In my opinion, the brands don't matter much. What matters is that you get the right mix of N,P,K as determined by a soil test. At times, you may want to use fertilizer that has a certain amount of the N as slow release. But it really doesn't matter what brand it is. If you're using something that's 10% N from Scotts or 10% N from Lesco or 10% N from Sta-Green, it all has 10% N in it.

+1 to BP

Names, schames .... it doesn't matter (unless it's on sale for half off!)

It's perfectly OK to drop "Winterizer" in spring (if your lawn needs the K)
It's perfectly OK to drop "Starter" in fall (if your lawn needs the P)

The key is the "Guaranteed Analysis" on the back of the bag - not the name on the front of it.

Here's a few links for you. Put a pot of coffee on and sip a cup or two while you become "fertilizer savvy"
(copy and paste into a browsers address window)

http://mining.state.co.us/TechnicalBulletins/CharacteristicsOfNitrogenFertilizers.pdf

http://webapp.dpor.state.va.us/articles/lawn_fertilization.htm

http://www.tfi.org/factsandstats/fertilizer.cfm

http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/pdffiles/MG/MG44800.pdf

For me, no question, hands down, it's Scotts. Not because of the contents, they are basically the same. It's the guarantee. Scotts has a "no quibble" guarantee where if you are not satisfied for any reason they will refund your money. I have taken advantage of this and can confirm they will send you a refund and thank you for contacting them.

Not so fast here guys, the best brand depends on what your soil needs, in what NPK ratio, fast or slow release percentage, and added micro-nutrients.

Problem you will find with brands like ScottÂs is they basically have one flavor and contain almost no phosphorous. That is fine if you live in the Midwest where ScottÂs is made and where soils are naturally rich in phosphorous. Try to find various ratios of NPK in ScottÂs and you are SOL. Now on the other hand is ScottÂs ratio is what your soil needs and you do not mind paying more for it go ahead.

No if your lawn needs a specific ratio, straight nitrogen, or a little of this or that like iron, magnesium, or you want 100%, 75%, 50% slow release formulations, no one can even come close to matching Lesco. What you will find with Lesco is they carry the formulations based on regional requirements. This is why the pros use Lesco, because they blend what is needed for their geographical location.
Plus they are less expensive than most of the others.

And there you have it! Texas weeds points are just another endorsement for Scotts. My 28-3-8 summerguard with bug killer was closest to what the UGA soil test recommended. (its interesting that the web advertises summerguard as 28-0-8 but the bag clearly has 28-3-8 on it. Could it be they adjust regionally? Anyway, I'm not happy now so I'm entitled to a full refund- man Scotts is great!
Now if that darn Lesco wasn't so far away!

The cheaper the better. I buy mine at Tractor Supply for half what Scott's costs.

I, too, have had good luck with Sta-Green where slow-release makes sense. A lot of various brands are made by Spectrum Brands/Spectracide. I believe both Vigoro and Sta-Green are.

Depending on my soil needs, I've used a mix of Scotts and Sta-Green to great success, paying attention to the ratios I'm including in my "custom blend." NPK is key, and you may have to be very careful about using phosphorus-free. I've found that in the worst circumstance here in northern MD, the lack of phosphorus basically makes the fertilizer ineffective, especially for young lawns. Clearly soil type matters a whole lot, as does the lawn type/condition/age and the weather at and after application. Follow the NPK and ingredient list (added iron, etc) and make sure it matches your needs. A little research goes a long way. In the end, the brand matters less than the ingredients and release type.

I think all of the advice suggesting the need to taylor the fertilizer to your specific soil is great advice, but my question is, and it may be a dumb one, how best to determine what your soil needs are, and what type of soild you have??

"I think all of the advice suggesting the need to taylor the fertilizer to your specific soil is great advice, but my question is, and it may be a dumb one, how best to determine what your soil needs are, and what type of soild you have??"

For that, you need to get a soil test. Extension services offer them for a fairly low price. If you contact them, they send a kit with instructions on collecting samples and sending them in.

I am 55 years old and the best fertilizer I know about is Golden Tree by Humboldts Secret. I have tried a whole lot of them and I am glad I found out about this stuff. HumboldtsSecret.com

This post was edited by hydrogrower12 on Sun, Oct 20, 13 at 16:09

That stuff is not a fertilizer in the way we talk about them today. Back in the 1800s it would be considered source of potassium. But then back in the 1800s they used wood ash as a source of potassium. Today fertilizers are a mix of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. This is just potassium.