Fun Facts About Fertilizer

Unless you work in agriculture (or have a lawn tidy enough to pass for a golf course), you probably don’t think about fertilizer very often. Considered “plant food,” fertilizer is any natural or synthetic substance added to soil to boost nutrients and growth. To help you dig into the basics, we’ve compiled a list of fun facts about fertilizer.

The numbers on fertilizer bags show the amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium (in that order). They are referred to as NPK for their chemical symbols. Different ratios serve different needs. For example, a balanced ratio, like 10-10-10, supports overall plant health and green growth.
Nitrogen (N, the first number on the bag) promotes vibrant leaves and plant vigor. Nitrogen gives plants their lush, green color and is recommended for lawns and leafy vegetables.
Phosphorus (P, the second number on the bag) promotes root development and blooms. Phosphorus fertilizer is recommended for young plants and is essential for the development of large root systems.
Potassium (K, the third number on the bag) promotes plant health and hardiness against heat, cold and disease. Potassium fertilizer is recommended for fruit- or bloom-producing plants and helps with stem strength.
The Haber-Bosch process revolutionized fertilizer production and earned both its namesakes Nobel Prizes in chemistry. Because of the Haber-Bosch process, we are able to feed the world. The discovery is responsible for roughly half of the world’s food, fiber, and fuel.
The United States uses about 20 million metric tons of fertilizer each year. Historically, nitrogen is the most commonly needed nutrient.
Fertilizer has a huge impact on the United States economy. According to The Fertilizer Institute, fertilizer supports 20,197 jobs in Kansas alone.
Billions of people are fed by food grown thanks to fertilizer. Nearly half of the world’s food supply is estimated to be produced using fertilizer (specifically, nitrogen fertilizer).
The world’s population would be much lower without synthetic fertilizers. If not for fertilizer, one estimate says the global population may be constrained at 4 billion people – that's about 4 billion less than our current population.
Kansas has the seventh largest primary plant nutrient (NPK) usage in the U.S. Sixty-seven percent of fertilizer being used is applied between January and June.

Nutrients for Life (one of our partner organizations) spreads soil health knowledge and explains the role fertilizer plays in sustaining a growing population and strong communities. Find games and activities for students, information for parents and teachers and more.

Ready to buy some fertilizer to help your garden thrive? If you’re new to this landscape, check out our gardening guide for beginners. Whether you put these fertilizer facts to work in your own backyard or simply enjoyed learning something new, we hope you found a fresh reason to appreciate what helps plants grow.