5-5-5 Fertilizer | Balanced Liquid Plant Food

When a balanced 5-5-5 feed may fit your plants

When mixed garden beds are growing actively and testing supports a balanced nutrient application
When vegetable transplants have settled in and a complete NPK feed is appropriate
When established container flowers need replacement of multiple nutrients during active growth
When a garden feeding program specifically calls for equal concentrations of N, P and K

A balanced NPK label does not mean every plant needs equal nutrients; avoid adding phosphorus to soils already rich in it and always use this bottle's own mixing rate.

Results you can see

Supports rich green growth for healthy, vibrant plants.

Promotes steady leaf and stem development for thriving plants.

Helps build healthy roots for better nutrient and water uptake.

Works for the whole garden

Tomatoes
Peppers
Lettuce
Herbs
Roses
Hydrangeas
Young Transplants
Container Flowers

How to use

Watering can

1–2 oz per gallon of feedwater

Spring & summer: every 2–4 weeks · Fall & winter: every 4–8 weeks
Backpack / foliar sprayer

1-2 oz per gallon of feedwater

Apply every 2-4 weeks in spring and summer
Hose end sprayer

Set to 1-2 oz setting

Apply every 2-4 weeks in spring and summer

What's inside

A 5-5-5 ratio: equal parts nitrogen, phosphate and potassium. Nitrogen makes up 5% of this formula: 2.5% nitrate nitrogen, which plants can take up directly, and 2.5% ammoniacal nitrogen, which can remain in soil and change form over time. Feed every 2–4 weeks at the rate on the bottle. Matching 5% phosphate supports roots, flowering, and fruit set, and 5% potassium builds stem strength and water regulation. The even, moderate balance is what makes it forgiving: enough to feed a working garden, not so concentrated that a heavy hand causes problems.

Beyond NPK: sea kelp (Ascophyllum nodosum) for natural growth compounds, plus 1% sulfur with iron, manganese, and copper. Iron and manganese are the two mixed plantings run short of first — both sit at the center of chlorophyll production, so a shortage reads as yellowing leaves with green veins on new growth, usually on whatever crop is working hardest that month.

Frequently asked questions

How often should I apply 5-5-5 fertilizer?

5-5-5 Fertilizer is built for a lighter, less frequent rhythm than most liquid feeds. Mix 1 to 2 ounces per gallon of water and apply every 2 to 4 weeks in spring and summer, then every 4 to 8 weeks in fall and winter as growth slows. It goes on through a watering can, a backpack or foliar sprayer, or a hose-end sprayer set to the 1 to 2 ounce setting. One ounce covers about 50 square feet, so scaling up to a bed is straightforward.

What is 5-5-5 fertilizer good for?

5-5-5 Fertilizer is a balanced general-purpose feed for gardeners who want steady nutrition without pushing plants hard: vegetable beds, flower borders, herbs, young shrubs and container plantings. Equal parts nitrogen, phosphate and potassium support leaves, roots and fruit together, so no one part of your plant is favored over another. It’s especially well suited to seedlings and new transplants, which stronger formulas can overwhelm, and to beds that tend to fade between infrequent feedings.

What does the 5-5-5 analysis mean?

It means equal parts of the three major nutrients: 5% nitrogen, 5% available phosphate and 5% soluble potash by weight, so leaves, roots and fruit are all supported rather than one being favoured. Half the nitrogen is nitrate, which roots take up straight away, and half is ammoniacal, which the soil holds and releases over days. The bottle also carries 1% sulfur with iron, manganese and copper. Mix 1 to 2 ounces per gallon of water and apply every 2 to 4 weeks in spring and summer, then every 4 to 8 weeks in fall and winter; one ounce covers about 50 square feet.

Can I spray this on leaves?

Yes. 5-5-5 Fertilizer works through a backpack or foliar sprayer at the same 1 to 2 ounces per gallon you’d use in a watering can, applied every 2 to 4 weeks in spring and summer. Foliar feeding puts nutrients where leaves absorb them directly, which helps correct visible yellowing while root feeding catches up. Spray in the morning or evening rather than in midday sun, wet the foliage without heavy runoff, and keep the spray off open blooms.

Is it safe for vegetables I'm going to eat?

Yes. 5-5-5 Fertilizer supplies the same minerals crops draw from any garden soil, taken up through roots and leaves and built into your plant. Mix at 1 to 2 ounces per gallon, avoid contact with skin and eyes while mixing, and wash produce before eating as you normally would. If you foliar spray, applying earlier in the growth cycle rather than right before harvest keeps rinsing simple. The product itself is not for human or animal consumption.

When will I see results?

Green-up begins with the first application. Half the nitrogen in 5-5-5 Fertilizer is nitrate, which roots absorb directly, so expect deeper leaf color within 1 to 2 weeks, sooner with a foliar spray. The ammoniacal portion also supplies nitrogen, but how quickly you notice changes depends on what your plant needs, its growth rate, and its growing conditions. Structural gains, such as sturdier stems and better root and fruit development, build over 4 to 6 weeks on the every 2 to 4 week schedule.

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