Green Thursday: Phosphorus = 0

Advertising their new phosphorus free lawn fertilizer has paid off for Stein Garden and Gifts, at least in the LipsYard. We're going to give their new line of Milorganite based turf products a try this season. First up is the Crabgrass Preventer. (Full Disclosure: Stein does advertise on my radio station. We paid full retail for the product and did not ask for me to talk about it.) A lot of times we feel helpless in fighting for green issues, but this is a great way to Think Globaly - Act Locally.

The guy at the store told us that it's a new regulation that phosphorus not be put on lawns more than 5 years old. New lawns still need the chemical for root development, but once established, it doesn't. I'm also told that our soil is naturally high in phosphorus to begin with, so it's really not needed at all.

Damage from phosphorus happens when runoff from lawns goes directly into a city's storm sewer system, which typically empty directly into streams, rivers or lakes. This over-stimulates algea growth, which throws off the natural balance of things, resulting in lower fish populations and dirtier water.

How can you tell if there's any phosphorus in your fertilizer? Check the second number on the package formula. 15—0—10, for example, means zero phosphate. These are always listed in this order.

Every Green Thursday, LipsYard will deal with an issue vital to our global environment.