NPK 15-15-15 Fertilizer: Read the Label and Compare Crop-Specific Options
Decision details
Fits if: Buyers who want to understand or compare bags labelled NPK 15-15-15, including checking the actual label and official crop examples that are explicitly scoped.
Main drawback: Matching NPK figures do not prove two products have the same full formulation, directions or application rate.
Compare: full declared analysis; brand/product name; crop and stage stated; label method and rate; current quote for a comparable pack size.
In this guide
Summary: 15-15-15 states the N, P2O5 and K2O figures on a fertilizer label. The grade alone does not establish crop fit, rate or stage. This page keeps official examples tied to the exact crop and setting each source describes.
What do the numbers on a 15-15-15 label mean?
The three figures are the declared percentages for nitrogen (N), phosphate (P2O5) and potash (K2O) shown on the bag. A 15-15-15 and a 16-16-16 bag show different analysis figures; do not assume equal application weights or effects. The full label may list other nutrients and product-specific directions too.
A like-weight buying comparison: 1 kg of a 15-15-15 product declares 150 g of each of those three components; 1 kg of 16-16-16 declares 160 g each. That is 10 g, or about 6.7%, more on the label analysis—not an automatic reason to change grades. If crop guidance names one grade, follow that direction. If it allows either, compare the full labels and delivered cost per kg of each declared nutrient; calculate this as delivered price per kg of fertilizer divided by the nutrient percentage as a fraction (for example, 15% = 0.15). This arithmetic does not establish crop suitability or rate.
Granule colour is not a substitute for reading the label. For “red or green 15-15-15 for durian?”, the evidence here supports one bounded answer: colour alone does not confirm product identity or rate. Compare the exact product name, full analysis and crop directions on the actual bag. Matching NPK figures show only that the printed figures match, not that the full formulations or rates are the same.
Three official examples — keep each crop and scope attached
The examples below show that 15-15-15 programmes differ by crop, place, system and stage. They are not general rates for every plant.
| Source and scope | 15:15:15 stated | Limit of the example |
|---|---|---|
| Sarawak Department of Agriculture — durian | Year 1: 0.08 kg per tree every 2 months; year 2: 0.25 kg per tree every 3 months [source]. | Sarawak durian schedule; not a national rate or a universal recommendation for durian seedlings. |
| Malaysia Department of Agriculture — container-grown kailan | 2 g per plant every 2 weeks after planting; the guide also says to water twice daily [source]. | Container-grown kailan as described in the guide; do not transfer to sawi, kangkung or field crops. |
| Malaysia Department of Agriculture — banana, months 1–5 | Mas: month 1 60 g, month 2 100 g, month 3 100 g, month 4 150 g, and month 5 150 g per plant monthly. Berangan/Rastali/Cavendish: month 1 100 g, month 2 150 g, month 3 150 g, month 4 150 g, and month 5 150 g per plant monthly [source]. | The 2009 banana programme names cultivar groups with different amounts; consult the full schedule, not a universal dose. |
How to compare bags before buying
For red versus green, or 15-15-15 versus 16-16-16, copy these details from the actual bags:
- Full product name, brand and manufacturer.
- Complete declared N-P-K analysis and any additional declared nutrients.
- Crop, method and rate stated on the label.
- Net weight and dated price for the same pack size, or a unit-price calculation.
- A photo of the actual stock label; do not decide from colour or a listing title.
If your question is specifically about durian, do not use colour or grade alone to determine a rate. The Sarawak table above is location-specific. Check the product directions and local crop guidance if your orchard does not match the example.
NPK supply enquiry
GrowEasy accepts NPK supply enquiries; no price is published and this page makes no claim about registration status for that supply channel [source]. Send the exact product name or label photo, pack size, quantity and postcode to ask about availability and a current quote. If you want to use BETUL10, ask whether the selected product is eligible for the first-order offer [source]. A supply enquiry is not agronomic advice or grade matching.
WhatsApp: product name/label photo, pack size, quantity and postcode; ask for confirmation of the product and a current quote.
Read also: how to read an NPK label · NPK 16-16-16 · NPK 12-12-17-2
Frequently asked questions
Which plants is 15-15-15 fertilizer suitable for?
The grade alone cannot establish suitability. Check the crop directions on the product label and use crop-specific guidance. This page shows separate examples for Sarawak durian, container-grown kailan and banana; none is a universal rate.
How long can I keep using 15-15-15 on a tree?
There is no universal age cutoff in the grade name. For durian, this page reports the Sarawak Department of Agriculture schedule only: 0.08 kg/tree every two months in year one and 0.25 kg/tree every three months in year two. Follow the product label and local crop guidance for your situation.
Can 15-15-15 be used for vegetables like sawi and kangkung?
The DOA example here is specifically container-grown kailan: 2 g per plant every two weeks after planting, with watering twice daily in that programme. Do not transfer it to sawi, kangkung or field crops.
What is the difference between 15-15-15 and 16-16-16?
For 1 kg of fertilizer, a 15-15-15 label declares 150 g each of N, P2O5 and K2O; 16-16-16 declares 160 g each. That is 10 g more (6.7%) on the label analysis, not proof that a crop needs it or will perform better. Choose against crop guidance and the product label; if both grades fit that guidance, compare delivered price per kg of declared nutrient, bag size and added nutrients.
Can red and green NPK 15-15-15 both be used for durian?
Do not decide by colour. Compare the exact product name, full analysis and crop directions on the actual bag. Matching NPK figures show only that the declared N-P-K values match; they do not prove the full formulation or rate is the same. For a durian rate, use local guidance and the product label; the Sarawak Department of Agriculture example here applies only to its stated Sarawak durian schedule.