Lawn care and fertilizer reduction Becca O’Neill Education Specialist

stormwater

Detriment to local waters Excess nutrients cause: Lower oxygen levels Fish kills Algal blooms Pollutants cause: Wildlife kills Detriment to human health Weed control methods can cause pollutants, toxins, and sediment to enter the storm systems

Where does your water flow?

Stark county waters

Groundwater and impervious surfaces Groundwater will filter through the land into local waters or areas of retention Naturally filtered as it moves through the ground Accumulates toxins if it flows through polluted areas Impervious surfaces do not allow infiltration Examples: roofs sidewalks, driveways, roads, parking lots Route water into storm water systems

Best management practices Best Management Practices (BMP’s) were created by the US Environmental Protection Agency Objective: An effective, practical way to minimize or prevent discharge of non- point source pollution into storm water, groundwater, or receiving waters Most common BMP’s: detention basins, vegetated swales, filter strips, bioretention ponds Non-point source pollution: pollution caused by a non specific source, that is carried by water through the an environment and deposited into local waters. Water moves through the ground and bonds to natural and man-made pollutants Examples: sediment, nutrients, oil, fertilizers, pesticides, etc. depositing them into lakes, rivers, wetlands, coastal waters and ground waters Detention basins – wet and dry

landscaping Do: Don’t: Set your mower at a high height (2.5 – 3 inches) Maintain a regular mowing schedule Sweep up grass clippings or blow them into the lawn Mulch grass clippings and return nutrients to the soil If clumping occurs, and you must remove, compost the clippings Aerate your lawn Remove leaf piles Don’t: Cut more than 1/3 of the grass at one time Blow or rinse grass clippings into storm drains, bodies of water, or impervious surfaces Don’t cut vegetation along detention basins or wetlands to create a vegetative buffer

Species Short grasses, like Kentucky blue grass, are ineffective pollutant filters due to shallow root systems Use mixes with rye or fescue Plant native species Non-native species such as buckthorn and purple loosestrife can impact effectiveness by blocking out the more effective long-rooted native vegetation.

pesticides Insecticides, herbicides, rodenticides, fungicides Do: Choose a treatment that is specific to the problem or pest Read the label Mix only the quantity needed Spot treat areas or pests Use alternative pest control, such as natural enemies Don’t: Dispose of excess pesticides in garage drains, storm drains, down the sink Apply chemicals before a heavy rainfall

Fertilizer benefits Improve lawn quality Crowd out weeds Thick lawns can reduce nitrate leaching Increase water infiltration and retention Crowd out weeds Improve health to withstand stressors (ex. wind, heat, drought) Provides nutrients to soil N-P-K

Fertilizers More ISN’T always Better Do: Don’t Over fertilization can be harmful to your lawn, the environment, and waste money Do: Soil test before applying treatment Apply treatment specific to deficiency or problem Apply only the needed amount Lightly irrigate the area after treatment to increase nutrient uptake After application, sweep excess from impervious surfaces Don’t Apply treatment within 2 days, before a heavy rainfall Is fertilizer the answer? – soil test, pH, light, water, competition, stresses Understand your fertilizer -

PH pH Normal range 6.0 - 7.5 Lime used to raise pH Ammonium sulfate or ammonium nitrate can be added to lower pH Amend before planting, into the top 4-6 inches of soil

Nitrogen Nitrogen produces Application Vigorous growth Thickness Dark green color Application Add up to 1 pound of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet of lawn 2 applications per year Lawns with heavy use in full sun may require 4 applications per year September and May Returning grass clippings to soil may decrease nitrogen need by 25-50% Shady lawn areas can decrease need for nitrogen by 50%

phosphorous Stimulates root growth and creates seeds Does not move in the soil Add to soil before planting it can be accessed by roots Runoff contributes to algal blooms, oxygen depletion, and fish kills Phosphate sources: Superphosphate (19-21%) Triple superphosphate (40-47%) Ammonium phosphate (46-53%)

potassium Regulates water use Increases stress tolerance Facilitates photosynthesis Available sources: Muriate of potash (60-63%) Sulfate of potash (50-53%)

Organic fertilizers Fertilizer Sources 10-2-8 Meat, bone, poultry, and fish meal 6-2-0 Digested bio-solids, sludge 5-2-4 Composted turkey litter, manure 6-1-3 Poultry feather meal, bone meal, blood meal 10-0-0 Corn milling by-product Apply a thin layer of topdressing on top of organic fertilizer

Remember the 4 r’s Right source Right rate Right time Right place

Pet care Pick up pet waste Pet waste introduces nutrients and bacteria to local waters

sources Gardening.cornell.edu/lawns