Ironite Vs Milorganite

Although these two could be some of the best products for your lawn, they work differently, which means that you cannot just pick one for the other.

While Milorganite is one of the best lawn fertilizers, ironite isn’t a fertilizer but a nutrient supplement for the lawn. Ironite is used as an additive for the lawn, and it works best when used along with the lawn fertilizer. Ironite is often used to re-green grass, especially after the grass starts to turn yellow.

Ironite vs. Milorganite – Overview

To determine what products you should buy to take care of your lawn, here is an overview of these two products and what makes them different from each other.

Ironite

Ironite is a nutritious lawn supplement used as an additive to lawn fertilizer. Developed by Pennington Seed Incorporated, Ironite’s primary function is to re-green the lawn once it starts yellowing.

Essentially, when you notice yellow leaves on any plant, even grass, it often represents some form of iron deficiency, and ironite is used to remedy the deficiency. Ironite is formulated with multiple micronutrients that are ideal for use in healthy lawns. However, this formulation has a high percentage of iron. What you need to know is that iron in plants is necessary for boosting and synthesizing proteins that enhance photosynthesis, as well as chlorophyll production. Applied to lawns, ironite turns things around, and you will see the results in days.

Milorganite

Manufactured by the Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewage District, Milorganite is one of the best lawn fertilizers that adds extra nutrients and supplements to enrich the lawn. Milorganite makes use of microbes for the absorption of nutrients, and the best part is that this productworks via the slow-release process. Also, the minerals in Milorganiteand the insoluble nitrogen will release the important nutrients gradually. Morganiteis released into the soil very slowly, releasing nutrients to the soil over time, strengthening the roots. So, if you are looking for an organic fertilizer that is rich in iron and would help you green the grass further, this would be a good option for you.

So, which of these two should you buy?

Ironite Vs Milorganite	Ironite	Milorganite
Product type	Lawn supplement/ additive	Lawn fertilizer
Mode of action	Fast-acting Results seen in days	Slow-releasing, results take a few weeks
Primary nutrients	Iron	Nitrogen
Nutrient Ratios	1-0-1 NPK additive	6-4-0 organic fertilizer
Iron content	20%	2.5%
Effects on Grass	Greener	Thicker and fuller growth
Primary Uses	Prevents yellowing	Improves soil quality by supplementing nutrients and strengthens the roots
Potential effects	Could burn parts of the lawn, especially if overused and in hot weather conditions	It doesn’t burn grass, even if you accidentally use it in excess

Ironite Vs Milorganite

Although these two are both great lawn care options, they serve different purposes, work differently, and they both have different results after use.

• Greener lawns

If your lawn is starting to turn yellow, you’d want to find a solution to regain the lush greenery of your lawn, and ironite is the best option for you. The reason for this is that ironite is a fast-acting solution/ formulation that allows you to gain great results in days, if not a few weeks.

Ironite works great because it’s concentrated with just the right nutrients’ concentration, in addition to iron, hence the fastest results and easy restoration of your lawn’s greenery. You’d have to useironite on your lawn, but not on its own – you need to useironite at the same time with the fertilizer 4-10 times annually.

The effectiveness of ironite is enhanced by the fact that Ironite penetrates the grass blades, hence faster results. On the other hand, ironite in its granular form will work on the soil quality, improving the quality of the grasses from the roots up – it only needs little water for it to work, but it will effectively re-green the lawns.

• Intended use – Replenishing a Shortage of Nutrients.

In case the soil in your lawn has a shortage of nutrients, hence the slow or poor growth of the grass, you’ll need ironite to replenish the lost nutrients in the soil. Ironite improves the quality of the lawns, especially in case of an iron deficiency. But it offers more than iron, and Ironite also contains healthy amounts of soluble nitrogen that is also released slowly for the best effects. The other nutrients in Ironite include zinc, chlorine, copper, manganese, and boron. Milorganite is primarily made of nitrogen but also has potassium and iron.

• Improving the quality of the Soil

If you need a lawn product that will improve the appearance of the lawn by improving the quality of the soil, Milorganite might be the best option for you. The reason for this is that Milorganite is free of harsh chemicals and metals present in ironite, which means that milorganite is a more organic approach for your lawn. By working with the elements of the soil along with the needs of the roots, it slowly releases all the necessary nutrients for long-term and healthy lawn care.

As mentioned above, Milorganite improves the quality of soil through its slow-release organic nitrogen. This also means that Milorganite is a slow-fix, while Ironite is more of a quick-fix solution. Therefore, if you are looking for a long-term solution, Milorganite would be a better option; it’s also a safe option for your lawn. Milorganite’s effects show in about 7-8 days.

• Ecofriendliness and Sustainability

Even though both Milorganite and Ironite offer supplementary nutrients that ensure the growth and the overall health of the lawn, Milorganite is an eco-friendlier option. That said, both products would be safe for use on your lawn if you have kids or pets, and you will be happy to know that neither of them would burn the grass. Just don’t over-apply Ironite because the grass would turn gray-green – you can avoid this by mixing these two as recommended.

• Frequency of use

Ironite should be used 4x a year, and it shouldn’t be used for more than 10x in a year.

Milorganite’s use, on the other hand, depends on the type of grass on your lawn. For the cool-season grasses like bluegrass or fescue grass, use Milorganite 4 times a year, starting the application as the grass grows green and when it’s growing actively – temperatures above 6 degrees Fahrenheit. This is also the case for the warm season grasses, except that you should start its applications in late spring when the temperature is above 70 degrees.

Conclusion

Ironite and Milorganite are great treatments for your lawn. They improve soil quality and the lawn’s greenery, but although Milorganite is more of a fertilizer, Ironite is a nutrient supplement that prevents the yellowing of the grass.

Also, Ironite balances PH levels while avoiding nutrient deficiencies and improving plant health, while milorganite strengthens the roots of your lawn plants, enhances the green, and also the quality of the soil.

So, choose ironite to make the yellow grasses green and Milorganite to enhance soil quality.

FAQs

1. Which ingredients are in Ironite?

Ironite has 12% iron, 1% nitrogen, and 1% potassium (other minerals in it include manganese, boron, copper, zinc, etc.).

2. What’s in Milorganite?

Its active ingredients include 5% nitrogen, 2% phosphorus, and 32% potassium.