Wednesday, November 7, 2007 - 3:05 PM
269-6
Perception vs. Reality: How much nitrogen do homeowners put on their lawn?.
Perception vs. Reality: How much nitrogen do homeowners put on their lawn? Bruce J. Augustin, The Scotts MiracleGro Company, 14111 Scottslawn Road, Marysville, OH 43041.
Consumer behavior research and market share data from all 50 states, shows only half of all households with lawns apply lawn fertilizers during any given year. Approximately 75% of these homeowners apply fertilizers themselves (Do-It-Yourself or DIY), and while the other 25% of homeowners hire a lawn service company to make fertilizer applications. One or two fertilizer applications per year are the behavior practiced by 93% of DIY homeowners. Less than 6% of DIY homeowners apply three or four fertilizer applications per year. The proportions of these segments remain consistent from year to year, even though individual homeowners may switch between nonparticipation, DIY fertilizer applications, or lawn service companies. The typical DIY annual fertilizer application rate on a fertilized home lawn is 4 g N m-2 to 9 g N m-2. Typical homeowners use fertilizers at annual application rates 50 to 70% below published best management practices. Straight fertilizers constitute half of the annual retail lawn product sales with remainder sold as fertilizer with pesticide combination products. Similar competitive products and dose packaging found in retail stores limit the variety homeowner lawn fertilizer choices. The DIY home lawn fertilizer segment is less than 2% of the total annual US fertilizer consumption.
Consumer behavior research and market share data from all 50 states, shows only half of all households with lawns apply lawn fertilizers during any given year. Approximately 75% of these homeowners apply fertilizers themselves (Do-It-Yourself or DIY), and while the other 25% of homeowners hire a lawn service company to make fertilizer applications. One or two fertilizer applications per year are the behavior practiced by 93% of DIY homeowners. Less than 6% of DIY homeowners apply three or four fertilizer applications per year. The proportions of these segments remain consistent from year to year, even though individual homeowners may switch between nonparticipation, DIY fertilizer applications, or lawn service companies. The typical DIY annual fertilizer application rate on a fertilized home lawn is 4 g N m-2 to 9 g N m-2. Typical homeowners use fertilizers at annual application rates 50 to 70% below published best management practices. Straight fertilizers constitute half of the annual retail lawn product sales with remainder sold as fertilizer with pesticide combination products. Similar competitive products and dose packaging found in retail stores limit the variety homeowner lawn fertilizer choices. The DIY home lawn fertilizer segment is less than 2% of the total annual US fertilizer consumption.
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