Urea – Using A Substitute Product

Q: I sent a sample of soil to the Georgia Extension office. They say we need to use 46-0-0 on our lawn but I can’t find it anywhere. Can I use Milorganite?

A: Yes, you can use Milorganite, with an analysis of 5-2-0. The 46-0-0 fertilizer is commonly called urea. Milorganite has much less nitrogen than urea. Therefore, since it is nine times less concentrated, you would use nine times as much as the recommended urea. Example: if you were recommended to use two pounds of urea per 1000 square feet, you would apply eighteen pounds of Milorganite instead. The University of Georgia has a handy calculator that allows you to substitute locally available fertilizers for their laboratory recommendations at www.georgiafertilizer.com.

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