Project participants

DelDOT

• AppoquiniminkRiverAssociation

• DelawareDepartmentofAgricultureNutrientManagementCommission

• DelawareDepartmentofNaturalResources&EnvironmentalControl

• DelawareDepartmentofTransportation(DelDOT)

• DelawareGroundsManagementAssociation

• DelawareNatureSociety

• DelawareNursery&LandscapeAssociation

• NewCastleConservationDistrict

• UniversityofDelawareCooperativeExtension

• UniversityofDelawareInstituteforPublicAdministrationWaterResourcesAgency

• USDepartmentofAgricultureNaturalResourcesConservationService

Tolearnaboutallthefertilizerrecommendationsandbestmanagementpracticesvisit:www.delawarelivablelawns.org

Why Care?

DidyouknowtheEPAconsidersstormwaterrunofffromyards,streets,parkinglotsandotherareastobeoneofthemostsignificantsourcesofcontaminationinourcountry’swaters?

Nitrogenandphosphoruscancauseproblemswiththequalityofourwater.Theyareneededbyallplantsforhealthygrowth,butmustbeappliedproperly.Individuallawnsandgardensseemsmallbut,thetotalplantedareainDelawareislarge.So,applyfertilizerproperlyandprotectboththeenvironmentandyourlawnandlandscapeplants.

The Livable Lawns Way

This healthy lawn was fertilized with just enough nutrients to keep it green and vigorous.

A healthy lawn allows you to walk comfortably throughout your landscape.

Help save Delaware’s rivers and bays one lawn at a time!

Healthy Lawns, Healthy Waters

ThegoaloftheDelawareLivableLawnsinitiativeissimple-reducefertilizerandpesticiderunofffromlawns.

CertifiedLivableLawnscompaniesagreetoparticipateinthisprogramthatgoesaboveandbeyondtheDelawareNutrientManagmentLaw.Theyaremonitoredfor:

• Applyingfertilizerbasedonsoiltestssoonlyenoughfertilizertoachieveahealthylawnisapplied.

• Usingbestmanagementpracticestopreventfertilizersfromleachingintogroundwater,ponds,streamsorlakes.

Monthly Garden Calendar

January—Planplantingsfortheupcomingyear.February—Prunetreestoreshapeandremovecrossingorrubbingbranches.March—Cutbackperennials. Transplantorplantnewtreesandshrubs.Spreadyardwastecompostonbedstoconservewaterandreduceweeds.April—Applypreemergentherbicidetolawnifyouhad a crabgrass problem last year. Apply a smallamountoffertilizerforgreenup.Sharpenyourmowerblade.Plantperennials.May—Plantannualsinmid-May.Movehouseplantsoutdoorstoshadylocation.Cutyourlawnfrequentlyenoughtoreturnclippingstothelawn.June—Removeflowerheadsfromfloweringplantstoprolongbloom.Sharpenyourmowerblade.July—Keep newly planted trees and shrubswateredbysoakingthoroughlyonceaweek.Keepthegardenweeded.Increasethemowingheightofyourlawn.August—Donot letweedsgo toseed.Reseedorrenovatelawnsinmid-lateAugust.September—Plant perennials, trees and shrubs.Fertilizeyourlawn.Coreaerateyourlawn.October—Fertilize your lawn if necessary. Moveand divide crowded perennials. Plant spring-bloomingbulbs.November—Clean up the garden and put yardwasteinthecompostpile.Rakeleavesfromlawnareas,shredandspreadonbeds.December—Winterizelawnmowersandotherequipment.

stablishano-mowbufferaroundwaterways.

Delaware Livable Lawns Practices

LIVABLE

eavegrassclippingsonyourlawn.

ncludemorethanjustgrassinyourlandscape.

erifythatyourlawnneedsfertilizerbytestingyoursoilbeforeapplication.

pplyfertilizeraccordingtodirections.

esuretosweepexcessfertilizerandlawnclippingsoffyoursidewalksanddriveways.

eavefertilizationuntilthefall.

Fertilizer Recommendations:Turfgrass catagories

Cool season grasses

Warm season grasses

Examples tallfescue,perennialryegrass,finefescue,Kentuckybluegrass

bermudagrass,zoysiagrass

Total N/year 1.5-3lbsN/1000squarefeet

Rates and dates with less than 35% slowly available N (in lbs N/1000 sq. ft.)

March/April:0.5lb*Sept:1lbOct:1lbNov:0.5lb

May:1lbJune:1lbJuly/Aug:1lb

Rates and dates with 35% or more slowly available N (in lbs N/1000 sq. ft.)

September:2lborAugust:1.5lbOctober:1.5lb

May:1.5lbJuly:1.5lb

*Springfertilizationisoptionalandonlyusedtogetquickspringgreenup.

What about organic vs. synthetic? Lotsofpeople thinkorganicproductsaregoodforyourlawnandsyntheticproductsarebad.Itisjustnotthatsimple.Organicmattertilledintoyoursoiltoimprovesoilstructure—likecompostedyardwasteormushroomsoil—isgreatforimprovingsoilqualityand plant growth. But organic fertilizers are notnecessarilybetterforyourlawn.

The real issue is how readily available are thenutrients. So, for lawn fertilization, it is best tothink in terms of quick release nitrogen and slowreleasenitrogen.Someorganicproductsarequickrelease (fresh poultry manure) and some are slow(compostedcowmanure).Somesyntheticproductsarequickrelease(urea)andsomeareslow(sulfurcoated urea). Slow release fertilizer may be moreexpensive,butitallowsyoutofertilizelessfrequentlyandissafertousewhenrainispredicted.Soselecttherightfertilizerforyourlawnbasedonthetimingandtheamountyouwanttoapply.

q Water solubleq Available immediatelyq May leachq Usually inexpensive

Quick release nitrogen

q Water insoluble (variety of release mechanisms)q Released over timeq Rarely leachq Usually more expensive

Why fertilize in the fall?

Slow release nitrogen

SUMMERturf dormant

FALL

Inthefall,grassgrowsprimarilyrootsandnewgrassplants,sofallfertilizationresultsindenser,healthier,moredeeplyrootedlawns.

Inthespring,grassputsitsenergyintogrowingleaves.Whenyoufertilizeinthespring,yougetquickgreenup,butyoualsohavetocutyourlawnmorefrequently.

Lookatthediagrambelowtoseewhyfallisbest.

SPRING

uses stored winter food

growth slows out of dormancy with fall rains

must store food for root & tiller productions

WINTERturf dormant

vigorous top growth

FERTILIZE HERE