Calculating Pounds per 1,000 Square Feet
To calculate how many pounds of fertilizer to put down, you first need to read on the fertilizer bag how many square feet the fertilizer will cover.
For example: you have purchased a bag of fertilizer that states it will cover 15,000 square feet and weighs 46.56 pounds. To figure coverage simply divide the bag weight by the suggested coverage to get how many pounds per square feet. This example would be 46.56 / 15,000 = .003104 pounds per square feet. To convert up to 1,000 square feet simply multiply .003104 by 1,000 to equal 3.104 pounds.
CAUTION: These settings are intended for reference only. As there are many variables involved with setting any spreader; including the physical composition of the material being applied, walking speed, and terrain; settings may have to be adjusted.
Spread Diagram
We have granular products in the following sizes: 15#, 18#, 20# and 50#.
It’s as important to know your coverage area as it is to know your spreader setting.
The best practice is to keep the spreader at 1/3 open or less until product label quantities are spread evenly over the correct square footage.