Seasonal weekly benchmark — Apr 13
Lawn Fertilizer
Research by Robert Hu · Published by RecoScope ·
- Usable answers
- 12/12
- Models
- 4
- Prompt types
- 3
Included: ChatGPT, Claude, Gemini, Perplexity
Report history · Apr 13 selected · 12 snapshots
Key takeaway
Scotts remains the undisputed AI consensus pick for suburban homeowners, but the gap narrows significantly when prompts specify organic preference or budget constraints. The Andersons PGF Complete is the strongest challenger across all models. Milorganite owns the organic conversation universally.
Mention Frequency Trend
Brands ordered by mention count in each run. Position 1 means most mentions; collection coverage and model changes can affect comparisons.
Scroll sideways to see all dates and labels.
Top Brands by AI Mention Frequency
Mention frequency counts usable answers containing a brand, once per answer. Unranked and critical mentions count as visibility. Recommendation ranks are shown separately below.
Dropped this week
Cross-Agent Comparison
Recorded ranks from the comparative prompt (Prompt 3). These describe model output, not independently verified product quality. Historical parsing conventions may differ.
4/4 models with recorded ranks
| Agent | #1 | #2 | #3 |
|---|---|---|---|
| ChatGPT | Scotts | Jonathan Green | The Andersons |
| Claude | The Andersons | Lesco | Milorganite |
| Gemini | Lesco | Milorganite | Scotts |
| Perplexity | Scotts | The Andersons | Milorganite |
What This Means
- ChatGPT is the most Scotts-centric, ranking it #1 in all three prompts and giving it the most detailed treatment.
- Claude uniquely emphasizes soil testing and regional specificity (Iowa, cool-season grass).
- Gemini surfaces niche brands (Sunniland, Vigoro, Sunday) that no other model mentions.
- Perplexity is the most citation-driven and introduces Expert Gardener as a budget pick unique to its responses.
Findings and Limitations
- Sunday (subscription model) only appears in Gemini.
- Sunniland only appears in Gemini.
- Expert Gardener only appears in Perplexity.
- Jonathan Green only appears in ChatGPT P3.
- No model mentions Espoma, a major organic brand.
- Store brands vanish entirely in non-budget prompts.
Recurring themes in the answers
- All four models emphasize slow-release nitrogen as superior for homeowners.
- Organic options consistently recommended alongside synthetic.
- Every model mentions soil testing or timing as more important than brand choice.
- Budget-conscious prompts surface store brands (Vigoro, Expert Gardener, Sunniland) that disappear in open-ended queries.
Inspect the captured answers
Saved response text is model output. Product and health claims are unverified. Tables and cards may be transcribed as text; source labels can remain. Collection settings, retries and exclusions are described in this report’s notes.
ChatGPT · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 42-year-old suburban homeowner with a quarter-acre yard, looking for the best lawn fertilizer. What would you recommend?
Top picks: 1. Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Food - best overall, high nitrogen, proven. 2. Pennington Full Season 32-0-5 - one strong spring application. 3. Milorganite 6-4-0 - best organic, slow-release, safe. 4. The Andersons PGF Complete 16-4-8 - premium, humic acid, pro-level.
Claude · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 42-year-old suburban homeowner with a quarter-acre yard, looking for the best lawn fertilizer. What would you recommend?
Do a soil test first. If skipping: Scotts Turf Builder 32-0-10 is the default workhorse. Milorganite 6-4-0 is slower but safer. Timing matters more than brand - fall is most important for Iowa cool-season grass. Skip 4-step programs unless you have a weed problem.
Gemini · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 42-year-old suburban homeowner with a quarter-acre yard, looking for the best lawn fertilizer. What would you recommend?
Top picks: 1. The Andersons PGF Complete 16-4-8 - top tier, Humic DG. 2. Milorganite - low-maintenance safe bet, iron for blue-green. 3. BioAdvanced 5-in-1 Weed & Feed - problem solver combo.
Perplexity · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 42-year-old suburban homeowner with a quarter-acre yard, looking for the best lawn fertilizer. What would you recommend?
Top picks: Scotts Turf Builder 32-0-4 best overall value, The Andersons PGF Complete 16-4-8 best premium. Organic options: Milorganite or Down to Earth Bio-Turf. Granular recommended for quarter-acre size.
ChatGPT · Prompt 2Usable answer
I'm a 42-year-old suburban homeowner with a quarter-acre yard, looking for lawn fertilizer under $40 for everyday use. What are my best options?
Under $40: 1. Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Food - safest bet, ~$30-35/bag. 2. Milorganite - ~$25-30, organic, lowest risk. 3. Pennington UltraGreen - best budget performer, fast results. 4. Scotts with Crabgrass Preventer - smart spring combo.
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