Minnesota’s Minnesota’s Phosphorus Phosphorus

Lawn Fertilizer LawLawn Fertilizer LawJerry SpetzmanJerry Spetzman

Water Quality AdvisorWater Quality Advisor

Minnesota Department of Minnesota Department of AgricultureAgriculture

What is the role of What is the role of phosphorus in lawns, phosphorus in lawns, landscapes and lakes?landscapes and lakes?

Phosphorus is Phosphorus is vitally vitally important to important to healthy plant healthy plant growth and growth and development.development.

Phosphorus is Phosphorus is found found throughout the throughout the landscape – landscape – soils, plants, soils, plants, animals, animals, airborne dust.airborne dust.

What is the role of What is the role of phosphorus in lawns, phosphorus in lawns, landscapes and lakes?landscapes and lakes?

Fertilizer, leaves, Fertilizer, leaves, grass clippings, grass clippings, eroded soil, and eroded soil, and animal waste are animal waste are all sources of all sources of phosphorus.phosphorus.

What is the role of What is the role of phosphorus in lawns, phosphorus in lawns, landscapes and lakes?landscapes and lakes? When these are swept or washed into When these are swept or washed into

the nearest street or storm drain, they the nearest street or storm drain, they usually end up in a local lake or riverusually end up in a local lake or river..

What is the role of What is the role of phosphorus in lawns, phosphorus in lawns, landscapes and lakes?landscapes and lakes?

Runoff water in storm sewers is not filtered.Runoff water in storm sewers is not filtered.

What is the role of What is the role of phosphorus in lawns, phosphorus in lawns, landscapes and lakes?landscapes and lakes?

Excess phosphorus Excess phosphorus in lakes and rivers in lakes and rivers can cause can cause

● ● algae growthalgae growth

● ● decreased water decreased water clarity clarity

● ● disagreeable disagreeable odor odor

● ● habitat loss habitat loss

● ● fish killsfish kills

What is the role of What is the role of phosphorus in lawns, phosphorus in lawns, landscapes and lakes?landscapes and lakes?

While phosphorus is While phosphorus is necessary to grow necessary to grow healthy lawns, soils in healthy lawns, soils in many residential areas of many residential areas of MN already have high MN already have high native levels of native levels of phosphorusphosphorus

Average 44 parts per Average 44 parts per million.million.

In these instances, In these instances, adding more phosphorus adding more phosphorus is not needed and will is not needed and will not benefit the lawn.not benefit the lawn.

What is the role of What is the role of phosphorus in lawns, phosphorus in lawns, landscapes and lakes?landscapes and lakes?

Most lawns in the Most lawns in the TCMA have TCMA have adequate levels of adequate levels of phosphorus for phosphorus for healthy turf growth.healthy turf growth.

However, in However, in western MN soils western MN soils have lower levels of have lower levels of phosphorus and phosphorus and lawns may need lawns may need additional additional phosphorus.phosphorus.

What is the role of What is the role of phosphorus in lawns, phosphorus in lawns, landscapes and lakes?landscapes and lakes?

Phosphorus (except in Phosphorus (except in rare instances) does rare instances) does not green up a lawn.not green up a lawn.

Phosphorus - new Phosphorus - new roots, shoots, leaves, roots, shoots, leaves, seeds.seeds.

Healthy lawns can be Healthy lawns can be maintained with maintained with phosphorus-free phosphorus-free fertilizer.fertilizer.

What is the role of What is the role of phosphorus in lawns, phosphorus in lawns, landscapes and lakes?landscapes and lakes?

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Anoka Carver Dakota Hennepin Ramsey Scott Washington

Total Phosphorus in Lakes

________________________________________EutrophicationEutrophication________________________________________

What is the role of What is the role of phosphorus in lawns, phosphorus in lawns, landscapes and lakes?landscapes and lakes?

P levels in soils measured P levels in soils measured in parts per MILLIONin parts per MILLION

P levels in lakes measured P levels in lakes measured in parts per BILLIONin parts per BILLION

1000 X difference1000 X difference 25 ppm soil P – healthy 25 ppm soil P – healthy

turfturf 25 ppb lake P – excess 25 ppb lake P – excess

algae growthalgae growth

What is the role of What is the role of phosphorus in lawns, phosphorus in lawns, landscapes and lakes?landscapes and lakes?

Phosphorus Cycle

History of the lawHistory of the law 1985 - Shoreview first community to 1985 - Shoreview first community to

adopt ordinance adopt ordinance 1996 – Plymouth requires zero P 1996 – Plymouth requires zero P

without soil test.without soil test. 1996 – Shorewood restricts sales.1996 – Shorewood restricts sales. 2000, 2001 legislative sessions – bills 2000, 2001 legislative sessions – bills

do not pass.do not pass. 2002 – Minnesota is first state to pass 2002 – Minnesota is first state to pass

lawlaw 2004 – Law expanded to statewide2004 – Law expanded to statewide

What is the law?What is the law? The restrictions The restrictions

apply only to apply only to fertilizer used on fertilizer used on lawnslawns

The law does not The law does not apply to fertilizer apply to fertilizer used for agricultural used for agricultural crops (including sod crops (including sod fields), trees, flowers fields), trees, flowers and vegetable and vegetable gardening, or on golf gardening, or on golf courses managed by courses managed by trained staff.trained staff.

What is the law?What is the law? It is prohibited to It is prohibited to

spill or spread (ANY) spill or spread (ANY) fertilizer on paved fertilizer on paved surfaces such as surfaces such as streets, sidewalks or streets, sidewalks or driveways.driveways.

Clean up Clean up immediately.immediately.

All fertilizers, All fertilizers, whether or not it whether or not it contains phosphorus.contains phosphorus.

What is the law?What is the law? Fertilizers Fertilizers

containing containing phosphorus cannot phosphorus cannot be used on lawns be used on lawns in Minnesota.in Minnesota.

Look for the Look for the middle number on middle number on a bag of fertilizer. a bag of fertilizer.

It should be zero It should be zero (0).(0).

Exceptions ...Exceptions ...

What is the law?What is the law? Phosphorus fertilizer can be Phosphorus fertilizer can be

used …used …● ● On lawns if a soil or leaf On lawns if a soil or leaf

tissue test indicates that it is tissue test indicates that it is needed.needed.

● ● When establishing a new When establishing a new lawn.lawn.

● ● On a golf course by trained On a golf course by trained staff.staff.

No distinction made No distinction made between organic and between organic and inorganic sources of inorganic sources of phosphorus.phosphorus.

Preemption of local lawPreemption of local law

The new law preempts (supersedes) The new law preempts (supersedes) local ordinances restricting USE of local ordinances restricting USE of phosphorus fertilizer inphosphorus fertilizer in

Agriculture (growing of crops Agriculture (growing of crops including sod farms)including sod farms)

LawnsLawns Except… Except…

Preemption of local lawPreemption of local law

Local ordinances Local ordinances that restrict the that restrict the SALE (not use) of SALE (not use) of phosphorus lawn phosphorus lawn fertilizer that fertilizer that were in effect by were in effect by August 1, 2002 August 1, 2002 will remain in will remain in effect.effect.

BloomingtonBloomington EaganEagan Eden PrairieEden Prairie LindstromLindstrom MaplewoodMaplewood MinneapolisMinneapolis PlymouthPlymouth St. PaulSt. Paul SavageSavage ShorewoodShorewood

Who enforces the law?Who enforces the law?

Restrictions and prohibitions in this law Restrictions and prohibitions in this law may be enforced by local units of may be enforced by local units of government under their existing government under their existing authority.authority.

Violations are a petty misdemeanor.Violations are a petty misdemeanor.

ResearchResearch

Minnesota Department of Agriculture, Minnesota Department of Agriculture, University of Minnesota and other affected University of Minnesota and other affected groups shall …groups shall …

● ● evaluate research needs,evaluate research needs,

● ● encourage targeted research encourage targeted research opportunities,opportunities,

● ● investigate the effects of phosphorus investigate the effects of phosphorus fertilization on urban stormwater quality,fertilization on urban stormwater quality,

● ● report to legislature by January 15, report to legislature by January 15, 2007.2007.

ResearchResearch

TROE Center – TROE Center – Turfgrass Turfgrass Research, Outreach Research, Outreach and Educationand Education

Consumer InformationConsumer Information

Minnesota Department of Minnesota Department of Agriculture, University of Minnesota Agriculture, University of Minnesota and other affected groups shall …and other affected groups shall …

● ● produce consumer informationproduce consumer information

● ● suitable for posting and suitable for posting and distribution at retail distribution at retail points of sale.points of sale.

Point of Sale Resources - Point of Sale Resources - PosterPoster

Point of Sale Resources – Point of Sale Resources – Fact SheetFact Sheet

In Depth InformationIn Depth Information

Target Target Audience:Audience:

● ● RetailersRetailers

● ● Lawn and Lawn and Landscape Landscape ProfessionalsProfessionals

● ● Master Master GardenersGardeners

● ● EducatorsEducators

Consumer AwarenessConsumer Awareness

Minnesota Water - Let’s Keep Minnesota Water - Let’s Keep it Clean! it Clean!

www.cleanwatermn.org

Minnesota WaterMinnesota WaterLet’s Keep it Clean!Let’s Keep it Clean!

Fall 2003 Print Ad

Spring 2004 Print Ad

Minnesota WaterMinnesota WaterLet’s Keep it Clean!Let’s Keep it Clean!

Spring 2004 Radio AdSpring 2004 Radio Ad

Algae WorldAlgae World

30 Second Spot

One Minute Spot

Will the lakes get better Will the lakes get better now?now? While following the law is important, there are While following the law is important, there are

many sources of phosphorus in urban many sources of phosphorus in urban landscapes.landscapes.

Levels of phosphorus in soils change very Levels of phosphorus in soils change very slowly – decades.slowly – decades.

What else can we do?What else can we do?

Test your soil.Test your soil. A soil test is a good idea, especially if you are A soil test is a good idea, especially if you are

concerned that a lawn may need phosphorus.concerned that a lawn may need phosphorus. MDA Website – list of certified soil test labsMDA Website – list of certified soil test labs

What else can we do?What else can we do?

Keep leaves and Keep leaves and grass clippings out grass clippings out of gutters, streets of gutters, streets and ditches.and ditches.

Clippings contain Clippings contain about 1/3 pound about 1/3 pound phosphate per phosphate per 1000 square feet 1000 square feet during the growing during the growing season.season.

What else can we do?What else can we do?

Clean lawn and Clean lawn and garden garden equipment on equipment on the grass, not on the grass, not on hard surfaces.hard surfaces.

Don’t wash or Don’t wash or blow soil or blow soil or grass clippings grass clippings into the street.into the street.

What else can we do?What else can we do? Pick up pet waste promptly.Pick up pet waste promptly. Pet waste can contain harmful bacteria as Pet waste can contain harmful bacteria as

well as nutrients.well as nutrients. Don’t allow pet waste in the street or ditches.Don’t allow pet waste in the street or ditches.

What else can we do?What else can we do? Control soil erosion Control soil erosion

around homes.around homes. When left bare, soil When left bare, soil

is easily washed is easily washed away with rain, away with rain, carrying phosphorus carrying phosphorus with it.with it.

Soil erosion can be Soil erosion can be prevented by prevented by keeping soil covered keeping soil covered with vegetation or with vegetation or mulch.mulch.

Thank You!

Questions?

Comments?

For more information: 651-297-7269

www.mda.state.mn.us

Click on “Water & Land”

Click on “Lawn Care & Water Quality”