With these lesser expensive spreaders it’s a little more trial and error. I’d recommend starting with the smallest setting that allows some fertilizer to drop and slowly opening it up. Also, a scale will help to measure the amount of product the bag recommends per application. Worst case, you leave the spreader on a lower setting and make multiple perpendicular passes to get as even coverage as possible.

As for the 16-0-10, unless you’ve had a soil test indicating an application of K, or you’re seeing K deficiency in the grass, it would be an unnecessary application of that particular element. I’d suggest instead the 20-0-0, which is also available at Lowe’s, for your regular feedings.

 

Spreader calibration is an art! First of all it depends on how much actual product you want to put down (is it 1# of N, or 1/2#?). Then it depends on your walking speed as the faster you walk the farther the product gets thrown out, netting you less product per square foot (there is no such metric, just my odd way of trying to describe this effect). Then there's the prill size of the product; the smaller the size the more product flows out, obviously. Not to mention the shape of your yard and the overlaps you need to make to get full coverage. Lots of factors, as you see, and those recommended settings are just pulled out of the air as a starting point.

All that to say that.. you can start at a setting of 4 (about 1/3 open). This setting won't dump product out all on once and will allow you to calibrate your spreader to your product and application dynamics. You have lots of grace as you dial in your spreader using this product, as this 16-0-10 is a coated urea (if I remember correctly) combined with Feather & Soybean meal. You would literally have to dump it out over your yard to suffer any real damage.

If you need more official guidance here's what the manufacturer of that product gives. Nothing for the Sta-Green spreader, as you mention, but it can be used as a comparison guide. I appreciate that they specify the same things I mention above; amount of product dispersed, and the walking speed.

 

My ancient Scott’s Standard broadcast spreader works this fert perfectly at 4 1/2.

 

Thank you both for your immense help! 🤩

 

I’ll second these suggestions. Spreader calibration is more trial & error than anything else. As already pointed out by cornelianil, each person is different due to walking speed & overlap. then there’s prill size. on top of that, the dial does not respond linearly (8 doesn't give you twice as much as 4)

here’s what I did : measure your yard area(square feet). dump fertilizer in a 5 gal bucket. weigh it with a luggage scale. then pour some in your spreader & set the dial as suggested before. go spread it. strive to maintain consistent walking speed and overlap. after you‘ve done the whole lawn, dump what’s left back in the bucket, and weigh it again. now you can calculate how many lbs of that product at that dial number is applied, and it’s based on your walking speed and overlap. In other words, calibrated to you. you then make adjustments to future dial settings based on this info. you will find this is not hard and the process goes quickly. I bet you get it close to perfect on the second attempt.

when you switch to a different fertilizer with a different prill size, you will need to repeat process.

 

Awesome reco, thanks!!