Four products, and the decision comes down to how closely the turf is cut and how many times you want to visit it before the feed runs out. Fine turf and general amenity turf want different formulas here, and slow release costs more per bag but saves a reapplication trip.

How closely is the turf cut?

Fine turf, greens and anything cut close, wants the Command range. Command Pre-Seeding Fertiliser (8-13-12 + 1.6% MgO) is built for overseeding fine turf such as greens and lawns, and combines a mycorrhizal inoculant with slow release methylene urea. Command High Phosphate All Season Slow Release Fertiliser (16-12-8 + Zn + TE) covers seeding, overseeding and newly laid turf down to close-cut turf above 3mm.

General amenity turf cut to 10mm or above is a different job, and a cheaper one. Velvit Essential (9-16-12) is Phoenix’s cost-effective standard release option for larger turf areas above 10mm. Velscape Pre-Seed Fertiliser (6-9-6) covers the same cut height band, for lawns, parks and less technical turf.

Slow release, or standard release?

Command Pre-Seeding Fertiliser and Command High Phosphate both release nitrogen from methylene urea over around 12 weeks, so one application carries the turf through establishment without a second visit. That steadier feed costs more per bag than a standard release granular. Velvit Essential and Velscape Pre-Seed are standard release: they act faster and cost less per bag, which suits larger areas cut above 10mm where an extra reapplication is not a significant cost against the area covered.

What else comes with the phosphate

All four are built around high phosphate to support root development while turf establishes, but each adds something different. Command Pre-Seeding Fertiliser adds a mycorrhizal inoculant to support nutrient uptake as new turf establishes. Command High Phosphate adds zinc and trace elements on top of its slow release nitrogen. Velvit Essential and Velscape Pre-Seed keep it simpler: a straightforward high phosphate granular feed without the added extras, which is part of why they cost less.

Which fertiliser for which job

All four come in 20kg bags. If you are working on greens or anything cut below 10mm, start with the Command range rather than Velvit Essential or Velscape Pre-Seed, since those two are priced and formulated for the general amenity end of the range. Not sure where your site falls, tell the sales team the cut height and the job, seeding, overseeding or turfing, and they will point you to the right one.

Frequently asked questions

What is the difference between the Command range and Velvit Essential or Velscape Pre-Seed?

The Command products are slow release, methylene urea fertilisers built for fine turf cut close, greens and lawns cut below 10mm, and cost more per bag. Velvit Essential and Velscape Pre-Seed are standard release, cost-effective options for general amenity turf cut above 10mm.

When should I apply a pre-seeding fertiliser?

Command High Phosphate is applied March to September, and Velscape Pre-Seed March to August, both at the rate given on the bag. Apply before or at seeding so the phosphate is in the root zone as new grass establishes.

Does a pre-seeding fertiliser include mycorrhizal fungi?

Only one does. Command Pre-Seeding Fertiliser (8-13-12 + 1.6% MgO) combines a mycorrhizal inoculant with its slow release nitrogen. The others are straightforward fertilisers without it, so pair them with a separate mycorrhizal product if you want both.