Florida waterways should be cleaner this rainy season

Nitrogen and phosphorus, two mainstays of traditional fertilizer, may be wreaking havoc upon Florida's waterways and the plant and animal life they support.

In a campaign aimed at reducing the amount of these potential pollutants that end up in the water while still enabling landscapers and homeowners to maintain healthy turf and plants, the Floridabased Sustainable Landscape Council urges judicious use of fertilizer yearround. At this time of year, advocates for consumers and landscapers recommend the use of a specially formulated blend for summer application that will not leach nitrogen or phosphorus during the summer rainy season.

The council applauds the growing number of communities that have enacted laws restricting the amount of, and periods when, fertilizers containing nitrogen and phosphorus can be applied. The two nutrients cannot be used from June 1 through Sept. 30 in order to limit the amount of runoff that occurs during heavy rains or irrigation. Lee County enacted a strict fertilizer ordinance in mid-May, joining Sarasota County, Naples, Longboat Key and Sanibel Island.

Even in communities that haven't banned the use of nitrogen and phosphorus during summer months, homeowners and professionals should still refrain from using them, says Jennifer Hecker, natural resource policy manager for the Conservancy of Southwest Florida.

"When you apply nitrogen during the rainy season, the rainfall often prevents plants from having enough time to absorb the fertilizer so it collects in the form of storm water runoff and washes it into waterways," Hecker says.

This can lead to algal blooms, such as red tide, that harm plants and animals, as well as remove dissolved oxygen from waters, which can trigger fish kills.

The Sustainable Landscape Council formed late last year to help provide long term, sustainable solutions to the rising challenges facing the landscape industry. The not-for-profit organization works with companies with national presence to foster a sustainable future along Florida's natural coasts. The intent is to help establish common sense, cost-effective environmental standards for the industry before it becomes regulated.

The council advocates for environmentally sustainable landscaping practices that require less water, produce less chemical runoff and preserve Florida's natural resources.

For more information about the Sustainable Landscape Council, contact Cynthia Herleman, executive director, at 888-488-4945, info@sustainablelandscapecouncil. com or www.sustainablelandscapecouncil. com on the Web.