HOW DOES OVER-FERTILIZATION CONTRIBUTE TO HARMFUL ALGAE BLOOMS?
Phosphorus
Nitrogen
These nutrients cause an increase in phytoplankton
Algae Bloom
Sediments from land block sunlight
Algae Die
Phytoplankton Growth
Reduced oxygen causes fish kill
Decay
Lose: Food, Habitat & Oxygen Production
How You Can Fertilize Smart! LOOK AT THE LABEL
ALWAYS REMEMBER
SWEEP UP SPILLS Avoid accidents and always sweep up spilled granules. Rinsing with a hose can wash them down storm drains and into our waterways.
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Notice all fertilizer labels have three bold numbers. These represent the primary nutrients: nitrogen(N), phosphorus(P), potassium(K). A bag of 10-10-10 fertilizer contains 10% nitrogen, 10% phosphate and 10% potash.
AVOID HARD SURFACES AND WATER BODIES Don’t fertilize within 10 feet of bodies of water and keep it off impervious surfaces like driveways or sidewalks to prevent runoff.
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DON’T FERTILIZE IF RAIN IS FORECAST Rainfall can wash fertilizer into storm drains or cause it to leach through the soil, sending unwanted nutrients into our waters.
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WHAT ELSE YOU CAN DO • Use only the recommended amount of fertilizer. Only a small amount can be taken up by plants’ roots—more is not better! • Leave grass clippings on the lawn. They become “organic fertilizer” as they decay and letting those nutrients stay where they are can help keep them out of our waterways. • Leave a wide strip of deep-rooted plants along shoreland. Instead of planting and mowing turfgrass that can easily get trimmings into the water, plant wildflowers, ornamental grasses, shrubs or trees that can absorb and filter runoff that contains nutrients and soil. • Pick up pet waste and throw it in the trash. It’s not just polite; it eliminates a source of organic material from decaying into nutrients for algae.
JUNE THROUGH SEPTEMBER Look for the double zeros!
OCTOBER THROUGH MAY While it may be okay to use nitrogen and phosphorus formulas, choose a slow-release fertilizer. Slow release fertilizers for turf grasses, for instance, generally have a higher nitrogen ratio, such as 18-6-12. Slow release fertilizers for flowering or fruiting plants may have higher ratios of phosphorus. A good slow release fertilizer for vegetable gardens should also contain calcium and magnesium.
For more info, including which Southwest Florida communities and municipalities have fertilizer ordinances, as well as additional resources, visit fertilizesmart.com .
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