Another poster in a different group told me that the numbers on the
front of the bag, did have something to do with it? Here is what he told
me:


The other poster wrote:



"The numbers refer to the percentage of the three primary nutrients
contained in the fertilizer. It is always listed as a percentage of
weight in the following order: Nitrogen (N); Phosphors (P); Potassium
(K). For established lawns, nitrogen is the major nutrient that greens
the grass and stimulates blade growth. In short, nitrogen makes the
grass grow and makes you mow. Phosphorus stimulates the production of
roots, runners, and stolons, to multiply grass plants and make a denser
turf. Potassium also works on root development as well as winter
hardiness. Nitrogen tends not to persist in the soil; it will move
downward or run off, and cheaper forms of nitrogen will oxidize to a
degree into the atmosphere if it is not watered in soon after
application. Over-application of nitrogen can also result in burning the
turf. Phosphorus and potassium are much more stable elements that move
slowly through the soil, so they usually don't need to be applied at
anywhere near the same rate as nitrogen.



Nitrogen is the element used by the industry to calculate coverage for
any particular fertilizer product. For the typical lawn, the average
rate of application is 1 pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet, though
the rate can vary between 1/2 pound and 1 pound depending on the
manufacturer's specifications. But the rule of thumb for the homeowner
is: 1 lb/1000 square feet.



So - to determine the minimum recommended coverage of any bag of lawn
fertilizer, you just need to figure out how many pounds of nitrogen are
in the bag. It's easy. Multiply the percentage of nitrogen by the weight
of the bag. The "Super" Turf Builder analysis 29-2-3, and the weight is
17.24 pounds. 17.24 times 29 percent is 4.9996, so there's basically 5
pounds of nitrogen in that bag; thus, the minimum (and in this case,
recommended) coverage is 5000 square feet.


The 'Regular' Turf Builder was a 14.29 pound bag with an analysis of
28-1-4. 14.29 times 28 percent is 4, meaning there's four pounds of
nitrogen in that bag, so the minimum coverage is 4000 square feet. But
in this case, the manufacturer decided to declare the bag covered 5000
square feet, just by deciding to apply less nitrogen than the standard
guidelines. They can do that, and a comparison of the two products means
an application of regular Turf Builder supplies 25% percent less
nitrogen than the Super Turf Builder. If you wanted to go by the
standard 1 lb N/1000 square feet guideline, you could just apply the
Regular Turf Builder at a somewhat heavier rate than the manufacturer's
suggestion. Just be careful not to apply too heavily, or you risk
burning the lawn. And never forget to water it in well within 24-36
hours after application. That not only reduces the risk of burning, but
it ensures that the maximum amount of nitrogen goes into the soil,
instead of oxidizing into the atmosphere. You paid for all of it, so
water it all in".