The Grade A shorthand representation of the minimum percentages guaranteed (by weight) for Total Nitrogen, Available Phosphate, and Soluble Potash, with each guarantee separated by a hyphen. In Figure 2, the grade is 5-3-3, which means that it is guaranteed to contain 5% nitrogen, 3% phosphate, and 3% potash. Therefore, in a 40 lb. bag of this fertilizer, there would be 2.0 lbs. of nitrogen, 1.2 pounds of available phosphate, and 1.2 lbs. of soluble potash. Net Weight All fertilizers must be sold on the basis of net weight (not volume). It is often better to compare the price per pound rather than total price because the net weights of different products often vary. Guaranteed Analysis This section states the minimum percentage by weight of plant nutrients. If the manufacturer claims a given nutrient, it must be guaranteed in this section.
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