We live in an era of options. Fertilizer choices are no different. While it is nice to have many choices, it can be overwhelming!
Scotts and Sta-Green are two of the top sellers for fertilizer. What is the difference between the brands? What are the similarities? Which one is best for your yard? Let’s explore both brands and find out!
Which brand is best for you?
Both of these brands are trusted tried-and-true lawn care options! If you’re looking for lots of variety and a very specific product, Scott’s has more variety in their product.
You may be asking, is Sta-Green as good as Scotts?
- Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Food feeds and strengthens grass to help protect against future problems
- Fertilizer builds strong, deep roots and improves the lawn’s ability to absorb water and nutrients…
- Apply lawn care product to a wet or dry lawn
- Grass fertilizer works on any grass type
If you are tech-savvy, you may appreciate the Scotts app. The app can help you design and troubleshoot a lawn care regime. Sta-Green makes use of a newer chemical compound, plus utilizes a high level of iron in their products.
| Sta Green | Scotts | |
| Founder | DeWitt Alexander Parker | Orlando McNeal Scott |
| Year Founded | 1904 | 1868 |
| Price | Mid-range | High |
| Active Ingredient | Prodiamine | Pendimethalin |
| Results | Slow-release formula with quickly absorbed granules. | Quick results with Nitrogen release formula. |
| Plant Feed Size | Fine grain formula | Large grain formula |
| Efficacy | Results are usually seen within one application. | Long-term efficacy. |
About Sta-Green Fertilizer
Who makes Sta Green products?
Sta-Green Fertilizer was originally called Sylacauga Fertilizer Company, then Parker Fertilizer Company, after its founder, DeWitt Alexander Parker (1866-1930). DeWitt started the Sylacauga Fertilizer Company in 1904 with partner John Brown. From the beginning, their product was in high demand.
The Parker Fertilizer Company was handed down to DeWitt’s son, Howard Arrington Parker (1896-1964). His first fertilizer for the yard was Sta-Green plant food, which he introduced in the 1950s.
His son-in-law, Jimmy Pursell (1930-2020), became his partner and helped the Sta-Green name become well-known in Alabama and beyond.
The company is now known as Pursell industries and is in the hands of DeWitt’s great-grandson Taylor (1955-present). Taylor carries on his family’s legacy of high-quality fertilizer and agricultural products.
Sta-Green and Parker Fertilizer Company are best known for their slow-release lawn soil fertilizers. Their use of sulfur-coated urea was ground-breaking in the 1970s, and they were the first fertilizer company to open their own sulfur coated urea factory.
What’s unique about Sta-Green?
Sta-Green’s lawn-specific products include weed and feed, all-purpose lawn fertilizer, lawn starter, and winterizer fertilizer.
Their products are carried by Lowe’s, and a few products can be found online.
Consumers wonder, is Sta Green fertilizer organic?
Sta-Green fertilizer is not certified organic. The fertilizer utilizes a slow-release formula that contains 2% iron. Other active ingredients include Nitrogen, Potassium, and Phosphorus. Sta-Green fertilizer is appropriate for all grass types.
Pros
- Sta-Green produces long-lasting results and gets rave reviews. Because Sta-Green is a slow-release fertilizer, one application will keep working for up to three months!
- This fertilizer will work well on any variety of actively growing grass.
- Sta-Green is typically priced lower than the competitors.
- A high concentration of iron will produce healthy grass.
- Sta-Green uses Prodiamine as a preemergent. Prodiamine was developed in the last 10 years and may be more effective as a crabgrass preventer.
- Fertilizer granules are fine, which makes them easy to spread, and they break down quickly.
Cons
- There are fewer varieties and sizes of Sta-Green available than other brands. I could only find all the Sta-Green products at Lowe’s.
- A slow-release fertilizer will not produce quick results for a yard that is declining.
- Improper application can damage your lawn due to the high levels of nitrogen in Sta-Green’s products.
- Information about the Sta-Green company is difficult to find, and I could not find a central website with troubleshooting information.
About Scotts Fertilizer
Scotts is a well-known company with a wide variety of products. They also own the brands Miracle-Gro, TomCat, EarthGro, RoundUp, and Ortho.
Scotts was started in 1868 by Orlando McNeal Scott in Ohio. He originally sold seed for agriculture but, in the early 1900s, transitioned to selling grass seed for homeowners. Until 1924, Scotts products were not carried in stores and could only be ordered through the mail. Now, Scotts is one of the first fertilizer brands you see in most stores!
Orlando wasn’t just the first person to sell grass seed commercially; he also developed the spreader. This piece of equipment helps distribute seed and fertilizer evenly onto lawns.
Scotts merged with Miracle-Gro in 1995 to become the Scotts Miracle-Gro Company. In 1997, they added Scotts Lawn Care Service to their long list of offerings. In 2015, they merged their lawn care company with ServiceMaster’s TruGreen.
What’s unique about Scotts?
Scotts has been around for over 150 years! It’s a large company. They have a substantial lab and staff who are committed to revamping products. They sell fertilizer, and lawn care equipment, which is available online, or in most retail stores.
Their products include many varieties of lawn food, weed control, weed and feed, winterizer fertilizer, grass seed, insecticides, and disease control, as well as mulch, soil, and garden supplies. They still sell their infamous spreader! They sell other gardening and yard supplies, such as work gloves, mowers, landscape fabric, and irrigation equipment.
Pros
- Scotts has a lot of products to choose from!
- Scotts products are widely available and come in a variety of sizes.
- The Scotts app can help you determine your yard’s needs and application times.
- Their quick-release formula can help yards in distress immediately.
- Their website is easy to navigate, and information about the company is readily available.
- Some of the products contain iron, which will help build a green lawn.
Cons
- There are a lot of choices, and it may be difficult to determine which product you need.
- Scotts is more expensive than many competitors.
- Since the products are quick-release, they may require more applications.
- Larger fertilizer granules take longer to break down.
Conclusion
It is nice to have so many options! Evaluate your lawn’s needs to determine which fertilizer will work best for you and your backyard! Ultimately, the decision comes down to personal preference.
Both Scott’s and Sta-Green have a long history of brand success. If you’re looking for variety, bells and whistles, and availability, Scotts may be the brand for you.
If you’re in the market for a simple system with a history of long-term success, Sta-Green may be your preference.
No matter what you choose, be consistent with your lawn care products and watering. You should enjoy a lush, green lawn for years to come!
Last update on 2024-10-06 / Affiliate links / Somes Images and Data from Amazon Product Advertising API