All About Starter Fertilizer Starter fertilizers have a high concentration of phosphorus as their main ingredient, and unlike established lawns - grass seedlings that are germinating need phosphorus to increase the chances of germination success and help build strong, healthy roots while becoming established. What makes a good starter fertilizer? Starter fertilizers come in compositions of primary nutrients nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (or potash), making up a product’s NPK. The numbers in the NPK statement represent percentages of nutrients. For example, a fertilizer with an NPK ratio of 10-18-10 has 10% nitrogen, 18% phosphorus, and 10% potassium. You may be wondering, why are these nutrients so important? Nitrogen is important for grass growth and green coloration Phosphorus encourages good root development and is important for various growth processes Potassium or potash promotes drought tolerance, provides disease resistance, and encourages winter hardiness Starter fertilizers have a high concentration of phosphorus as their main ingredient, and unlike established lawns - grass seedlings that are germinating need phosphorus to increase the chances of germination success and help build strong, healthy roots while becoming established. GreenView Starter Fertilizer What makes starter fertilizer different? Starter fertilizers are not like regular lawn fertilizers. While regular lawn fertilizer products NPK varies and most no longer contain Phosphorus at all due to changing regulations - GreenView Starter Fertilizer has an NPK ratio of 10-18-10. With an 18% Phosphorus formulation, GreenView Starter Fertilizer is optimized to best fill the needs of a newly seeded lawn. When considering use of a starter fertilizer product, it's important to check local ordinances regarding the use of high-phosphorus formulations for lawn starter products, as some Cooperative Extension Agencies have specific information on local turf best management practices. It is also recommended to check with your county or city government to see if there are local regulations for fertilizer use. Typical fertilizer application mandates include: do not apply... do not apply near water, storm drains, or drainage ditches; do not apply if heavy rain is expected. It's important to consult the instructions on the Starter Fertilizer product you have chosen and follow Use Directions carefully. When to use starter fertilizer Starter fertilizer can be used when seeding a new lawn, reseeding an existing lawn area, or installing sod, sprigs or grass plugs. It is also safe for use on ANY lawn type. The ideal time to plant grass seed is in the spring or fall, as those times provide weather conditions typically best suited for grass seed germination. Temperatures are cool and the ground is moist, creating conditions that are ideal for developing grass plant seedlings to thrive. This also ensures that grass seed avoids the detrimental effects of frost in winter and the heat of summer. Why GreenView Starter Fertilizer GreenView Starter Fertilizer is for one-time use in spring or fall to help establish a new lawn and keep it fed during the early stages of growth while roots develop and take hold. It is specially formulated to encourage root growth and nutrient absorption in newly seeded lawns or bare spots. It's proprietary nitrogen source provides both immediate release and time-release feeding which delivers continuous, even greening for up to 8 weeks. When using GreenView Starter Fertilizer, you can count on your newly seeded grass areas to have consistent, even growth.