St Lucie County Fertilizer Ban
The month of June often brings a lot of rain. Florida’s rainy season starts June 1st and ends September 30th. Water is required for plants to grow healthy, but too much or too little is unsuitable. Too much rain causes plant nutrients to leach/wash into the groundwater, causing non-point pollution. Water pollution affects aquatic life, such as fish, and reduces water quality, which affects recreation, such as swimming and other water sports.
St. Lucie County is among many counties and other communities that have banned fertilizer applications between June 1st and September 30th. In St. Lucie County, this ban affects both residential and commercial landscaping.
The following is a message from the St. Lucie County Communication Department:
- LUCIE COUNTY – A reminder to all residents and businesses that the countywide fertilizer ban in St. Lucie County is once again in effect from June 1 through Sept. 30. This applies to all businesses and residences living in unincorporated St. Lucie County, as well as the cities of Fort Pierce and Port St. Lucie. Fertilization with nitrogen or phosphorus is prohibited from June 1 through Sept. 30.
Oct. 1 through May 30 – ALL fertilizer application products must contain at least 50% slow-release nitrogen and 0% phosphorus (unless a soil test indicates deficiency).
Runoff from fertilizers containing nitrogen and phosphorous becomes fuel for harmful algae blooms and negatively impacts water quality in the St. Lucie River and Indian River Lagoon. St. Lucie County’s fertilizer ordinance is similar to 40 other communities throughout the Indian River Lagoon basin. It is designed to protect one of the most diverse estuaries in North America from an additional overload of unwanted nutrients.
Additionally, residents, businesses, and lawn companies must keep grass clippings and leaves from being washed, swept, or blown into stormwater drains and water bodies, as these are sources of excess nutrients that can harm the Indian River Lagoon and St. Lucie River. The county-wide fertilizer ordinance includes agriculture, golf courses, and athletic field exceptions.
For additional fertilizer ordinance information, please visit https://www.stlucieco.gov/departments-and-services/oxbow-eco-center/adult-education/st-lucie-water-champions-initiative/local-fertilizer-ordinances-information.
You can access the following link below to learn more about the effects of urban fertilizer ordinances on water quality from the University of Florida experts: SL511/SS724: Effects of Urban Fertilizer Ordinances on Water Quality (ufl.edu). For more information on fertilizer, contact Grantly Ricketts at gricketts@ufl.edu or 772-462-1660.
Featured image by VisualArtStudio – stock.adobe.com
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