Everyone enjoys a lush and green lawn. Every year, many Floridians fertilize their landscapes to reinforce a great beautiful and green summer lawn. March through May is the perfect time of year to fertilize. Many Florida counties have established a ban on using fertilizer between the months of June through September. These months directly coincide with Florida’s warm, wet, and rainy season. Florida often experiences heavy rain downfalls that could quickly flush the ingredients of fertilizer into the ground water and especially into our local water ways.
When the ingredients of fertilizer end up in our waterways, it can dramatically hinder our water quality. Fertilizers containing nitrogen or phosphorus are not allowed to be distributed or sold during the months of June through September. The bans are associated to many of our coastal regions but also can be enforced in many other counties across the state. Pertaining to the inland counties, there is the risk of runoff washing into watersheds, and then potentially funneling the fertilizer chemicals into rivers, lakes, and eventually to the ocean. Our coastal region is of particular concern due to the immediate runoff that can occur during heavy rainfall of these harmful nutrients can end up in our ocean quickly with heavy concentrations that can directly affect the health of our coral reefs.
What can happen if too much fertilizer reaches our waterbodies? When there is a dramatic increase in nitrogen and phosphorus deposited into a particular waterbody, it can quickly increase the number of plants and algae. An increase growth of aquatic plants and algae is not healthy for a lake, stream, or Florida wetland. Eventually these aquatic plants will die, and the microorganisms use the dead plant organic matter as a food source ultimately reducing the oxygen content suffocating any aquatic life in the water. Over concentration of fertilizer runoff into a waterbody has been indicated as a leading caused to blue algae blooms that can become toxic to aquatic life and potentially livestock.
The possible remedy is to apply fertilizers in sufficient amounts during the right time of the year. Cautiously watching the weather forecasts for heavy rain fall and ensuring a timely application of fertilizer at the right time is critically important. The experts state that applying fertilizer after a rain fall is best. For best results, it is an excellent idea to water a couple of days prior to applying fertilizer and then using an irrigation system afterwards. This has been found to significantly reducing fertilizer runoff from reaching local water bodies.
When plants, lawns, and landscapes are appropriately fertilized, they can produce a healthy ecosystem that absorbs pollutants and stabilizes soil, thereby reducing contaminants into our waterways.
KCI’s committed to keeping our clients compliant. Contact us today at 888-346-7779.
