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Help keep your yard lush and green with these plant food spreaders .
In This Article
Better Homes & Gardens
A spectacular immature , lush lawn does n’t total well . It want ongoing maintenance , include regular applications of fertiliser , which not only keeps your grass looking great , but also makes it more resistant to weeds and disease . A fertilizer broadcaster can avail you apply farinaceous products quickly and evenly .
Nick Wren , merchant of fertilizers and cum at The Home Depot say , “ Lawn or fertiliser spreaders can make maintaining your railway yard easy and more effective . It help you evenly distribute fertilizer and other lawn care products around your yard . ”
Credit:Better Homes & Gardens
As you deliberate different choice , look for knobs and levers that make it easy to change the flow pace to suit your specific fertilizer . Heavy responsibility or untarnished steel will also raise the durability of the broadcaster . And keep in judgment that a fertilizer broadcaster should rival the sizing of your yard .
What We Researched
There are several types of fertilizer spreaders usable , includinghandheld spreaders , cliff spreader , and program spreader . We evaluatedtypeas well ascoveragein substantial feet when making our selections .
Our Top Picks
Best Overall
Scotts Elite Spreader
This broadcaster features a generous capacity and a 6 - animal foot wide spread pattern to belt along up fertilizing tasks — all at an low-priced price .
Since it ’s a button model , rather than a tow - behind example , it might not be the best choice for a large land area .
This program spreader make high scrape because it covers a big amount of distance quickly and is relatively affordable . It holds up to 20,000 satisfying feet of fertiliser , making it a good choice for quickly treating medium to heavy pace .
Credit: Scotts
Several commodious feature of speech are also included with this role model . duple rotors below the hopper help increase the broadcaster ’s accuracy and assure the fertilizer is spread expeditiously . A 6 - understructure - wide spread pattern is wide enough to help you make fewer trips across the lawn so you could get the business done promptly .
Durable 10 - inch froth tires serve it well move over approximate terrain , and there is a equipment that can block the right side of the spray normal to help you forefend spray fertilizer onto your private road or sidewalk . Plus , we love the ergonomic handle with a smartphone holder .
You do ask to assemble it , but only minor forum is required . Because this broadcaster is one that you push , rather than tow behind a UTV or tractor , it is likely not as profound duty as you would require for a property of several estate or more .
Credit: Amazon
production item : Type : Broadcast spreader |Size:20.07 x 23.31 x 23.63 inches |Weight:19.75 pounds |Coverage : Up to 20,000 substantial foot
Key Terms to Know
Scotts Turf Builder Mini Broadcast Spreader
This mini spreader comes amply meet and pre - calibrated so you’re able to get to work right away .
It only hold up to 5,000 square foot of fertilizer .
This programme spreader is small but mighty , thanks to convenient features that make it well-off to applylawn fertiliser , as well as a variety of other lawn care product . We love the fact that it comes amply assembled so you’re able to get right-hand to work fertilise your lawn .
Credit: Amazon
Another bonus : it admit an boundary guard , which when activated will block off the right side of the spray traffic pattern and forbid fertilizer from spray onto driveways , sidewalks , or flush bottom . A curved groundball and a dual - bladed agitator were designed to ameliorate performance on this framework . These features assist ensure that the fertilizer is swimmingly funnel from the hopper and systematically treat the area you ’re treating .
This little broadcast broadcaster view as up to 5,000 satisfying metrical foot of fertiliser . You simply satisfy the grounder with granular plant food , turn over the dial to the right scope ( per the fertiliser ’s directions ) , and begin walking frontward , squeezing the trigger to issue the fertiliser onto your grounds .
Durable , open - spoke wheels help oneself you easily press the broadcaster over rough terrain and the fold - down handle and compact sizing makes storage prosperous even when quad is tight . This broadcaster is upright for humble lawns , or it can serve as an additional spreader to pull out when you are run in little areas near trees , flowerbeds , or paseo . In addition to give fertilizer , it also works well forgrass seed , weed restraint products , and ice thawing .
Credit: Amazon
production item : eccentric : Broadcast broadcaster |Size:20 x 45.25 x 16 in |Weight:10.67 pound |Coverage : Up to 5,000 straight feet
Best Splurge
EarthWay Commercial Broadcast Fertilizer Spreader
This commercial spreader is built tough to last a long fourth dimension , plus it offer commodious feature film such as an adjustable grip and clog dance - barren engineering science .
It ’s heavy for a programme spreader at 26 pound .
The various type and size of fertilizer spreaders vary greatly , but if you are looking for a walk - behind fertilizer for medium - sized property , there are many reasons to splurge for this model .
Credit: Amazon
Sturdy 13 - in pneumatic rivet tires help you easily push the spreader over uneven dry land . Additionally , the gear box is in full enclosed , help the broadcaster last longer and allowing you to run it in dampish condition . An epoxy coated frame and rust fungus - proof poly hopper also enhance durability . The broadcaster also includes a hopper screen to serve break up any clumps of fertilizer and prevent clogs .
We like the fact that the handgrip can be adjusted to three different heights , and we appreciate the side - facing pages feature that allows you to control the left-hand side spread and avoid spraying fertilizer into flower bed or onto your driveway or pavement . Instead of having just one maw on the bottom of the ground ball like many other models , this fertilizer spreader has three , which help ensure more ordered coverage .
The groundball ’s 50 - Lebanese pound capacity is more than enough for average - sized yard , but it ’s not large enough to be convenient for properties that are more than an acre in size . This broadcast spreader also weigh 26 pounds , so it might be tiring to press .
Credit: The Home Depot
Product Details : Type : Broadcast spreader |Size:24.75 x 16 x 15 inch |Weight:26 pound |Coverage : Not Listed
Best Pull-Behind
Agri-Fab 130-Pound Tow Behind Spreader
boast a heavy hopper that can hold up to 130 pounds of material , this tow - behind broadcaster help you cover a lot of ground quickly .
It is not designed to work with zero - twist mower and does require gathering .
If you have a larger attribute , the good fertiliser spreaders are likely models that you could sequester to a UTV or garden tractor , like the Agri - Fab 130 - hammering Tow Behind Broadcast Spreader . This broadcaster features a hopper with a generous capacity and several smart features designed to keep it work for years .
Credit: Tractor Supply
The hopper , made of sturdy credit card , defend 130 pounds of material , which is enough to report up to 25,000 hearty infantry or about half an Accho before it needs to be refilled . The spread width is 10 to 12 foot — much grown than most fertiliser spreaders that you drive from behind , but not as wide as the example that attach to a full - size of it tractor .
The 13 - column inch pneumatic wheels are 4 in thick and elusive enough to make it over a multifariousness of terrain . The hardware on the spreader is design to resist corrosion , and the gear case is enclosed and obliterable to make maintenance wanton . The spreader features a cosmopolitan hitch , so it can be attached to any brand of lawn mower or tractor . The menses controller lever is easy to touch from the tractor ’s arse .
alas , this broadcaster was not designed to work withzero - turn tease mowers — only lawn and garden tractors . Since the spreader take to be attached to a garden tractor , it would not bring well for pocket-sized yards .
Product item : case : Tow - Behind Broadcast Spreader |Size:46 x 27.1 x 31.5 inches |Weight:37 lbs . |Coverage : up to 25,000 straightforward feet
Best Handheld
Brinly All-Season Handheld Spreader
This little fertilizer spreader is lightweight at just 1.05 pounds .
Because it ’s small , the groundball sizing is limited , so it would be time consuming to apply on a gravid lawn .
This hand-held spreader is a commodious prick for small yards and intemperately - to - reach areas . We love that it ’s lightweight at just 1.05 pounds , so it ’s easy to carry around . The hop-picker holds up to a one-half gallon of material , so although it wo n’t be enough for large area , it works well when spread fertiliser around pavement , flowerbeds , and other landscape gardening features .
The ground ball ’s contoured mouth shape is plan to make fill it easily . You simply turn the knob to set the fabric flow rate and use the ergonomic trigger grip and handwriting crank to spread fertilizer on your curtilage . It also works well for crank melt in the winter and can be used to reseed a little area of grass as well . It disperse material up to 5 foot , which is a respectable distance for a hand-held broadcaster .
This plant food spreader is durably made with a heavy duty hopper , hold in gears , and brand - plate hardware . It can be a neat redundant spreader to have on hand for small areas , even if you own a great property , but it ’s not gravid enough to be the sole fertilizer spreader if you have a railway yard any bigger than 1,500 square feet or so .
Product Details : Type : Handheld broadcaster |Size:7 x 9.25 x 8.63 inches |Weight:1.05 pounds |Coverage : Not Listed
Best Electric
Ryobi One+ Power Spreader
This handheld broadcaster is herculean enough to spread fertiliser up to 15 feet in width , and it let you easily align the flow charge per unit and spread width .
The battery and charger for this spreader are sold severally .
This small handheld spreader is loose to carry since it only weighs 3 pounds . But do n’t permit its compact size of it sucker you — it can cover a width of up to 15 metrical unit . Thanks to a powerful motor and a rechargeable 18V battery , it can continue up to 5,000 square pes before you need to refill the 1 - gallon tank .
This hand-held spreader let in an adjustable flow rate boss so you could calibrate it for the specific product you are applying ( check the instructions on your fertilizer package ) . A sliding lever lets you adjust the area where the fertiliser will be spread to give you more precise control in small areas or a wider spread in gravid , undetermined country .
You eject the fertilizer by squeezing the trigger - flair handle on the broadcaster as you are walking . In addition to granular fertilizer , this handheld spreader can be used to enforce pellet grass seminal fluid , weed controller intersection , and water ice melt .
If you own other tools from the Ryobi 18V ONE+ prick line , you’re able to use the same stamp battery and battery charger for this broadcaster . If not , the price of the spreader will be high because you ’ll need to purchase the assault and battery and charger one by one .
intersection Details : Type : Handheld broadcaster |Size:8.25 x 11.5 x 8.25 in |Weight:3 pounds |Coverage : Up to 5,000 square foot
Best Three-Point
CountyLine Fertilizer Spreader
This fertilizer broadcaster can attach to a tractor and help you well fertilise multi - acre properties .
It ’s too large to habituate in areas airless to a theatre or around bloom beds .
If you have several estate or more of land that you need to fertilise , the honest plant food spreaders are the single that can attach to the back of a tractor . This case of spreader attaches to the tractor ’s three - point snag ; they are often used for seeding plants as well . In addition , they can be used to apply ice melt on the long driveway that are plebeian in many rural area .
The CountyLine Three - Point Fertilizer Spreader broadcaster feature a grounder with an 850 - pound capacity — so it ’s ready for any magnanimous holding . The hopper and frame are both made of steel to add durability and the fivesome ( which aid control where the fertiliser granule are flip ) are also made of galvanized steel . When applying the fertilizer with this spreader , you could drive up to 7 mile per hour and spread fertilizer in widths between 12 and 46 feet .
Because the spread width is so bombastic , this fertilizer broadcaster will not work out well if you need to disperse fertilizers or other fabric around the mansion or flower bed . You may postulate to purchase a disjoined handheld or press broadcaster for little areas that call for more precision . Because it ’s a larger , heavy - duty spreader it also costs considerably more than the fertiliser spreaders that are handheld or manually pushed .
Product Details : Type : Three - decimal point broadcast spreader |Size:51 x 27 x 40 inch |Weight:207 pounds |Coverage : Not list
The Bottom Line
After researching a motley of fertiliser spreaders , we chose theScotts Elite Spreaderas the best fertilizer spreader because it offers a generous coverage area and a slew of commodious features at an affordable Leontyne Price . It ’s a enceinte pick for average - size lawns .
What to Know Fertilizer Spreaders Before Shopping
Type
There are three main types of fertiliser spreader : handheld spreaders , bead spreaders , and broadcast spreaders . The best option for your property depends a wad on the size of your yard . “ If you havea small lawn , consider a hand-held or drop broadcaster , ” Wren says . “ If your lawn is on the larger size of it , look at opt for a broadcast broadcaster . ”
hand-held spreaders have a small hopper because they involve to be small enough to be carry around as you are employ fertiliser . Therefore , it may take many refills to cover a large area .
bead spreader literally send away the fertilizer between the two wheels , rather than spread it farther out . Some models are design to be push and others are towed behind a UTV or garden tractor . “ A fall broadcaster is good for precise app program on diminished lawns and sphere around garden bed and shrubs , ” Wren enunciate .
Broadcast spreaders , meanwhile , are the best option for tumid sphere because they normally have the largest outspread widths . “ Broadcast spreaders differ from a bead spreader in that it has a fan or wheel that ramble the product wider than the wheelbase . The leeway created with each notch overlap to provide consistent coverage , ” Wren says .
Coverage Area and Capacity
As you are choosing a fertilizer spreader for your yard , you should count the capability of each model , as this will affect how much area you’re able to cover before you need to fill again the hopper .
hand-held spreaders need to be small enough to be carried , so their capability is limited and each hopper will cut through a small size of it of yard compare to drip spreader or take the air - behind programme broadcaster . you could always fill again the hopper with more mathematical product , but this total time and is less commodious .
Drop spreaders have a larger hopper than hand-held spreaders , and their coverage expanse is commonly larger . However , since the stuff drops down between the tires rather than being spread out into a all-embracing surface area by a programme broadcaster , it will take more passes to continue the same amount of area as a broadcast spreader .
Pull - behind ( also called towage - behind ) pass around spreaders that can be attached to a lawn or farm tractor ( such as theAgri - Fab 130 - Egyptian pound Tow Behind Broadcast Spreader ) commonly have the large capacity and with child reportage area of the various type of spreaders .
Uses
A sound fertilizer spreader can be used for many different character of lawn care products — not just fertilizer . “ Fertilizer spreaders can be used to apply almost any flowable solid , ” saysBob Mann , senior director of technical and regulative thing at the National Association of Landscape Professionals .
“ pot seed will readily feed through a broadcaster , as will pelletized basswood . ” If you require to apply white calcium oxide , a drop spreader will be your good alternative since it wo n’t flow through other types of fertilizer spreaders . “ you’re able to also use plant food spreaders to hold deicing common salt , ” Mann says . Just be sure to keep them clean during the wintertime to prevent corroding . ”
Your Questions, Answered
How long do fertilizer spreaders last?
Fertilizer spreaders can easily last several years or more , and right care and maintenance can avail extend the life of these tools . Always wash your broadcaster after you use it — and let it dry out in the sunshine . You ’ll also want to check the possessor ’s manual of arms for other maintenance recommendation . Some gears and axle bearings should be greased , but others wo n’t last as long if you apply grease .
take the right product can also serve a fertiliser spreader last longer . “ The one thing you should quash is purchasing a fertilizer spreader that is made with mild steel , ” Mann says . “ Fertilizer and mild sword do not get along well . Choose either a spreader made from stout credit card or unsullied steel . ”
TheEarthway 2150 50 - Pound Commercial Broadcast Spreader , for lesson , features a grounder made from rust - proof poly , an epoxy coated ball field chassis , and a full insert gear boxwood to insure prospicient - full term durability .
How much does fertilizing cost?
The toll of fertilizing your yard can change greatly , count upon the size of your K and the type of spreader and fertilizer that you choose . Typically , small fertilizer spreaders , especially handheld spreaders , are the most affordable options . TheBrinly 5 - Pound All - Season Handheld Spreader , for case , costs just $ 29 .
However , larger fertilizer spreaders tend to be more expensive . TheCountyLine Three - Point Fertilizer Spreader , which has an 850 - lbf. capacity , is price at almost $ 1,000 . This fashion model is well - suit for multi - acre properties — the cost of a fertilizer broadcaster typically increase as the size of your lawn increases .
To figure out the full price of fecundate your yard , you ’ll also have to factor in the price of the fertilizer itself — and that can alter greatly too . Handheld , drop , and broadcast spreader are all design to spread grainy fertilizers , rather than fluid plant food , which are sprayed on the lawn . But not all farinaceous fertilizer is created adequate .
“ There are large differences in the lineament of fertilizer uncommitted and you get what you make up for , ” Mann says . He commend following the “ four Rs ” of fertilizing to make the most of the money you spend and maximize the quality of your lawn . This mean choose the veracious eccentric of fertiliser , and applying it at the right rate , the right time of twelvemonth , and the right place .
Who We Are
Renee Freemon Mulvihillis a writer speciate in home and garden theme . To research this article , she investigated products online and contactedBob Mann , aged director of technical and regulatory affair at the National Association of Landscape Professionals , andNick Wren , merchant of fertilizers and source at The Home Depot , to find out more about the differences between various types of fertiliser and the most significant feature to view . She also considered coverage region , capacity , and employ in narrowing down our list of the best fertiliser spreaders .
