How Does a 10-10-10 Fertilizer Compare to a 5-5-5 Fertilizer?

TychoMonolyth · May 13, 2020

This is a very common question. Should I use a 10-10-10 fertilizer or a 5-5-5? What is the difference? The answer is simple. It doesn’t matter which you use because they provide the same relative amount of nutrients. It is however important that you use the correct amount of fertilizer.

When dealing with fertilizer there are two things that are important: the actual amount (the weight) and the ratio of nutrients.

The ratio is the relative amount of each nutrient. In the two examples above, there is an equal amount of each nutrient and so the ratio is 1:1:1 for both of them. In comparison, an NPK value of 20-10-10 has twice as much nitrogen as phosphorus or potassium and so the ratio is 2:1:1.

A 10-10-10 fertilizer has 10% of each nutrient and a 5-5-5 has 5% of each nutrient so a bag of 10-10-10 contains twice as much fertilizer as the same sized bag of 5-5-5. The 10-10-10 is more concentrated, but both have the same ratio.

Which one is best for your garden? It doesn’t matter since they have the same ratio. If you need to add equal amounts of N, P and K, either one works just as well. However, you will have to use twice as much of the 5-5-5 to provide the same level of nutrients as the 10-10-10.

The most important thing when buying fertilizer is to buy the correct ratio so that you get the correct relative amounts of nutrients. In general, a fertilizer with higher numbers is cheaper. Many of the liquid fertilizers on the market are very dilute, in the range of 1-1-1, and they are also some of the most expensive fertilizers you can buy. From a price point of view, always buy the one with the higher numbers, provided it has the correct ratio.

Read More Here: Fertilizer – Selecting The Right NPK Ratio

I'mback · May 13, 2020

Yup! Learned than during my Bonsai days

Fred Sanford · May 13, 2020

Thank you for sharing this Tycho. :tiphat:

St. Phatty · May 13, 2020

i'd go with the 5-5-5 and then supplement according to grow phase.

add nitrogen and maybe K for veg, add P&K for flowering.

TychoMonolyth · May 13, 2020

St. Phatty said:
i'd go with the 5-5-5 and then supplement according to grow phase.

add nitrogen and maybe K for veg, add P&K for flowering.

I will. But now I won't be sop flippant about adding "a bit of this, some of that, and I like this stuff so I'll add a lot." :biggrin:

(What can happen when if you don't read the label.)

JustSumTomatoes · May 14, 2020

Thanks for sharing Tycho, I always kind of assumed what you just explained but you clarified it for me. I've used 10-10-10 and 12-12-12 for both stages. For some reason my plants always starve for Nitrogen when going into flower, maybe an Indica thing?

smokinfat024 · May 14, 2020

Good info Tycho! I’ve always been curious what the difference between all the synthetic salts is? Like do some have metals in or do they all have metals? Are there more quality salts than others? Grow more is obviously dirt cheap but is it waaaay worse than fox farm stuff etc etc.

TychoMonolyth · May 14, 2020

JustSumTomatoes said:
Thanks for sharing Tycho, I always kind of assumed what you just explained but you clarified it for me. I've used 10-10-10 and 12-12-12 for both stages. For some reason my plants always starve for Nitrogen when going into flower, maybe an Indica thing?

Maybe N is just running out?

Everything I've read said that when your plants starts yellowing at the bottom and the odd leaf here and there, it's the plant consuming itself for the N.

JustSumTomatoes · May 14, 2020

That's what I figured since N washes out easily, and yeah the yellow leaves happen because the plant can't produce chlorophyll and sends it from the bottom to the top where all the light is at.

Hammerhead · May 14, 2020

I would use 10-10-10 if that's all you have.. Its closer to what I use now 8-5-13.. With 5-5-5 you will have to add supplements which adds more $$. If cost isn't an issue 5-5-5 with a boost in N/K

I'mback · May 14, 2020

Hammerhead said:
I would use 10-10-10 if that's all you have.. Its closer to what I use now 8-5-13.. With 5-5-5 you will have to add supplements which adds more $$. If cost isn't an issue 5-5-5 with a boost in N/K

You missed the point :tiphat:

voidpainter · May 15, 2020

We talking actual N-P-K or more like N-P205-K2O ?

Then that 10-10-10 is actually more like 10-4.5-8.3 ? That isn't equal P and K.

Hammerhead · May 15, 2020

I'mback said:
You missed the point

Sorry I didn't read your post. Than again you didn't post anything anyway. I got his point(There the same ratio) I would use 10-10-10. .

You may come across recommendations to use a specific “ratio” (rather than percentage) of nutrients and the NPK numbers still apply. For example, a balanced fertilizer of 5-5-5 (5% for each of the 3 nutrients) is also considered a ratio of 1-1-1 (equal parts). If the NPK was 15-5-5, the percentages would be 15%, 5%, 5% and the ratio would be 3-1-1.

What’s the difference between a 10-10-10 and a 5-5-5. there both 1-1-1. The 10-10-10 is stronger (since the fertilizer contains a higher amount of each nutrient) so you wouldn’t need to use as much of it as a 5-5-5. Im super happy using V&B Dirty 8-5-13..

troutman · May 15, 2020

Feed 1/2 as much 10-10-10 and you should get the same results as 5-5-5. :tiphat:

Do the math. :biggrin:

St. Phatty · May 15, 2020

10-10-10 is more likely to throw plants into the low pH run-off nutrient lockout problem.

I guess if it's Hydroponic, you can't use chicken manure.

Chicken Manure is a good organic 5-5-5 ish fertilizer. Seems like it's always 3-4-3 or 3-3-2. So the plants are getting some Nutrient Love.

I would start out 1/2 strength 5 5 5 just to see how it goes.

and if you have a friend that smokes they could always smoke a 555 to commemorate the occasion.

flylowgethigh · May 15, 2020

St. Phatty said:
10-10-10 is more likely to throw plants into the low pH run-off nutrient lockout problem.

I guess if it's Hydroponic, you can't use chicken manure.

Chicken Manure is a good organic 5-5-5 ish fertilizer. Seems like it's always 3-4-3 or 3-3-2. So the plants are getting some Nutrient Love.

The same soybean farmer that spreads my lime is the guy I get the chicken poop from. He swears he gets a lot more beans with poop, for all the trace elements. I have an order in for him to toss poop on my newly seeded pasture.

mexweed · May 15, 2020

doesn't always work how one would think and you can't know until you use it and see how the plants react

I use the 2-2-2 and the 1-1-1 I used before it at 2 tbsp/gallon

organic inputs, quality of salts, chelators etc

TychoMonolyth · May 15, 2020

mexweed said:
doesn't always work how one would think and you can't know until you use it and see how the plants react

I use the 2-2-2 and the 1-1-1 I used before it at 2 tbsp/gallon

organic inputs, quality of salts, chelators etc

So 2-2-2 @ 4 tbsp/gallon?
(Because 1-1-1 is more concentrated)

CrushnYuba · May 15, 2020

I don't think anyone has ever doubted the math 5-5-5 x2 = 10-10-10
I think people are more concerned about the form these nutrients are in. Especially since i see outdoor being almost exclusively being grown organically.

15-0-0 feather meal is completely different then 15-0-0 blood meal. The organic N in feather meal takes way longer to break down. That's just organic N. There's nitrate nitrogen, amonical nitrogen, and urea. All of them behave differently.

mexweed · May 15, 2020

I fed the 1-1-1 at 2 tbsp/gallon and also do the 2-2-2 at 2 tbsp/gallon

the 1-1-1 had bison compost, kelp, and fungi

the 2-2-2 is insect frass

the insect frass seems like it doesn't offer quite as much punch as far as what's instantaneously available

How Does a 10-10-10 Fertilizer Compare to a 5-5-5 Fertilizer?

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