Just Say No To Fertilizer According To County Ordinance

In Florida summer means plenty of beach time, cool drinks and no fertilizer, according to Pinellas County.

The county recently launched the "Skip the Fertilizer” this summer and “Be Floridian" campaign with the help of seven county trucks and heavy equipment vehicles. The trucks can be seen driving around the county with the, "Skip the Fertilizer, Be Floridian" slogan wrapped on them. 

Pinellas County’s summertime fertilizer ordinance prohibits the use of nitrogen- and/or phosphorus-based fertilizer to reduce the volume of pollutants running off into open bodies of water. 

The vehicle wraps are the result of a $9,000 grant from the Florida Department of Transportation awarded to the Tampa Bay Regional Planning Council’s Stormwater Education Committee, according to this announcement from the county. The message seeks to remind people of the link between using too much fertilizer and poor water quality in the county’s open waterways.

Feeling fertilizer withdrawal? The county offers residents alternatives to are many greening up a lawn without running the risk of polluting the aquatic environment. 

Some tips include:

• Don’t blow your leaves or clippings into the road - leave them on your lawn. They can supply up to 50% of the nitrogen your grass needs.
• Reclaimed water can contain high amounts of nutrients and fertilizers may not be needed. Check with your water supplier.
• Other tips and information on the county's fertilizer ordinance can be found here.