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Choose fertilizer carefully to protect watershed - Stephen Butcher and Lilly Noble

Re: Article “Proposed phosphorus fertilizer ban presented to policy committee,” which appeared on NorthernLife.ca April 24.
Re: Article “Proposed phosphorus fertilizer ban presented to policy committee,” which appeared on NorthernLife.ca April 24.

The Greater Sudbury Watershed Alliance (GSWA) asks Sudburians that if they are going to fertilize their lawns, to choose their fertilizers wisely since several city lakes have had blue green algae blooms, partly due to excessive amounts of phosphates being washed from lawns into storm drains.

This water then flows into our creeks, rivers and lakes. Algae blooms have closed beaches and can compromise drinking water.

You can identify whether fertilizer has phosphate by looking at the middle number of the three-digit formulation on the bag. The first number is nitrogen, the second phosphate and the third potassium.

Always purchase lawn fertilizer with the middle number being a zero. Adding phosphate is only sometimes necessary when starting a new lawn. A soil test will tell you if you need it.

If you use a professional lawn care company to maintain your lawn, be sure to ask them to use phosphate-free fertilizer. They all carry phosphate-free products. Slow release granular fertilizers are also much more effective for lawn growth than liquid fertilizers, and are less likely to end up in runoff.

Mulch your grass clippings for free fertilizers, and don’t cut grass shorter than three inches. Water deeply and infrequently. For more lawn care tips, go to the GSWA website at sites.google.com/site/sudburywatershed/taking-care-of-your-lawn.
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Stephen Butcher and Lilly Noble
co-chairs, Greater Sudbury Watershed Alliance