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You Can Help Protect our Drinking Water

by using phosphorus-free lawn fertilizer


Can I keep my lawn green and protect Lake Samish water quality simultaneously? Yes, you can! And, in fact, it’s simple and easy. Here’s one way. When using commercial lawn fertilizers, choose one with zero phosphorus. But, “Why should I care?” you may ask. Well, for one reason, phosphorus causes excess algae growth in our lake water, which most of us drink, and secondly, it’s the law.

 

How does phosphorus affect algae growth? Phosphorus is a naturally occurring nutrient that helps stimulate plant growth. However, human activities increase phosphorus levels in the Lake Samish basin where rainwater and water used outdoors runs quickly off hard, impervious surfaces carrying phosphorus and other pollutants directly into lakes and streams. This in turn leads to excessive growth of aquatic plants and algae, clouding the water and killing other aquatic life. Bacteria eat the decomposing plants and use up oxygen in the lake, so more aquatic plants and animals die which then depletes more oxygen.


IT'S THE LAW!

 

In 2007, Whatcom County Council unanimously approved an ordinance establishing regulations for fertilizer application on residential lawns and public properties within the Lake Samish watershed. It is unlawful for any person to apply any commercial fertilizer to residential lawns or public agency properties, either liquid or granular, that contains more than zero percent phosphorus, except during the first season on newly established lawns.  Violation is a civil offense and can be fined up to $1,000 for each infraction.

 

What to look for in a commercial fertilizer?


Commercial fertilizers are clearly labeled with the “fertilizer grade”, showing the percentage of three primary chemicals: nitrogen/phosphorus/potassium, in that order. Several phosphorus-free fertilizers are available locally including Green Thumb, and Scott’s TurfBuilder which available at Home Depot, Lowe’s, and WFC. You can also look for Whatcom Lake Blend. When looking for a product, just look for one that has a “0” as the middle number on the bag label.


Other simple ways to keep my lawn healthy and protect water quality,


● Mow high and let it lie: Tall grass shades out sprouting weeds and retains soil moisture. Fewer watering’s are needed to keep it green; fewer weeds mean reduced need for chemical weed-killers; leaving grass clippings to decompose recycles plant nutrients back into the soil providing natural fertilizers.

● Water deeply and less frequently: Watering deeply encourages roots to grow deeper where moisture remains even after several days of hot weather. Frequent watering encourages shallow root growth where dry out occurs after just a few sunny days.

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