Liquid over Granular fertilizer!

[CARNEYM]

I need a little help.
I need to get some chemicals on my yard around 2 Acers.
One option is purchasing a spreader to pull behind my scag mower. The only one’s I can find in my area are over $200.00 and are made of plastic. I don’t think they will last all that long. Next are the chemicals, I priced Scotts this weekend and I am looking at around $45.00 a bag for a good fertilizer with iron and broadleaf control, it would take around 5 bags.
My next option would be going with a sprayer setup, I think I can get a 12 volt setup with a boom and a 3 pt. carryall for around $400.00 I would put this on my L3130.
My question, are chemicals in the liquid less expensive and what if any would be the advantage of liquid over granular.

Thank Mickey

[art]

I liquid for the flexibility of the chemicals as you can buy the exact chemicals needed. The granulars often include more fertilizers that I don't need on the lawn. They are easier to acuire in the granulars and sometimes easier all around but when I'm trying to kill dandilins I don't need a blast of thirty of nitrogen.

[VABlue]

The plastic spreaders will work well for many more years than it will take to pay back the $200, so don't worry about that. However, you can control where you apply chemical a lot easier with a sprayer (providing you work on a non-windy day). It also works into the ground quicker than granules will. I don't really know if one is better than the other, though. My take is that it depends on what works best for you when applying it.

[PBinWA]

Low-end metal spreaders will rust out.

Look at a John deere or Earthway plastic tow-behind spreader. They will work fine for 2 acres. I have an Earthway tow-behind that holds 100lbs it works fine for my 2 acres of "nice lawn"

I have a 25 Gallon tow-behind Fimco sprayer and I think I paid less than $300 for it. I use the sprayer to put down weed and bug killer.

Liquid fertilizer will get absorbed quicker and won't last as long. If you want to fertilize more often then liquid might be cheaper. I'd be concerned about burning the grass with liquid though as more of the fertilzer is going to be in direct contact with the grass instead of falling down to the ground and dissolving into the earth like granules.

[ToadHill]

If you fertilize well in the fall with a good grade granular fertilizer, liquid fert the rest of the year will work fine. You can mix weed control with the liquid fert and spray both at the same time. Grass likes nitrogen, so a urea based liquid will work well. Cornell lawn advice said to limit nitrogen to no more than 3 lbs per 1000 sq. ft. if use more than that it will go to waste, as the grass can't use more than that.

[Molerj]

I mow lots of grass but don't want to fertilize it all. So here is what I do. I have a pull behind 25 gallon sprayer. I use 2-4-D to kill all broadleaf weeds. Front, back and side lawn all get sprayed. Then I buy the Scotts fertilizer only & using a pull behind broadcast spreader I fertilize the just around the house.