Summer is back and so are fertilizer restrictions

Thursday marks the beginning of a few important dates to remember every year: hurricane season and Manatee County’s fertilizer restrictions.

The fertilizer restrictions, which are in place until Sept. 30, apply to all residential and commercial properties, including landscapes maintained by lawn care professionals, according to Manatee County officials.

It’s a reminder to residents not to use nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizer to prevent runoff from rains washing down storm drains into bodies of water.

Phosphorous is already prohibited year-round, as Florida’s soils are naturally abundant in it.

To find products that are safe to use during the restrictions, look for “summer-safe” products with 0-0 as the first two numbers on the fertilizer label at garden centers, according to county officials.

Looking for ways to keep your yard looking great? Manatee County officials recommend these Florida-friendly lawn care practices for the summer:

• Adding an application of iron, readily available at most garden centers, will keep your lawn green during the summer without making it grow more.
• Mix in composted cow or chicken manure, or your own home compost, into your own dirt to enrich your soil.
• Set your lawn mower blade higher, to 3.5-4 inches, for standard St. Augustine grass to encourage strong, deep roots that resist fungus and pests.
• Buy plants adapted to Florida’s hot, humid climate and plant them in the right place according to their sun and water needs. They’ll need less water, fertilizer and chemicals year-round.
• All lawn care professionals that apply fertilizer must vet certified and display a Best Management Practices decal on their company vehicle - look for the decal.
• Let only rain down your storm drain by sweeping or blowing grass clippings back onto your yard.

For more on Manatee County's fertilizer ordinance, visit their website online.

This story was originally published June 1, 2017 at 5:22 PM with the headline "Summer is back and so are fertilizer restrictions."