Site One / Lesco 8-2-12 Fertilizer Reformulation Warning

[Loxahatchee Adam]

We have used Lesco brand 8-2-12 fertilizer through John Deere Landscapes and now Site One for several years.  For central and south Florida yards, it was a good product (California fertilizer needs are completely different from sandy, warm, rainy Florida).

I received an order on Friday and was about to start spreading today.  I glanced over the label and flipped out!   They've recently cheapened down the product.  I emailed them and told them to come pick it all up.  

Here are the previous (1st) and new (2nd....crinkled) labels.  On the original formula, the N, P, and K are all primarily slow release (not really as important for P in FL) .  Iron is chelated.  Manganese 2.00%

On what we just had delivered,  Manganese dropped from 2.00% to 0.024%, which is too low and palms will show deficiencies here.   Magnesium Sulfate (Kieserite) is slow release naturally, but the new one has it as quick release .  The Iron dropped from  0.15% chelated to 0.025% water soluble.  The Potassium (K) is no longer slow release at all- it's all water soluble.  It's a critical and often deficient nutrient for us here.   In sandy soil, it will wash away after one heavy rain.  The nitrogen will slow release continue growth while the soil is deficient in Potassium, leading to sickly looking palms.  

Just because two labels are both 8-2-12 doesn't meant they are the same at all.  Always check what you get!

 

 

 

     

 

 

[JANAIY]

I was just about to buy Lesco fertilizer for my palms here in S FL as I find your message. Did you find another fertilizer or what did you end up doing? If you found a good one please send me the name and where I can buy

[redant]

Good info, lesco is not cheap to buy so you expect it to be a quality product. So what did you get?

[JANAIY]

There are actually 2 LESCO products 8-2-12 on the market. The one you thought they changed is actually a different one,, it has slightly differences as you mentioned. Click the links and click on LABEL 

The 1st one is the one our palms need and still available.

https://www.siteone.com/en/p/389179

LESCO Palm & Tropical Ornamental Fertilizer 8-2-12 CRN Micros 50 lb

https://www.siteone.com/en/p/358551

LESCO Palm & Tropical Ornamental Fertilizer 8-2-12 CRNPK Kieserite Micros 50 lb 

Edited January 4, 2020 by JANAIY

[waykoolplantz]

After years of both Lesco and AtlanticFEC last year I ordered a pallet of Harrells https://harrells.com/products/productdetail?sku=HN0107

yard looking good..prob need to reorder

[JANAIY]

7 hours ago, waykoolplantz said:

After years of both Lesco and AtlanticFEC last year I ordered a pallet of Harrells https://harrells.com/products/productdetail?sku=HN0107

yard looking good..prob need to reorder

Looking at the label of Harrells 8-2-12 there is not further listed what their HYDRO GRO MICRONUTRIENTS PACKAGE contains and what they might be missing. If Mag is important as well for florida palms its not being added at 4% otherwise it would be listed?

[NOT A TA]

11 hours ago, waykoolplantz said:

last year I ordered a pallet of Harrells https://harrells.com/products/productdetail?sku=HN0107

And now I've started down the rabbit hole marked "education" on Harrells website. May be a long time till I come up! Each time I've sat down at the computer today I take a course or read an article before doing anything else. With 6 per page and 24 pages this could take a while.....

[JANAIY]

I found Florikan 8-2-12 controlled release 6 month and its been ordered for me. After reading all of the info here I think it is perfect for Florida soil.

[Steve the palmreader]

On 1/4/2020 at 10:54 AM, JANAIY said:

There are actually 2 LESCO products 8-2-12 on the market. The one you thought they changed is actually a different one,, it has slightly differences as you mentioned. Click the links and click on LABEL 

The 1st one is the one our palms need and still available.

https://www.siteone.com/en/p/389179

LESCO Palm & Tropical Ornamental Fertilizer 8-2-12 CRN Micros 50 lb

https://www.siteone.com/en/p/358551

LESCO Palm & Tropical Ornamental Fertilizer 8-2-12 CRNPK Kieserite Micros 50 lb 

I checked the Cape Coral Site One and they didnt have it in stock

[Linda Dailey]

what product will you use now that Lesco has cheapened their product?

[Strayed Cat]

Hello, 

I have numerous established palms here in Jacksonville, FL. I have used Lesco 8-2-12 #510268 in the past.

I would like to know if is the correct one as there is a very similar product with the same label 8-2-12 but the number is different (510325)  ???  Confused!

Is Lesco currently the best brand or is there a better alternative?

 Product# 510268  Layout 1 (siteone.com)  

TOTAL NITROGEN (N)*.......................................................8.00% 0.79% Ammoniacal Nitrogen 7.21% Urea Nitrogen AVAILABLE PHOSPHATE (P2O5**.......................................2.00% SOLUBLE POTASH (K2O)***..............................................12.00% MAGNESIUM (Mg) ...............................................................4.00% 3.06% Water Soluble Magnesium (Mg) SULFUR (S) ..........................................................................9.26% 9.26% Combined Sulfur (S) BORON (B)……….….……………........................................ 0.15% 0.15% Water Soluble Boron COPPER (Cu) ............................................................. .......0.05% 0.05% Water Soluble Copper (Cu) IRON (Fe) .............................................................................0.15% 0.15% Chelated Iron (Fe) MANGANESE (Mn) ..............................................................2.00% 2.00% Water Soluble Manganese (Mn) ZINC (Zn) ........................................................... ..................0.15% 0.15% Water Soluble Zinc (Zn) DERIVED FROM: Polymer Coated Urea, Polymer Coated Sulfate of Potash, Magnesium Sulfate (Kieserite), Copper Sulfate, Manganese Sulfate, Zinc Sulfate, Polymer Coated Ammonium Phosphate, Iron EDTA, Sodium Borate. *8.00% Slowly Available Urea Nitrogen from Polymer Coated Urea. **2.00% Slowly Available Phosphate from Polymer Coated Ammonium Phosphate ***12.00% Slowly Available Potassium from Polymer Coated Sulfate of Potash

Product# 510325 Layout 1 (siteone.com) 

TOTAL NITROGEN (N)*.......................................................8.00% 0.80% Ammoniacal Nitrogen 7.20% Urea Nitrogen AVAILABLE PHOSPHATE (P2O5) .......................................2.00% SOLUBLE POTASH (K2O)..................................................12.00% MAGNESIUM (Mg) ................................................................4.00% 4.00% Water Soluble Magnesium (Mg) SULFUR (S) ..........................................................................9.06% 9.06% Combined Sulfur (S) BORON (B)……….….……………........................................ 0.15% 0.15% Water Soluble Boron IRON (Fe) .............................................................................2.00% 0.025% Water Soluble Iron (Fe) MANGANESE (Mn) ..............................................................2.00% 0.024% Water Soluble Manganese (Mn) ZINC (Zn) ........................................................... ..................0.05% 0.05% Water Soluble Zinc (Zn) DERIVED FROM: Polymer Coated Urea, Diammonium Phophate, Sulfate of Potash, Copper Sucrate, Iron Sucrate, Manganese Sucrate, Zinc Sucrate, Sulfate of Potash-Magnesia. Sodium Borate. *7.20% Slowly Available Urea Nitrogen from Polymer Coated Urea.

 

 

[TWR]

All,

I believe this is a misidentification by the user.

As confirmed by U of FL, 8-2-12 with 4mg of Magnesium is the ideal for palms in Central FL.

You need to ask for Lesco Poly Plus Opti 8-2-12 (cat # 510268). Poly pus opti is the controlled release line. Yes, they are water soluble but if you see the words polymer coated, then it is the controlled release version. See the attached image of the bag.

Lesco_Poly Plus Opti_SpecSheet.pdf Lesco_Poly Plus Opti_Bag Image