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