Fertilize smart: Give your fertilizer a summer vacation
The city of Sanibel reminded all residents, as well as landscape and fertilizer applicators, to give their fertilizer routine a summer vacation and abide by the city’s fertilizer ordinance this rainy season, which runs from July 1 through Sept. 30. By following the ordinance, the community can be part of the city’s ongoing effort to minimize local and regional nutrient pollution in local waterways.
Sanibel residents are reminded:
– It is a violation of city Ordinance 07-003 to apply fertilizers containing nitrogen and phosphorous during the rainy season (July 1 through Sept. 30).
– Fertilizers cannot be applied within 25 feet of a body of water including lakes, ponds, canals, wetlands and the Sanibel Slough.
– Fertilizers cannot be applied to impervious surfaces such as roadways, driveways and sidewalks. Any spills should be cleaned up immediately.
– Fertilizers cannot be applied to stormwater conveyance systems or catch basins, which includes roadside swales.
Algae blooms are stimulated by excess nutrients, like nitrogen and phosphorus. When fertilizer is applied incorrectly, stormwater runoff containing nutrients from fertilizer applications can enter aquatic environments and feed algae resulting in a bloom. Follow Sanibel’s fertilizer ordinance to help reduce the amount of “food” available and the likelihood of an algae bloom occurring, the city reported.
Following Hurricane Ian, Sanibel’s inland waterbodies experienced a sharp substantial increase in nutrient concentrations and high levels of chlorophyll — an indirect measure of algae — are present in many of the lakes and ponds. The city reported that the storm was a significant disturbance event that has negatively impacted water quality and it is critical that the community adhere to the fertilizer ordinance to prevent further degradation.
It is important for responsible property owners to be aware of activities occurring in their yard. All fertilizer applicators working on Sanibel are required to have a valid Limited Urban Commercial Fertilizer Applicator Certification from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and complete the Sanibel Vegetation & Fertilizer Competency Course. Applicators are also required to have a fertilizer endorsement card holder on-site while fertilizers are being applied. Property owners should make sure their fertilizer applicator is licensed by the city and ask to see their valid card when they visit.
For more information about Sanibel’s fertilizer ordinance, visit http://www.mysanibel.com/Departments/Natural-Resources/Protecting-Our-Water-Quality/Sanibel-H2O-Matters/Sanibel-s-Fertilizer-Information.
For more information about how to help protect local waters, visit the Sanibel Communities for Clean Water Program at https://www.sanibelcleanwater.org/.
For more information on water quality, visit Sanibel H2O Matters at http://www.mysanibel.com/Departments/Natural-Resources/Protecting-Our-Water-Quality/Sanibel-H2O-Matters.
For more information about Lee County and the city’s Fertilize Smart initiative, visit http://fertilizesmart.com/.