Lawn Fertilizer Calculator

Calculate the amount of fertilizer to apply to your lawn based on area, desired nitrogen rate, and fertilizer analysis.

sq ft
lbs N / 1000 sq ft
%

Fertilizer Needed

20.8 lbs

Total Nitrogen Applied5.00 lbs
Fertilizer per 1000 sq ft4.2 lbs

Fertilizer Needed vs Desired Nitrogen Rate

Calculating Lawn Fertilizer

Fertilizer application is based on the nitrogen (N) rate per 1,000 square feet and the N percentage in your fertilizer product.

Formula

Nitrogen Needed (lbs) = Lawn Area / 1000 x Desired N Rate

Fertilizer (lbs) = Nitrogen Needed / (N% / 100)

Most cool-season lawns need 2-4 lbs of N per 1,000 sq ft per year, applied in 3-4 applications. Warm-season grasses need 1-3 lbs per year.

Example Calculation

A 5,000 sq ft lawn, 1 lb N/1000 sq ft, using 24-8-16 fertilizer.

  1. 01Nitrogen needed = 5,000 / 1,000 x 1 = 5 lbs N
  2. 02Fertilizer needed = 5 / 0.24 = 20.8 lbs of 24-8-16
  3. 03Per 1,000 sq ft = 1 / 0.24 = 4.2 lbs

Frequently Asked Questions

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