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Scotts Spreader Settings: Every Model on One Chart

Scotts deliberately doesn't publish a master settings chart — each product's setting lives on its own bag and label PDF. That works fine for Scotts products and fails completely the moment you pour anything else into a Scotts spreader. This page fixes both: the model lineup and dial differences explained, current settings gathered in one place, and a setting finder for non-Scotts products.

Quick orientation — the Scotts dial:

All current walk-behind models (EdgeGuard DLX/Mini, Elite, Turf Builder drop) use a numeric dial from roughly 2 to 15 in quarter/half steps; the handheld Wizz runs 1 to 9. The same number means different things on different models — an EdgeGuard setting is not an Elite setting.

Jump to: Setting finder · Model guide · Settings chart · Where Scotts publishes settings · FAQ

Different spreader brand? Cross-brand converter · Lesco bag in a Scotts spreader? Lesco settings · Spreading Milorganite? Milorganite settings

Calculator

Scotts Setting Finder & Bag Coverage Calculator

Find a starting setting for any product by rate, or work out your rate and how many bags your lawn needs.

The Scotts spreader lineup — and why the model matters

Scotts currently sells three walk-behind broadcast models, one drop model, and one handheld — plus millions of discontinued units still in garages. The gate geometry differs between them, which is why one product can carry different settings per model on the same bag.

EdgeGuard DLX & EdgeGuard Mini

The best-selling models. Both share the same dial scale — Scotts publishes one EdgeGuard setting covering both — with the Mini simply carrying a smaller hopper (about 5,000 sq ft of product vs 15,000 for the DLX). The EdgeGuard feature blocks the right-side throw so you can run clean lines along driveways and beds without flinging fertilizer onto pavement; keep it off for open-lawn passes or you'll under-apply the blocked side.

Elite

The large-lawn model: dual-rotor throw (~6 ft pattern), ~20,000 sq ft hopper, never-flat tires. Because the dual rotor throws wider and the gate feeds two rotors, Elite settings are published separately from EdgeGuard settings — don't reuse them across models even though the dials look similar.

Turf Builder Classic Drop

Drop spreaders release straight down across the hopper width — no throw, no overspray, total precision at the cost of speed. Settings run higher than broadcast equivalents for the same product because coverage per pass is one hopper-width instead of a thrown fan. The classic mistake is gapping or double-striping between passes: overlap the wheel tracks, not the hopper edges.

Wizz (handheld)

Battery-powered handheld with its own 1–9 scale — settings are not comparable to any walk-behind model. Best for small lawns, spot repair, and ice melt; for whole-lawn fertilizing above ~2,000 sq ft the refills get old fast.

Discontinued: Speedy Green 1000 / 2000 / 3000

The Speedy Green line was replaced by EdgeGuard years ago, but the spreaders themselves outlive their documentation — current bags no longer print Speedy Green columns, which is exactly why people search for them. Their dials use a comparable numeric range to current broadcast models, so the EdgeGuard column is a reasonable starting point — with one strong caveat: these units are old, and gate wear loosens the opening over time, so a calibration run matters more here than on any current model. If the test shows heavy output at the EdgeGuard number, drop the dial a full point and re-test.

Scotts spreader settings chart (common products)

Settings below are gathered from Scotts product labels and, for non-Scotts products, the manufacturers' own published Scotts values. Scotts-product settings are printed on every bag — this chart is most useful for the non-Scotts rows and for planning before you buy.

Product Rate (lbs/1,000) EdgeGuard DLX/Mini Elite Drop Wizz
Turf Builder Lawn Food 2.9 4 4 5.5 4
Turf Builder Weed & Feed 2.9 4 4 5.5 4
GrubEx1 2.9 4.5 4.5 6 4.5
Halts Crabgrass Preventer 3.0 4.5 4.5 6 4.5
Milorganite Classic 32 lb (non-Scotts) 12.8 11.5 11.5 8.5 6.5–7
Lesco-labeled fertilizers (non-Scotts) varies Convert the bag's Lesco gauge number — see Lesco settings

Starting points only — verify against the setting printed on your bag (Scotts products) and calibrate. Rates shown are label rates; where a bag's coverage implies a different rate, follow the bag.

Where Scotts actually publishes each setting

Three official places, in order of usefulness:

  1. The bag. Every Scotts product prints its settings per spreader model on the back panel. If you have the bag, you don't need a chart.
  2. The label PDF. Lost the bag or buying online? Each product page on scotts.com has a downloadable label under "Specs & Details" with the full settings block — the definitive source when bag printings change between product years.
  3. The Spreader Settings tool. ScottsMiracle-Gro's site has a lookup where you pick your Scotts product and spreader model. It only covers Scotts products in Scotts spreaders — for anything else, you're back to rate math, which is what the finder above does.

The gap in all three: non-Scotts products. Scotts has no reason to publish settings for Milorganite or a Lesco bag, and those manufacturers list at most one or two Scotts models. That gap — your spreader, their product — is what the finder, the cross-brand converter, and the calibration method exist to close.

If your Scotts spreader is past saving

Gate corroded open, wheels cracked, impeller wobbling — it happens, usually mid-season. A replacement broadcast spreader↗ costs less than the fertilizer a badly striping unit wastes in a season. For small lawns, a handheld spreader↗ does the same job with less storage.

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FAQ

Where does Scotts publish the spreader setting for each product?

On the product bag and each product's label PDF (scotts.com product page → Specs & Details → Download Label) — there is no master chart. Scotts also offers a Spreader Settings lookup tool on the ScottsMiracle-Gro site for Scotts products in Scotts spreaders.

Are Scotts EdgeGuard DLX and Mini settings the same?

Yes — same dial scale, one published setting for both. The Mini's smaller hopper and narrower throw change refill frequency and overlap, not the dial number.

What setting should I use for a product that doesn't list Scotts?

Work from the rate: bag weight ÷ labeled coverage × 1,000 gives lbs per 1,000 sq ft, then the setting finder gives a starting dial for your model. Verify with a calibration test strip before the whole lawn.

What are the settings for a discontinued Scotts Speedy Green spreader?

Speedy Green models no longer appear on current bags. Their dials use a similar numeric range, so current EdgeGuard settings are a reasonable starting point — but calibrate: these units are old and gate wear runs them heavy. See the Speedy Green section above.

Can I use a Scotts spreader for grass seed and ice melt?

Yes — Scotts broadcast spreaders are rated for fertilizer, seed, and ice melt. Seed and ice melt flow very differently from fertilizer, so use the seed bag's printed setting rather than reusing a fertilizer number, and calibrate for over-seeding rates.

Related settings & tools

Important note

Settings on this page derive from Scotts product labels and manufacturer-published values, which Scotts and every other manufacturer describe as approximate starting points. The setting printed on your bag supersedes anything here, and walking speed, spreader wear, and granule size all shift the delivered rate — calibrate before treating the whole lawn.