Seasonal Yard Care

 Fertilize with Grass Clippings

• Mow high and often. Set your mower at 2 1/2 to 3 inches to help keep out weeds and make your lawn more resistant to drought and disease.
• By mowing high and often you will be able to leave grass clippings on the lawn, which adds nutrients to the soil, lessening the need for commercial fertilizer. Clippings also add organic matter, which improves the quality of the soil in turn increasing its ability to infiltrate stormwater.
• Fertilize cool-season grasses (Kentucky bluegrass, fescue, ryegrass) in the fall. Fertilize warm-season grasses (bermudagrass, zoysiagrass) in the summer.

Test First

• Fertilizers, leaves, and grass clippings from lawns contribute to phosphorus problems in our lakes and rivers. Homeowners can protect water quality by using lawn fertilizers that do not contain phosphorus—it’s the law in Minnesota. Look for a middle number of zero—and sweeping up grass clippings from streets and sidewalks after mowing and trimming. 
• Minnesota soils are naturally high in phosphorus, so our lawns usually don't need any extra, but to determine if your lawn is nutrient poor and requires fertilizer, have a soil test completed. In Minnesota, you can use the University soil testing laboratory. Visit http://soiltest.cfans.umn.edu/.
• If your lawn is deficient in some nutrient, remember it is best to fertilize just prior to periods of active growth – this means fall for cool-season northern grasses.
• More fertilizer is NOT better! Whatever is not taken up by the plant runs off in the next rain event. Follow package instructions for applying fertilizer. Keep fertilizer off paved surfaces: It’s illegal to spread any fertilizer on hard surfaces such as streets, sidewalks, and driveways. Rain can wash the fertilizer into storm drains eventually leading to a lake or river near you. If you accidentally spill or spread fertilizer on a hard surface, clean it up immediately – it’s the law in Minnesota.
• Slow-release fertilizers excellent alternatives to soluble fertilizers (those that break down when they come in contact with water). Slow-release fertilizers are categorized into groups based on how nutrients are released (pellets, chemically altered, or coated). Rather than releasing a quick rush of nutrients, soluble crystal, or granular fertilizers do, these release their nutrients slowly over a longer period and are less likely to create a flush of nutrient-laden runoff pollution.

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Fertilizing Tips Media Packet

In order to protect the quality of lakes and rivers, Minnesota has a Phosphorus Lawn Fertilizer Law which restricts the use of lawn fertilizer that contains phosphorus. Initially covering only the Twin Cities Metro Area, the law went into effect statewide on January 1, 2005.

The law does not affect the sale of phosphorus lawn fertilizer, but does affect when it can be used – important information for homeowners and others who care for lawns.

• Flyer - April 2010
• Press release – April 2005
• Talking points – April 2005 
 

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