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HomeToolsFertilizer Schedule Calculator
Any product, your ZIP

Your fertilizer schedule, by the bag you bought

Pick your product and enter your ZIP and lawn size. You'll get the exact amount per application, how many bags to buy, and a year of application dates tuned to your region and grass.

Label rates at a glance

Every product below has its own label rate and application limit. The calculator uses the label rate as the source of truth and reports the nitrogen it delivers, so you can compare products fairly.

ProductN-P-KRate / 1,000 sq ftBag / bottleMax apps / yr
Milorganite 6-4-06-4-012.8 lbs32 lb / 2,500 sq ft4
Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Food32-0-42.5 lbs12.5 lb / 5,000 sq ft4
Scotts Turf Builder Weed & Feed28-0-32.9 lbs14.3 lb / 5,000 sq ft2
Scotts Turf Builder Triple Action25-0-22.8 lbs11.3 lb / 4,000 sq ft2
Scotts Turf Builder Southern Lawn Food32-0-102.8 lbs14 lb / 5,000 sq ft4
The Andersons PGF Complete 16-4-816-4-83.6 lbs18 lb / 5,000 sq ft6
Lesco 24-0-1124-0-114 lbs50 lb / 12,500 sq ft4
Simple Lawn Solutions Advanced 16-4-816-4-810 fl oz / 1,000 sq ft32 oz / 3,200 sq ft6
Ironite 1-0-11-0-13 lbs15 lb / 5,000 sq ft4
Scotts Turf Builder Starter Food for New Grass24-25-43 lbs15 lb / 5,000 sq ft1 (at seeding)

Why your schedule depends on your ZIP

A Milorganite schedule in Cleveland is not a Milorganite schedule in Atlanta. Cool-season lawns feed hardest in spring and fall and skip summer nitrogen in hot regions. Warm-season lawns feed through summer and stop before their fall dormancy. The calculator shifts each product's application windows using your region's frost dates and growing season.

Cool-season lawns

Feed hardest in spring and fall. In hot regions the calculator drops summer nitrogen entirely, because feeding heat-stressed fescue or bluegrass does more harm than good.

Warm-season lawns

Feed from full green-up through late summer. The last application lands about 6 weeks before dormancy, so late-fall feedings are dropped automatically.

Your region

Northern ZIPs shift every window later; southern ZIPs shift earlier and open a longer season. The same product gets a genuinely different calendar.

Have a different bag? The fertilizer rate calculator works with any N-P-K, and the full fertilizer calculator builds a season plan from your grass type.

Rate calculatorFull fertilizer plan

Fertilizer schedule questions, answered

Can I apply Milorganite every month?

No. Milorganite's label allows 4 applications per year, roughly 8 weeks apart. The classic schedule is Memorial Day, July 4th, Labor Day, and Thanksgiving. Monthly applications waste product and push past the yearly nitrogen limit.

How much fertilizer do I need for 5,000 sq ft?

It depends on the product's label rate. Milorganite at 12.8 lbs per 1,000 sq ft needs 64 lbs (two 32 lb bags) per application, while Scotts Turf Builder at 2.5 lbs per 1,000 sq ft needs just 12.5 lbs. Pick your product and the calculator does the math for your exact lawn size.

When should I fertilize for the first time in spring?

Cool-season lawns: after the grass is actively growing and you've mowed 2-3 times. Warm-season lawns: after full green-up, not at the first hint of green. Your ZIP shifts this window by up to a month.

Is more fertilizer better?

No. Most lawns should stay under 4 lbs of actual nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft per year. The calculator counts nitrogen across your applications and trims the schedule if a product would push past the cap.

Can I just use the schedule printed on the bag?

Bag schedules assume an average climate. Your region's frost dates and summer heat move each window, and your grass type decides whether summer feeding is safe. That's the gap this tool closes.

What about weed & feed timing?

Weed & feed follows weed activity, not just grass growth: it needs damp grass and actively growing weeds, with a 4-week buffer around seeding. Pick a weed & feed product and the calculator surfaces those timing rules.