fertilizer

[bubenberg]

Charlie, i guess that they have good reasons, to do that in view of what had happened in new york and elswhere.
my order to lesco is a standard order for the 1st application each year and i guess that i am on file and have been reported. i will check it out today.

 

[TBone]

Sorry Cowboydoc, there ain't no such thing as 40-40-40. These numbers represent the percentages of each of the three main ingredients of fertilizer - nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (sometimes called potash). When added together they can never equal more than 100%.

Theoretically the most of each that you could have would be 33 1/3% and all three of the ingredients would have to be in their pure form which is not commericially available.

I don't know of any commercial fertilizer whose total nutrients add up to more than 60 or 70% total. The rest is filler or minor elements.

TBone

 

[cowboydoc]

Well we have different ways of doing things here t-bone. How do you explain a 46/0/0 mix? What the numbers represent are units of strength of the component that you are talking about. You can sure enough get 40 units of phosphorous, 40 units of potassium and 40 units of nitrogen. Or you can just get 40 units of potassium or 40 units or phosphorous. Alot of the companies will have a specific mix like 46 nitrogen, which is really common here. Or like you said you can get a mix to equal a 100, but from a farming point of view you get your soil analysis and only put on what you need.

 

[TWINKLE_TOES]

Cowboydoc,

I think your right. For example 40-0-0 is Amonimum Hydroxide, NH(4)OH. The molecular weight of Nitrogen is 14 Hydrogen 1 and Oxygen 16.

Nitrogen 14
Hydrogen(5) 5
Oxygen 16

Total 35

Percentage of Nitrogen 14/35 = 40% thus 40-0-0 is near pure Amonimum Hydroxide.

The percentage calculation is for the strength of the element in the compound of the mix.

Al

 

[TBone]

Cowboydoc,

Sorry but fertilizer is measured the same everywhere.

The numbers represent:

1ST NUMBER = % of the fertilizer that is NITROGEN
2nd NUMBER = % of the fertilizer that is PHOSPHORUS
3rd NUMBER = % of the fertilizer that is POTASSIUM (Potash)

<font color=blue>How do you explain a 46/0/0 mix?</font color=blue>

Easy, This fertilizer is 46% Nitrogen, 0% Phosphorus, and 0% Potash (The remaining 54% is filler or minor elements)


A 40-40-40 fertilizer would be like saying that the formula for coca-cola is 40% water, 40% sugar and 40% cocoa. It's just not possible.

When I have time, I will try to send you a link from somewhere on the net that will explain it better.

TBone

 

[TBone]

Twinkletoes,

Ditto to the post I sent Cowboydoc.

TBone

 

[TBone]

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://augustachronicle.com/stories/042602/gar_UE0533-2.000.shtml>http://augustachronicle.com/stories/042602/gar_UE0533-2.000.shtml</A>

Cowboydoc, Twinkletoes,

Try this link.

TBone

 

[paulw]

Pure ammonium nitrate NH4NO3 contains only 34.8% N so the 40-0-0 fertilizer must be urea (NH2)2CO that contains 46.7% N. The fertilizer grade urea used is not pure and is probably blended with other materials to form a free flowing solid and standard nitrogen content. A strong ammonia solution in water was called ammonium hydroxide but is actually more ammonia that ammonium hydroxide and only exists in a solution. Ammonium hydroxide does not exist as a pure solid. A 30% ammonia solution in water is about as strong as you can get equates to 61.8% ammonium hydroxide and equals 24.7% N. This strong of an ammonia solution would clear the room if you opened a bottle outside of a fumehood.

 

[TBone]

Cowboydoc and Twinkletoes,

Another link:

<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.fertilizer.com/fertuniv02.html>http://www.fertilizer.com/fertuniv02.html</A>

From this link:

<font color=blue>The hyphenated numbers on the front label of any package of fertilizer stand for the major nutrients plants need – nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and potassium (K). </font color=blue><font color=red>The numbers, always given in the same order, represent the percentages each of N, P, and K in the bag (by weight).</font color=red>

My first full time job about 35 years ago was working in a lab for Armour Fertilizer Company in New Orleans (no longer in business). I was the gofer for the chemist and I learned more than I ever wanted to know about the fertilizer business.

Oh and you are right on about doing soil tests to determine what your soil is deficient in. We did special blends all the time to match the needs of the farmer's soil. That is the only way you can get exactly what your soil is lacking and not waste your dollars on nutrients you don't really need.
TBone

 

[TBone]

Paul,

An excellent explanation of where the nitrogen comes from. Thanks.

TBone