"MICHELLE H." wrote in message

stuff snipped

I am hoping that someone can explain this to me. Is there something up
So my question is, why is it that with the drop spreader setting both
set at 5 and 1/2 both this year and last year, and doing the exact same
areas, why is it that last year we used 2 bags that were 14.29 pounds
each, of the "Regular" Turf Builder to do our lawn, but this year, it
only took 1 bag of the "Super" Turf Builder, which was 17.24 pounds.

There are a lot of factors that can effect the true "rate of spread per
square foot" - the granularity, which you've mentioned, the speed at which
you walk the spreader - which should remain constant but might not be.
There are all sort of properties of the fertilizer that might not show upon
casual inspection: Do the grains cling together more in one type? Is the
spreader functioning correctly? Are the wheels and mechanicals turning
freely? Was the the humidity higher this year than last?

You may also be running into a pyschological factor. If you know you have
to cover X with one bag you may subconciously speed up or slow down your
gait to adjust what you are spreading to make it last. I know when I am
approaching the bottom of the last can of paint, I will try to stretch it to
avoid buying another can and having most of it sit around.

If you still had the old stuff, you could test it by filling something like
empty soda bottles with each type to see which emptied faster just by
gravity. Any sort of clumping will seriously but perhaps imperceptibly slow
down the rate of application in a spreader but you should be able to see it
in a side-by-side test of the two substances.

I would send a note to Scott. Might get you a coupon for $'s off on the
next round.

--
Bobby G.