Rainy Season Fertilizer Ban Begins In Pinellas County June 1

PINELLAS COUNTY, FL — Pinellas County’s rainy season fertilizer restrictions will take effect Thursday, June 1, and will last through Sept. 30.

The county’s Fertilizer Ordinance prohibits the sale or application of lawn and landscape fertilizers containing nitrogen or phosphorus during that timeframe. Phosphorus cannot be used at any time of the year unless a soil test confirms it is needed. Also, fertilizer can never be applied within 10 feet of the top of a slope leading to a seawall, wetland or water body.

Pinellas County is one of more than 90 Florida communities that have summer fertilizer restrictions.

The county regulates landscape maintenance practices all year, both for property owners who take care of their own lawns and for professionals.

The intent of the restrictions is to prevent fertilizer runoff and yard waste from harming lakes, ponds, rivers, Tampa Bay and the Gulf of Mexico and from leaching into groundwater. Excess nitrogen and phosphorus can cause harmful algae blooms that lower oxygen levels and lead to fish kills.

Pinellas County recommends using summer-safe lawn care products and using landscaping best management practices to keep a healthy landscape during the summer:

• Look for products with “0-0” as the first two numbers on the fertilizer label.
• Use compost to enrich soil.
• Set lawn mower blade heights between 3½ to 4 inches for St. Augustine and Bahia turf to encourage deep roots that resist drought, fungus and pests.
• Water no more than ½ to ¾ inch of irrigation twice a week and follow watering restrictions.
• Ensure an irrigation rain shutoff device is installed and working properly. Shut off the irrigation system when rainfall is sufficient.
• Buy plants adapted to Florida’s hot and humid climate and plant them in places that suit their sun and water needs.
• Be aware that reclaimed water contains nitrogen and phosphorus; view the county's new information map.
• More information can be found here.