Landscaping

Fertilizing water bodyWhen you fertilize your lawn or use any pesticides/herbicides, they don’t just permeate your lawn.  When it rains, the fertilizers, pesticides, and herbicides wash off your property and into storm drains.  Those storm drains led to freshwater streams, contaminating the water and causing harm to wildlife.

Lawn Care Tips:

  • Purchase a soil test kit.  Your lawn may not even need that fertilizer.
  • Grass clippings are a free fertilizer! By leaving clippings on the lawn after mowing, you're adding nutrients (especially nitrogen) to the soil and stimulating biological activity.
  • Consider using organic fertilizers that release nutrients more slowly.
  • Never fertilize or treat your lawn before a rainstorm.  All of those pollutants will be washing into our drinking water supply.
  • If you do fertilize your lawn, make sure it stays there.  Sweep anything that lands on your driveway or any paved surface back into your yard.
  • If you live near a stream, never use fertilizer.  It can kill fish and wildlife.  

For more tips on healthy landscaping, visit the NC Cooperative Extension Landscaping Basics Resource Page.