The method for increasing yield of crop plants uses foliar application to the plants during the plant growth stage of a granular fertilizer consisting essentially of urea, ammonium sulfate and a fertilizer stabilizing agent. The stabilizing agent regulates and slows down decomposition nitrogen in urea and/or ammonium sulfate to maximize use thereof. The granular fertilizer has a urea/ammonium sulfate weight ratio of about 4/1 and contains at least 40% nitrogen and at least 4% sulfur. The relatively high N—S fertilizer is applied at relatively high rates of about 100 to 150 pounds per acre to ensure that the fertilizer nutrients are always available to the plants at several stages of growth.