What is 5-10-10 Fertilizer?

Many components go into making a luscious green lawn, a beautiful bed of flowers, or an abundant food garden. Water, sunlight, and soil health are some of the top contenders. 

But what about that plant’s nourishment? To learn more about sustaining and feeding plants throughout the growing cycle, you should look to fertilizer—and if you’re curious about a great option for your flowering or fruit plants or vegetable gardens, you should choose a 5-10-10 fertilizer. 

What is Fertilizer?

A fertilizer is a natural or manmade substance created with chemical elements to help plants grow and thrive. While the soil naturally contains components that will help plants mature, sometimes a fertilizer is needed to boost the soil’s nutrients to support the plants or grass you want to produce. (Often, previous crops will strip the soil of nutrients, making fertilizer necessary for future healthy plant growth.)

What Types of Fertilizer Exist?

Not all fertilizer is created equal. When choosing a lawn or garden fertilizer, you have two options: organic and chemical (or synthetic).

An organic fertilizer uses natural, carbon-containing materials like decomposed leaves, fish, animal manure, broken shells, and food compost, offering a more controlled and gradual distribution of nutrients. A chemical fertilizer contains rock fragments and a natural or nitrogen gas and delivers its nutrients all at once, creating a potential burn hazard for your plants or lawn.

Why Should I Choose an Organic Fertilizer?

The answer is safety, all the way around. An all-natural and organic fertilizer helps your plants develop more fully while being the most eco-friendly option. Your grass and plants will look fantastic, but you won’t have the burden of knowing that unwanted chemicals are polluting the water stream or are near your pets or children playing in the lawn on a beautiful spring day.

What Makes Up Fertilizer?

While organic and synthetic fertilizers are miles apart in how they’re made, they typically share several common elements—including sulfur, magnesium, and iron. However, three main ingredients stand out above the rest. All plant fertilizer is made up of the same three basic components that work together for the overall health of the plant:

• Nitrogen (N)
• Phosphorous (P)
• Potassium (K)

What Does Nitrogen (N) Do for Plants?

Nitrogen is the key component for a plant’s stem and leaf growth. It's a necessary part of the chlorophyll process, which makes the leaves green and helps plants photosynthesize. Nitrogen is especially beneficial for seeding new lawn growth.

What Does Phosphorous (P) Do for Plants?

Think of “pretty” when you think of phosphorous. While you won’t see it working hard under the soil, it is essential for developing the flowers and fruits you see on the outside of the plant and the root structure underneath. Vegetable gardens particularly appreciate the phosphorous from fertilizer.

What Does Potassium (K) Do for Plants?

Potassium acts like the legs of the fertilizer, supporting strong, healthy root formation. It also assists with flowering or fruiting. Potassium can help plants tolerate certain stresses, such as drought.

Why Are There Numbers on the Bag of Fertilizer?

There are traditional ways to “read” the type of fertilizer you’re purchasing to choose the right fertilizer for your plant’s needs. All fertilizers advertise three numbers, separated by dashes, corresponding to the specific parts by weight of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium—in that precise order—contained in that bag or bottle. 

Your plant’s needs and your soil’s health will determine the different percentages of nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium you choose for your fertilizer. In that regard, a fertilizer “reading” never changes—but your soil’s needs might have changed between growing seasons. Once you’ve conducted a soil test, you have a quick and easy way to know your soil’s health and which macronutrients your plants need most to thrive.

When Should You Use a 5-10-10 Fertilizer?

A 5-10-10 fertilizer contains one part of nitrogen (5%) to two equal parts of phosphorous and potassium (10% each). It is optimal for superb plant performance—especially for plants that flower or produce fruit. 

You specifically want to use a fertilizer with a lower nitrogen count in gardens where you’re trying to grow robust flowers (think a cutting garden or keeping your mom’s rose bush thriving) or hearty vegetables (tomato plants, in particular, love a 5-10-10 fertilizer). That’s because the higher phosphorous and potassium counts will encourage plants to bud, while the lower nitrogen count keeps the plant’s greenery from overtaking the flower production.

Rocky Mountain BioAg® has a 5-10-10 fertilizer that offers several benefits that are good for your budding plants and the rest of your outdoor spaces. Great choice for your garden because:

• It is crafted with precision
• It is easy to apply
• It enhances your soil’s fertility

RMBA’s 5-10-10 Fertilizer Is Crafted with Precision

Our 5-10-10 fertilizer is crafted precisely, offering exactly 5% nitrogen, 10% phosphorus, and 10% potassium in a granular application. These three elements work together in harmony to give you optimal plant performance. 

RMBA’s 5-10-10 Fertilizer Is Easy to Apply

The granular texture of our 5-10-10 fertilizer lends itself to easy application, either by hand or via a fertilizer spreader, catering to the needs of both beginner gardeners and seasoned growers. Just make sure to water the area you’ve fertilized immediately after application.

RMBA’s 5-10-10 Fertilizer Enhances Your Soil’s Fertility

Our 5-10-10 fertilizer’s nutrient-rich blend not only nourishes your plants. It also enhances your soil’s fertility, which allows you to keep growing luscious plants year after year. The boost of phosphorus stimulates a strong root system, while the balance of potassium contributes to improved flowering and fruiting.

When Should You Reconsider Using a 5-10-10 Fertilizer?

Sometimes, your needs may require you to opt for a different NPK combination than what you’ll find in a 5-10-10 fertilizer. As you’re evaluating your lawn’s seasonal needs, you might choose a fertilizer that is more balanced in nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium for even growing (think a 10-10-10 fertilizer). Or your soil’s needs might require you to prioritize one of the macronutrient elements at a much higher percentage than the other two (such as a 13-2-2 fertilizer, which is heavy on nitrogen).

You might also have different organic fertilizer needs for your garden. The great news is, Rocky Mountain BioAg® offers a wide variety of fertilizers and tools to help your green spaces stay lush and vibrant during every season.

Most importantly, with the help of our 5-10-10 fertilizer, your plants will be the healthiest they’ve ever been. Just think: You’ll have the best flower and vegetable gardens on the block!