When To Use Triple 13 Fertilizer

If you love nothing more than tending to your yard or garden, then you’ll need to know which fertilizers to use to keep your lawn, flower beds, hedges and pots, green and thriving.

Fertilizes come in many different varieties, and have various uses and techniques for the best results.

Triple 13 fertilizers, or 13-13-13 fertilizers are some of the most popular types on the market due to their versatility and the fact that they can be utilized for a range of uses.

So, how and when do you use triple 13 fertilizer, and what exactly is it? Let’s find out.

What Is Triple 13 Fertilizer?

When you look for different fertilizers, you will see various types, and they will all be represented by numbers separated by a dash.

A triple 13 fertilizer is the short name for a 13-13-13 fertilizer.

This kind of fertilizer is general purpose fertilizer and is quick release, so it has to be re applied often in order for it to be effective.

Most triple 13 fertilizers are intended for use on gardens, flowers, shrubs, hedges, trees, new lawns, and are best used in the spring before planting.

Why Is It Called 13-13-13 Fertilizer?

The term triple 13 or 13-13-13 references the makeup of the nutrients in the bag of fertilizer.

The three numbers refer to the Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium in the fertilizer, with 13% of each.

What Is In Triple 13 Fertilizer?

The 13-13-13 numbers represent the fact that there is 13 percent nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in equal amounts in this fertilizer.

These three nutrients are essential for good plant health, growth and root development, which is why it is such a popular all purpose fertilizer.

You can find this fertilizer in the form of 13-13-13 such as the Greenview All Purpose Fertilizer or it may be referred to as NPK fertilizer like this one: NPK simply stands for Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Potassium (K).

What Is Triple 13 Fertilizer For?

The majority of Triple 13 fertilizers are marketed as ‘all purpose’ gardening fertilizers that can be used on lawns and flower beds.

They are also perfect for vegetable gardens, patches, planting trees, pruning hedges and planting shrubberies.

Despite being great for all purposes, 13-13-13 fertilizer is often used for a quick release green up, rather than a slow release fertilizer.

As such, this kind of fertilizer often needs frequent re-applications wherever it is used, but especially in lawns, gardens, shrubs, hedges and trees.

If you do not like quick-release fertilizers due to the amount of times you have to reapply them, then you may be better off with a slower acting fertilizer.

How Do I Use Triple 13 Fertilizer

So, how do you even use 13-13-13 fertilizer? Well, generally speaking, it is advised that you use around 10 lbs of this type of fertilizer per 1,000 square feet of lawn or garden.

If you are using this type of fertilizer on an established lawn, you will also need to apply the triple 13 fertilizer just prior to the spring green up or at the start of the growing season.

Once you have first applied the triple 13 fertilizer, you should then top dress the lawns with about 7-8 lbs per 1,000 square feet of space every 8-10 weeks throughout the growing season.

For the best results, you will also want to avoid applying 13-13-13 fertilizer on wet grass as this is likely to cause fertilizer burn.

Therefore, you will want to avoid applying this fertilizer first thing in the morning, when there is dew or just after watering.

If you want to use this type of fertilizer on a newly planted lawn, then you will want to first apply around 15 lbs of fertilizer per 1,000 square feet of lawn or garden space.

Then, you will want to reapply during the growing season every 8-10 weeks as instructed above.

With these tips in mind, you will need around 43 lbs of triple 13 fertilizer per acre of space per application.

Therefore, you will want about 3 or 4 bags of 13-13-13 fertilizer per growing season for the best results.

Other Ways To Use Triple 13 Fertilizer

Most manufacturers of 13-13-13 fertilizer will market it as suitable for shrubbery, flower beds, trees, lawns, hedges and more.

However, how, when and the amount of fertilizer that you will need to use will vary from application to application.

This is why it is essential that you look at the recommended uses and timings on the bag of the fertilizer that you purchase.

For the most part, you will need to use more fertilizer on gardening applications than you would need to use on an established lawn.

That being said, when used properly and as instructed, 13-13-13 fertilizer will be a great choice as it can provide a quick greenup and can help your plants, lawns and trees develop healthy and strong roots for a garden that simply thrives for the years to come.