Caked fertilizer: best way to use?

[Percival P. Cassidy]

We have half a large bag of Scott's SummerGuard fertilizer that has
large caked lumps in it -- not clumps of granules, but huge
"crystalline" blocks. I don't think it ever came in contact with water;
rather, it absorbed moisture from the atmosphere.

It's too late to use it this year, but is there a reasonable way of
using it next year? Dissolve it in water and spray it on the lawn? But
how to calculate the application rate?

Perce

[Ed Pawlowski]

My first option would be to call Scotts and see what they have to say.
I think they may be able to help.
Call Us. Scotts Help Center experts are available toll-free at
1-888-270-3714.

My next option would be to weigh portion of the good stuff and then
spread it. If say, 5 pounds covered 500 feet you figure a pound per
hundred. Then I'd dissolve a pound of the chunk in water and spray
that over the same pound (or whatever) per hundred square feet. .

[Percival P. Cassidy]

On 09/05/13 06:49 pm, Ed Pawlowski wrote:
> On Thu, 05 Sep 2013 18:42:41 -0400, "Percival P. Cassidy"
> <Nob...@NotMyISP.net> wrote:
>
>> We have half a large bag of Scott's SummerGuard fertilizer that has
>> large caked lumps in it -- not clumps of granules, but huge
>> "crystalline" blocks. I don't think it ever came in contact with water;
>> rather, it absorbed moisture from the atmosphere.
>>
>> It's too late to use it this year, but is there a reasonable way of
>> using it next year? Dissolve it in water and spray it on the lawn? But
>> how to calculate the application rate?
>>
>> Perce
>
>
> My first option would be to call Scotts and see what they have to say.
> I think they may be able to help.
> Call Us. Scotts Help Center experts are available toll-free at
> 1-888-270-3714.

Probably worth a try.

> My next option would be to weigh portion of the good stuff and then
> spread it. If say, 5 pounds covered 500 feet you figure a pound per
> hundred. Then I'd dissolve a pound of the chunk in water and spray
> that over the same pound (or whatever) per hundred square feet. .

It might not be as simple as that: some substances "grab hold of" the
water molecules when they get wet and then crystallize, so a given
weight of the crystalline stuff might not be equivalent in potency to
the same weight of the granules.

Perce

[Ashton Crusher]

On Thu, 05 Sep 2013 18:42:41 -0400, "Percival P. Cassidy"
<Nob...@NotMyISP.net> wrote:

Soak it good with diesel fuel, then set off a blasting cap in the
middle of it. that will break it up.

[man...@toolshed.com]

On Thu, 05 Sep 2013 18:49:17 -0400, Ed Pawlowski <e...@snet.net> wrote:

>My first option would be to call Scotts and see what they have to say.
>I think they may be able to help.
>Call Us. Scotts Help Center experts are available toll-free at
>1-888-270-3714.

That would be a waste of time. They would tell him to toss it in the
trash and buy a new bag. They dont want to lose a sale!

[The Daring Dufas]

I wonder if you could wrap the clumps in some old canvas or even an old
towel then bust up the clumps with a hammer? O_o

TDD

[Oren]

On Thu, 05 Sep 2013 22:43:14 -0500, The Daring Dufas
<the-dari...@stinky-finger.net> wrote:

>
>I wonder if you could wrap the clumps in some old canvas or even an old
>towel then bust up the clumps with a hammer? O_o

BINGO!

I've had some that clumped-up about the size of baseballs and broke up
it up with just my hand.

[Percival P. Cassidy]

But, as I wrote originally, these are solid crystalline blocks, not
merely clumps of granules. No matter how small I manage to crush these
lumps, they still aren't going to work in the spreader -- and even if
they did, there is now way to measure the "dosage" reliably.

Perce

[Oren]

On Fri, 06 Sep 2013 14:34:16 -0400, "Percival P. Cassidy"
<Nob...@NotMyISP.net> wrote:

>> I've had some that clumped-up about the size of baseballs and broke up
>> it up with just my hand.
>
>But, as I wrote originally, these are solid crystalline blocks, not
>merely clumps of granules. No matter how small I manage to crush these
>lumps, they still aren't going to work in the spreader -- and even if
>they did, there is now way to measure the "dosage" reliably.
>
>Perce

Sounds like a good reason to buy new fertilizer. And skip trying to
figure it all out.

[Tekkie®]

The Daring Dufas posted for all of us...

And I know how to SNIP

Sell it a kitty litter.

--
Tekkie

[hrho...@sbcglobal.net]

On Thursday, September 5, 2013 5:42:41 PM UTC-5, Percival P. Cassidy wrote:
> We have half a large bag of Scott's SummerGuard fertilizer that has large caked lumps in it -- not clumps of granules, but huge "crystalline" blocks. I don't think it ever came in contact with water; rather, it absorbed moisture from the atmosphere. It's too late to use it this year, but is there a reasonable way of using it next year? Dissolve it in water and spray it on the lawn? But how to calculate the application rate? Perce.

Canvas bag and sledge hammer or drive over it with a heavy vehicle. Or, dissolve it with water and spray water on lawn, or use it around plants in a flower bed or foundation planting.

[tra...@optonline.net]

That fertilizer is made to dissolve slowly over time.
If he dissolves it and then sprays it, he's getting nitrogen
that is supposed to be released over about 4 to 6 weeks all at once.
He could still do it, but he'd have to reduce the application rate
appropriately. If he does, I'd start by testing it on a small section.

I'd say use it for something other than the lawn, but the formulation
isn't very suitable for general plant use. And doesn't Summerguard
have insecticide or herbicide in it too?