Quote:
Originally Posted by bosstones
I agree so I'm glad someone else does as well (wrt the 30-0-4). They made a point of stressing "NO phosphorus" after giving me the N-P-K ratio and it left me puzzled as to why. Phosphorus, per my understanding, is what helps w/ root dev and this is the time that grass is in that phase. The nitrogen is more for leaf dev and greening but, as you said, not really fix the problem.
I created a little spreadsheet calculator to figure out how much of a fert I'd need to buy for various application rates/pound-ages. I can just enter in N-P-K ratio, bag lbs, and bag cost and it'll do math for me so I know how many bags to buy (or compare vs another product). 
I've heard of the N-ext products and seen the prices (lol). I get a bit skeptical of YT personalities pushing products at times if I can't find much about it in the wilds of the internet. You never know what the YT-ers get behind the scenes. I've started reading of people mixing their own brews of similar concoctions as well as people being able to order from GCF at a fair discount compared to going through LCN. Not sure which way to go although I would like to try humic acid to help w/ the clay soil in my parts.
Here's one homebrew link I found:
https://aroundtheyard.com/index.php?...#38;Itemid=117
I'm not totally sure what grass I have (Chicagoland). It may one or a mix of: Kentucky blue grass, tall or fine fescue, and possibly a little perennial rye mixed in. It seems the blue grass is most common. |
Phosphorus has been blamed for causing problems in lakes and other bodies of water because of run off from farms and landscapes. In particular, it has been shown to promote algae and has actually been banned from fertilizer in some locales. Nevertheless, most people have no idea and buy what the store sells, and even with bans, products with P are still sold. As more people have learned about it, I suspect demand has increased for zero phosphorus fertilizers, which would explain why it was marketed that way to you. (I only know a little because it is constantly in the news here due to Lake Okeechobee.) If you google "fertilizer with phosphorus runoff" there is plenty more to read if interested.
All that said, I don't disagree with what you said about it. I try to use a fertilizer with low (but not zero) P. Nitrogen runoff also isn't a good thing. I just try to be conscious of it and not overdo fertilizing, while maintaining a decent landscape. I do feel that doing it myself allows far greater control that whatever a service might use.