Lawn fertilizing laws and cautions
Environment. The cutoff date for fertilizing lawns is December 1, and fertilizer without phosphorous should be used, the New York Department of Environmental Conservation reminds. Phosphorous runs into water bodies causing public health problems.
| 20 Nov 2022 | 01:29
If you plan to fertilize your lawn this fall, remember that it is against New York State law to fertilize lawns between December 1 and April 1. Some areas also have local laws about selling and using lawn fertilizers.
Visit DEC’s Lawn Fertilizer webpage for more information. The law does not apply to agricultural fertilizer or fertilizer for gardens.
Choose a lawn fertilizer with no phosphorus.
Lawn fertilizer can have unnecessary phosphorus that runs into waterbodies. Excess phosphorus in freshwater lakes and ponds can cause algae overgrowth, with serious impacts to the environment and public health.