How to Identify Liquid Fertilizers

Liquid fertilizers may not be liquid.

A liquid fertilizer is not always liquid. The fertilizer Anhydrous ammonia is a gas that becomes liquid under pressure. This property means that it is classified as a liquid. All fertilizer falls within two categories, solid and liquid. Each fertilizer has properties that make it different from other types of fertilizer. If you wish to identify a liquid fertilizer, you must determine if it shares the same properties in common with all other liquid fertilizers.

Instructions

1. Look for the measurement of the fertilizer on the label. If the fertilizer's measurement is given in volume weight, the fertilizer is liquid. This weight is usually represented in grams per cubic centimeters of fertilizer solution, or gr/cm3.

2. Examine the fertilizer's color. Solid fertilizers are typically white, off-white or light beige. Liquid fertilizers are usually colorless or take on the color of the substance that they are prepared in. For example, liquid fertilizers that are prepared with phosphoric acid may be yellow or brown. A liquid fertilizer may also be cloudy or hazy based on the types of nutrients in it.

3. Look for a warning label that indicates if the liquid fertilizer is corrosive. Liquid fertilizers with a pH below 6 are highly corrosive.

References

• GAT: Properties of Solid and Liquid Fertilizers
• Michigan State University Extension: N-P-K Fertilizers
• Maryland Cooperative Extension: Fertilizer Programs
• Lenntech:Turbidity

Resources

• University of Minnesota Extension: Understanding Phosphorous Fertilzers