Triple 16 Fertilizer: It’s Use and 3 Best Organic Alternatives

Triple 16 fertilizer is a chemical fertilizer that has been in use in traditional farming for many years. Being an organic gardener I personally use compost to improve my soil. And in this blog also I write mostly about organic gardening. 

This post is all about using triple 16 fertilizer to fertilize your garden and should you or should you not use it.

What is Triple 16 Fertilizer?

Triple 16 is a chemical fertilizer that contains 16% of Nitrogen, 16% Phosphorus, and 16% Potassium by weight. You can also call it NPK 16-16-16. 

This means in 100 pounds of triple 16 fertilizer you will get 16 pounds of Nitrogen, Phosphorus, and Potassium. The “other” 52 pounds in the bag is inert filler material such as very fine gravel or sand, and some trace elements. 

It is a popular brand in America and it is known to increase the growth of your lawn and garden. 

Triple 16 Fertilizer Uses:

Triple 16 is a general purpose fertilizer or “balanced fertilizer”, which means you can use it to increase the soil fertility in general. It will increase the NPK levels of the soil and also add some trace elements to the soil.

Just remember being a chemical fertilizer triple 16 can cause some long term problems to the soil. But if you want to use it anyway, go slow and always use the fertilizer in very low concentration.

General-Purpose Fertilizer Vs Special-Purpose Fertilizers:

General purpose fertilizers are intended for most plants throughout the growing season. They usually have either equal amounts of N-P-K (like 16-16-16, for example) or a slightly higher percentage of nitrogen than of phosphorus and potassium (like 12-8-6). 

General purpose fertilizers are a simple solution to getting your plants off to a great start.

One size doesn’t fit all when it comes to plant nutrition. Special-purpose fertilizers are designed to meet the needs of specific plants in certain situations. If you’re a professional gardener, you might select a special-purpose fertilizer, which delivers an exact ratio of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium to meet your gardening goals.

While most fertilizers are designed for many situations, special-purpose fertilizers are ideal for specific crops or landscapes.

When to Fertilize Your Laws:

Using the right type of fertilizer in the right amount is important for all plants. The amount of fertilizer you need depends on the type of plant, existing soil nutrient levels, and when you want to use it (planting, growing season, or before winter). 

It is difficult to answer, the best way of knowing if you need to fertilize your plants is to have the soil tested. Lawns, particularly, can be injured by applying too much fertilizer.

Does It Really Help You Grow A Better Lawn:

Triple 16 fertilizers have a fast punch of nitrogen and way too much phosphorus for lawns. The nitrogen and potassium amount will definitely help the grass to grow and thrive but phosphorus will encourage flowering. Now, ask yourself do you really want that in your laws? 

So rather than using a 16-16-16 combination of NPK use a 30–3–10 to fertilize your lawns. 

Alternative To Triple 16 Fertilizer:

Now, If you’re looking for a non-toxic alternative to synthetic triple 16 fertilizer, I can help. 

There is a better way to fertilize your lawns without using triple 16 fertilizers. Organic Lawn Fertilizers are 100% organic, contains no chemicals or synthetics, and are very safe for your family and the environment.

Organic Lawn Fertilizer:

Organic lawn fertilizer is free from chemicals and pesticides. These fertilizers are derived from natural materials and if you combine them wisely you will get astonishing results in no time. It is not something new, and has been around for a long time.

Organic fertilizers are basically of two types:

1. Plant based organic fertilizers and,
2. Animal based organic fertilizers 

Plant Based Organic Fertilizers:

As the name suggests plant-based organic fertilizers are made from mainly plants. Plants-based fertilizers may not last as long as some other sustainable alternatives, but they are usually the safest way to prepare the land and you can mostly apply with an open field setup. 

Things like alfalfa meal, cottonseed meal, molasses etc are common examples of plant based organic fertilizers.

Animal Based Organic Fertilizers:

Animal-based fertilizers contain nitrogen, phosphorous, and potassium. These are derived from animals, such as bone meal from a cow, a blood meal from a pig, or manure from a horse or chicken. 

Animal based fertilizers are great for lawns. They bring a lot of nitrogen to the soil and are perfect at the start of the planting season. 

Some of the most commonly used animal-based organic fertilizers are manures, Bat guano, blood meal, bone meal, Fish emulsion etc.

Now, if you are committed to making a beautiful lawn using organic fertilizers but don’t have the time to prepare them yourself, you can buy readymade organic lawn fertilizers. 

I have compiled 3 of the best fertilizers here and the best part is you can buy them with a click and deliver them directly to your house. 

There are many ways to enhance the looks of your lawn, but not all fertilizers are helping you attain a greener grass. In this post I have shared my thoughts on triple 16 fertilizer and its organic alternatives. 

I will always encourage you to go for the organic options but it is up to you to decide which one suits you. 

Thanks for reading the post. Happy gardening.