Eco-Friendly Tips To Care For St. Pete Lawns In Fertilizer Ban: City

ST. PETERSBURG, FL — St. Pete’s annual fertilizer ban returns Wednesday and continues through the summer, a city news release said.

Increased rainfall in the summer months can cause nitrogen and phosphorus from fertilizer to reach water bodies and lead to environmental issues like algae blooms, fish kills and water quality problems, city officials said.

To help prevent this, the city said using fertilizer is prohibited from June 1 through September 30.

The city offers the following eco-friendly tips:

• Refrain from using fertilizer June 1 - September 30, per Pinellas County’s fertilizer ordinance. More information about the ordinance can be found at pinellascounty.org/fertilizer.
• Treat lawns with a slow-release fertilizer in the spring.
• Pick up any debris or vegetation near storm drains year-round to keep it from entering local waterways.
• Follow a no-mow zone 10 feet from any water body, helping to establish a protective barrier.
• Make sure their lawn maintenance/landscaper is certified for Green Industries Best Management Practices. Verify at gibmp-prod.ifas.ufl.edu/certified.
• Replace some or all of the lawn with Florida-friendly and native plants.

More information can be found at stpete.org/Fertilizer.