen for overseeding or on an existing lawn.
- 5% Iron promotes a deep, thick, lush lawn.
What is the Application Rate for 19-19-19 Fertilizer?
When you are preparing to use 19-19-19 fertilizer, keep these application facts in mind:
- 19-19-19 is best for gardens and hay pastures.
- It is not a good idea to use 19-19-19 for lawns.
- Apply 5.25 pounds of 19-19-19 fertilizer per 1,000 square feet of garden soil.
- Spread 230 pounds of 19-19-19 per acre of pasture.
- Use 19-19-19 monthly in your garden, starting at spring planting and stopping 2–4 weeks before harvest.
- Apply 19-19-19 to your pasture at spring green up. Repeat application after each hay cutting.
These simple rules make 19-19-19 application easy. You’ll be certain you’re using the right fertilizer at the proper rate and frequency each time.
