Personally just started using Lesco. Compared to the normal big box store stuff, the prill size(sgn) is on the slightly smaller side. They even tell you right on the bag. I haven't used any of the stuff from SiteOne that they sell but I'd assume it's practically the same just bigger sizes/potentially smaller prill size. I haven't used Anderson's or Yard mastery yet but have always been fairly interested in some of Anderson's products. Be interested to see what everyone has to say about these three for comparison sake

 

Personally just started using Lesco. Compared to the normal big box store stuff, the prill size(sgn) is on the slightly smaller side. They even tell you right on the bag. I haven't used any of the stuff from SiteOne that they sell but I'd assume it's practically the same just bigger sizes/potentially smaller prill size. I haven't used Anderson's or Yard mastery yet but have always been fairly interested in some of Anderson's products. Be interested to see what everyone has to say about these three for comparison sake

LESCO is the brand I have my eye on possibly using. I am a creature of habit and like to use the same brand across as many things as I can for some reason. I am starting to find that with turf care you have to mix things from different MFGs some times to get the best results. Very curious to see what every one has to say for comparison as well.

Currently using the following from YM/Sunniland

Flagship 24-0-6 Bi-weekly at .5 LB/1000
Prodiamine 0-0-7 - Going to split app in November and Late Feb/Early March
Stress Blend - Going to use in fall before dormancy and early spring for waking the lawn up
Celsius WG/Certainty after I finish up the rest of my 2-4D and Quinclorac

Recently found out that LESCO Stonewall is the exact same formulation as the YM Prodiamine and is quite a bit cheaper. This is what sparked my initial drive to start researching and I am really interested in LESCO, YM and Anderson's as these seem to be the most popular 3.

 

Been using the Lesco stuff since they flooded Lowes with it. I would call it a quality fertilizer. My Tifblair centipede tends to be a good indicator of "staying power" on some of these mixture fast + slow release fertilizers. Lesco claims 6 weeks, I know I have sandy soil, My Tifblair stays darker green for 3-5 weeks depending on rain amounts, so from the "eyeball evidence" product is doing what it claims.

It spreads easily, seems consistent from bag to bag and is readily available. The fact they seem to be forever on buy 5 get 20% off makes the cost bearable. If I was buying 1 bag at a time, I'd probably look for a cheaper solution. With prices at $53ish (30-0-10) a bag last I looked it averages out to about $42.40/bag (50lbs).

 

Macros are macros are macros. I always go with whatever I can get locally which is usually also the cheapest. When prill size becomes an issue I will switch to spraying. Spray products, especially something like Prodiamine, are significantly cheaper than buying granular.

 

Macros are macros are macros. I always go with whatever I can get locally which is usually also the cheapest. When prill size becomes an issue I will switch to spraying. Spray products, especially something like Prodiamine, are significantly cheaper than buying granular.

Seeing that your local is the same local as mine, where do you usually source your products? Site-One? Box stores?

 

Seeing that your local is the same local as mine, where do you usually source your products? Site-One? Box stores?

I get my granular balanced fertilizer from Lowes. That usually goes down two, maybe three, times per season. I usually buy my urea from SiteOne but recently purchased a box of urea from Home Depot online with free shipping. It was cheaper than SiteOne.

 

Macros are macros are macros. I always go with whatever I can get locally which is usually also the cheapest. When prill size becomes an issue I will switch to spraying. Spray products, especially something like Prodiamine, are significantly cheaper than buying granular.

I wish I had the luxury. My sprayer is trash and my spraying technique isn't the greatest, not sure I'd wanna take a chance on spraying just yet. I'll just stick to spraying iron/PGR combos. Also, with my lawn only being 750sqft, granular actually lasts a long time. My issue is since I'm cutting at 1" or below, when the prills just sit on the grass and I can see them from afar, it's unsightly and don't want any kind of burn in the sunlight. So my happy medium is just a smaller prill granular. Plus, I tend to fert pretty often

 

@DFW245 I totally get it. You have to do what works for you and you're comfortable with but if you can spray PGR then you can totally spray fertilizer.

 

@DFW245 I totally get it. You have to do what works for you and you're comfortable with but if you can spray PGR then you can totally spray fertilizer.

Well, disclaimer: I use marker dye. And I honestly want to transition away from that since I have to practically go so concentrated that the blue stays for days even after watering. I just can't see where I've been that's all. And my particular sprayer is wonky...the Scotts sprayer 2gal. If I move my wand it leaks lol so a new sprayer is in the works hopefully something teejet compatible...but once I get that then yes you're correct, liquids from there on out

 

Yard Mastery Flagship is juuuuust about the same blend as the Sunniland Professional Turf fertilizer (24-0-6 vs 24-0-11). Which shouldn't surprise, since they are the ones making it for YM. YM sells a 45-lb bag for $65 right now, the Sunniland 50-lb bag is right down the road at Lowes for $42.48 (yikes that keeps creeping up in price).
.24 x 45 = 10.8 lb-N per YM bag, for a cost/lb-N of $6.02
.24 x 50 = 12 lb-N per Sunniland bag, for a cost/lb-N of $3.54

I source it direct from the Sunniland plant in Sanford, and the version sold at the wholesale desk is a 24-2-11. Without looking at a bag at Lowes to see the source (I'm assuming it's the same), Sunniland's 24-0-11 Fe is iron sucrate, the YM bag uses iron oxide.

 

Care to shed some light on Fe sucrate vs oxide?

 

Per the University of Florida, if it ain't chelated foliar-applied Iron, it's basically unavailable for plant uptake. Neither is a wunderkind. Sucrates stand a better chance of not staining concrete. Nitrogen is going to give a green response.

 

Per the University of Florida, if it ain't chelated foliar-applied Iron, it's basically unavailable for plant uptake. Neither is a wunderkind. Sucrates stand a better chance of not staining concrete. Nitrogen is going to give a green response.

Hmm. So are alot of the liquid iron products on the shelves, pointless? I use Monterey Iron combo and it doesn't really list its source of iron.

 

I think people get too caught up in the "brand name" and marketing when it comes to fertilizer. NPK is NPK is NPK and doesn't really matter of what he name is on the bag. Your grass can't tell the difference between Lesco, YM or Scott's and this is one spot you should definitely not care of what name is on the bag. I use to be the same way and would get caught up in all the marketing and buzz words for all the different kinds of slow release fertilizers and how great they were but then realized it doesn't really matter in the end. I would rather spend and save my money on off brand fertilizer and chemical products and use the extra money somewhere else like new equipment or upgrading something I already have. I guess what I am trying to say is that you have to shop around and you will be surprised at what you might find and how much you can save. Don't limit yourself to the big box stores or these online fertilizer retailers. I do know that SiteOne use to be a good source where you could get a lot of different mixes of fertilizer for much less than the big box stores but that doesn't seem to be the case as much anymore and seems to be a YMMV kind of thing. You need to Google or call around your area and see what seed supply stores or Farm supply stores you have around you like Nutrien/Crop Production Services.

I also can't wrap my head around why anyone would buy fertilizer online, as you are paying a premium for shipping that stuff to your door. If you don't have the motivation to drive your butt to the store and pick up a few bags of fertilizer for much cheaper than I don't see how you are going to stay motivated to take care of your lawn. Maybe I'm missing something or it's just me

 

As much as I hate SiteOne's price variations, recently they have been by far the cheapest for any fertilizer other than a simple 1-1-1 ratio from the big box store. Something else to consider, I don't have a problem with prill size but am struggling with the recent 8-8-8 app I did dissolving. Ten days later and I still have the little white specks all over. I have heard that the LESCO 24-2-11 from SiteOne dissolves almost immediately and it has 6% iron to boot. I won't be applying anything other than N for a while but when I do I am going to give this stuff a try. As expensive as fertilizer is right now, I hate seeing it in the grass catchers.

Definitely price around and look for a local SiteOne. Go in person during the week when they are not busy for best service. I find it pretty hard to believe that the online sources can beat them. Even if they have "free shipping", the price to ship a 50-pound bag is priced in there somehow.

 

@DFW245, check out Ewing Irrigation too, there are 9 locations scattered throughout the Metroplex. Their house brand is Empro but they have other names too. Liquids also, pretty good prices.

 

I recently picked up some Weaver fertilizer from my local Lowes. 40lb bag 27-4-7 for only $15. They also had some 34-0-0 there as well but only 2 bags. Spread it out today and it's pretty big but went down just fine.

 

I think people get too caught up in the "brand name" and marketing when it comes to fertilizer. NPK is NPK is NPK and doesn't really matter of what he name is on the bag. Your grass can't tell the difference between Lesco, YM or Scott's and this is one spot you should definitely not care of what name is on the bag. I use to be the same way and would get caught up in all the marketing and buzz words for all the different kinds of slow release fertilizers and how great they were but then realized it doesn't really matter in the end. I would rather spend and save my money on off brand fertilizer and chemical products and use the extra money somewhere else like new equipment or upgrading something I already have. I guess what I am trying to say is that you have to shop around and you will be surprised at what you might find and how much you can save. Don't limit yourself to the big box stores or these online fertilizer retailers. I do know that SiteOne use to be a good source where you could get a lot of different mixes of fertilizer for much less than the big box stores but that doesn't seem to be the case as much anymore and seems to be a YMMV kind of thing. You need to Google or call around your area and see what seed supply stores or Farm supply stores you have around you like Nutrien/Crop Production Services.

I also can't wrap my head around why anyone would buy fertilizer online, as you are paying a premium for shipping that stuff to your door. If you don't have the motivation to drive your butt to the store and pick up a few bags of fertilizer for much cheaper than I don't see how you are going to stay motivated to take care of your lawn. Maybe I'm missing something or it's just me

100% agree. Well...maybe 99% lol Im still big in prill size/dissolve rate. For the reason stated by @Redtwin I absolutely HATE seeing those undissolved prills just laying around. NPK is NPK for sure. Active ingredient is active ingredient no matter what. However similar to medicines on the shelf, these NPKs sometimes have different coatings or pill(prill) sizes that behave differently.

Redtwin, I'm 100% with you there. Nothing worse than expecting your granular to be watered in good and starting to work and going out on the lawn and seeing white/blue specs 4 days later. As expensive as this stuff can be I'd rather it all be dissolved after 1-2 waterings. Cheap bag of AS from Lowes dissolved within minutes. Sure it's probably more about the properties of AS itself than the brand, but some brands like to increase/decrease prill size. And if faced with buying a 50lb bag of 10-10-10 with 320sgn for $30 vs a 50lb bag of the same with 200sgn for $45? I don't mind paying the extra just for my OCD to be in check when staring at my lawn while irrigation is running. That peace of mind knowing it'll all be watered in and not just sitting on top of my grass blades. I picked up some Lesco the other day and I'm impressed with it's dissolving rate. Plus it has iron.

@p1muserfan I'll have to check that out ASAP. I'm compiling a list of locals that I can shop from. Just about tired of big box places. And calloways is NOT what I'd consider a lawn store.

 

I have heard that the LESCO 24-2-11 from SiteOne dissolves almost immediately and it has 6% iron to boot.

I have used this a few times this year. No complaints.

 

I like small small prill and with very low cut turf, I've stuck with Lebanon products. I've seen great results, and prefer my feeding to be granular.

It's not the cheapest, but I rarely use so it's worth it for me.

 

Just FYI, if you are using 10-10-10 or something similar, just know that those fertilizers have "filler" material in them to help them spread easier so that might be what you are seeing in your lawn and not the actual fertilizer.

Filler material in fertilizers

As far as all the "slow release" fertilizers out there I just don't trust them as you have no idea "when" they will release which is something I never really cared for plus if you are mowing low and have thick turf the granular will just sit on top and then either get chewed up by the reel which will break the coating and make it all fast release or get picked up in the grass catcher. This is why I'm 100% liquid with everything and the only thing I apply granular is Lime. It's also generally cheaper to spray stuff than it is to spread it.

 

If you have a SiteOne in the area, this stuff is great for N (along with some S) It used to be $15/bag! It will dissolve easily (as I even spray it out of a hose end sprayer or backpack sprayer sometimes).

https://www.siteone.com/en/amidas-yara-yaravera-amidas-turf-40-0-0-55-spreadablesprayable-fert/p/397597

 

I like small small prill and with very low cut turf, I've stuck with Lebanon products. I've seen great results, and prefer my feeding to be granular.

It's not the cheapest, but I rarely use so it's worth it for me.

Are you ordering Lebanon through Siteone?

 

I like small small prill and with very low cut turf, I've stuck with Lebanon products. I've seen great results, and prefer my feeding to be granular.

It's not the cheapest, but I rarely use so it's worth it for me.

Are you ordering Lebanon through Siteone?

No, I bought it online, and stocked up sometime in the last year or two. SiteOne has some, but didn't have what I wanted at the time, I should go back to see what they have now.

 

I ordered some yard mastery stuff from the lawn care nut this year. It's fine. Neither love it nor hate it. I've only used the lesco with pre-emergent before, and I didn't have as good of results as just spraying pre-emergent.