Seasonal weekly benchmark — Apr 23
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 23 selected · 12 snapshots
Key takeaway
The lawn fertilizer category has a clear Scotts/Milorganite duopoly at the top. The Andersons is the consistent #3 performance pick across all models. Regional and pro-grade brands (Lesco, Expert Gardener, Sta-Green, Vigoro) have strong presence in specific models but zero cross-model visibility. This is a major discovery gap for challenger brands — they can win a specific AI surface but can't build broad AI authority.
Mention Frequency Trend
Brands ordered by mention count in each run. Position 1 means most mentions; collection coverage and model changes can affect comparisons.
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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 | Milorganite | Pennington |
| Claude | Lesco | The Andersons | Milorganite |
| Gemini | Scotts | Milorganite | Jonathan Green |
| Perplexity | The Andersons | Scotts | Milorganite |
What This Means
- ChatGPT is the most commerce-formatted with explicit prices and review counts — and it notably returned a very short P2 response (Scotts-only).
- Claude is the most opinionated and pro-leaning, calling out Lesco from SiteOne as the genuine best choice and explicitly flagging Scotts as the convenience-not-performance pick.
- Claude also uniquely dismisses Sunday subscription boxes and weed-and-feed combos.
- Gemini introduces value/house-brand names (Expert Gardener, Sta-Green, Vigoro) that no other model mentions.
- Perplexity surfaces Down to Earth and Urea as practical adjacent options.
Findings and Limitations
- Expert Gardener only appears in Gemini and Perplexity.
- Sta-Green and Vigoro only appear in Gemini.
- Down to Earth only appears in Perplexity.
- Urea as a direct nitrogen source only appears in Perplexity.
- Lesco only appears in Claude.
- Pennington only appears in ChatGPT.
- Sunday appears in ChatGPT and Gemini.
- Major brands like Espoma, Dr.
- Earth, and Simple Lawn Solutions are completely absent from all models.
- Walmart and Tractor Supply house brands are largely missing.
Recurring themes in the answers
- All four models continue to emphasize that a soil test should precede fertilizer selection.
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 male homeowner in the suburbs with a half-acre yard, looking for the best lawn fertilizer. What would you recommend?
Top picks: 1. Milorganite Slow-Release Nitrogen $24.99. 2. Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Food $26.99. 3. Pennington Full Season Lawn Fertilizer 32-0-5 $22.36. 4. Scotts Turf Builder Weed & Feed $34.49. 5. Sunday Green Machine Lawn Fertilizer $15.29.
Claude · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 42-year-old male homeowner in the suburbs with a half-acre yard, looking for the best lawn fertilizer. What would you recommend?
Program framework: Scotts Turf Builder 4-step default big-box option. Milorganite 6-4-0 slow-release organic forgiving. Andersons or Lesco from SiteOne/Ewing what pros use. Soil test first via Iowa State Extension ~$20. Spreader matters more than fertilizer brand.
Gemini · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 42-year-old male homeowner in the suburbs with a half-acre yard, looking for the best lawn fertilizer. What would you recommend?
Top 2026 picks: 1. Milorganite Slow-Release 6-4-0 crowd favorite gold standard with iron. 2. The Andersons PGF Complete 16-4-8 performance pick with Humic DG. 3. Scotts Turf Builder UltraFeed low maintenance 3-month feed.
Perplexity · Prompt 1Usable answer
I'm a 42-year-old male homeowner in the suburbs with a half-acre yard, looking for the best lawn fertilizer. What would you recommend?
Best picks: Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Food solid general-purpose. The Andersons PGF Complete 16-4-8 performance-focused. Milorganite Slow-Release or Down to Earth Organic Bio-Turf 8-3-5 for organic preference.
ChatGPT · Prompt 2Usable answer
I'm a 42-year-old male homeowner in the suburbs with a half-acre yard, looking for lawn fertilizer under $40 for everyday use. What are my best options?
Under $40: Scotts Turf Builder Lawn Food 32-0-4. Scotts Turf Builder UltraFeed 40-0-5. Scotts Turf Builder Thick R Lawn 3-in-1. All Scotts products dominant at this price point.
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