This article presents a spatially explicit time series dataset reconstructing crop-specific phosphorus fertilizer application rates, timing, and methods at a 4 km × 4 km resolution in the United States from 1850 to 2022. We comprehensively characterized the spatio-temporal dynamics of P fertilizer management over the last 170 years by considering cross-crop variations. This dataset will greatly contribute to the field of agricultural sustainability assessment and Earth system modeling.