Another Urea question, but different.

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

Hello everyone. I purchased a 50lb 46-0-0 bag of Urea again for this winter season zone (7a). It was from the same place, same bag and brand. When I opened it, it looked a little different than last year. Last year the pellets looked like they had a shiny coating on them and were a little bigger and less uniform shape. This year there was no shiny coating and the pellets had no shiny coating and were a lot smaller resembling the look of those small styrofoam balls. Some of it was clumped together which i had to squeeze slightly to break apart.

1) I assume maybe the problem is that humidity got to the store's bags of Urea and that's why they look different, what are your thoughts?

So as the pellets are, I still put down the recommended weight of Urea per 1000sqft (2lbs per 1000sqft) and I watered in right away with my sprinklers.

2) My main concern is if you guys/girls think that I put down a proper potency of the product since the pellets look different. The reason I ask that is because I remember someone saying that if you put Urea down and do not water in right away, the pellets aromatize and become less effective. Did the pellets in the bag aromatize and become less potent per weight of Urea or do they still have the same potency per weight? I just want to know if I am good with what I put down for the winter.

Thanks all.

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Comments (9)

dchall_san_antonio
8 years ago
Is there anything on the bag about being sulfur coated urea? In the guaranteed analysis does it mention sulfur?
User
8 years ago
If it was sulfur coated it wouldn't be 46-0-0.
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tye22tye
Original Author
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
No it does not say anything about sulfur coated. I found some left over from last year. Both bags are identical.

First photo is from 2016 application.

Second photo is from 2017 application.

2016 application

2017 application
User
8 years ago
The second picture is what I'm used to seeing in my bags of urea, but they produce urea in different prill sizes for different applications. A smaller prill size will actually result in a more uniform distribution. You can go ahead and spread it.
Ted (Zone 4) IA
8 years ago
Keep in mind nitrogen volatilization is temperature dependent, so while it is a concern in the summer the lower temperatures in your area will help.
tye22tye
Original Author
8 years ago
Ok thank you, that's good news.
T B
8 years ago
This is a random guess, as I don't know the fertilizer industry, but knowing manufacturing in general, the same company may have multiple sources for urea. Optimistically, the same quality control measures should be in place and it should be (essentially) identical in chemistry, even if the pellets are a little different. Or the same producer may have gotten new production machinery that spits out a different size.
danielj_2009
8 years ago
last modified: 8 years ago
My bet is that something was wrong with the first batch. It should look like the nice white stuff you got this year. There's no reason for it to come out discolored like that. I'm not a urea manufacturing expert, but I'd be surprised if that color was considered normal variation in the product.

Edit: After checking about urea production, there is no reason it should come out anything other than snow white. Urea is made from ammonia and CO2. The stuff you had last year was contaminated with something. Was the bag open when you got it? Maybe some dust or dirt. It doesn't really matter since you have the right stuff now.
hoganjr
8 years ago
Funny I had a leftover bag from last year that looked like first pic which I purchased from a nursery. I bought a second bag this year from a feed store that was like the second pic.

I was told they were both fine. Just had to set the spreader different for each since they were different sizes