Feature Article - for release the week of March 30, 2008

Angela Sachson & Dan Culbert – Florida Yards & Neighborhoods

Spring in Florida Yards  

All around us are signs of spring.  Plants begin to grow faster, deciduous plants replace leaves and flower buds are open and show their blooms.  Many homeowners have resisted the urge to add fertilizers to plants while dormant, so it may be time to turn our thoughts to plant food.

This article is part information and part cautionary tale.  Spring is a time to feed, but too much food, particularly on lawns, can be a dangerous thing.  In fact, research shows that heavy doses of nitrogen can set lawns of St.Augustinegrass on a path towards pesky chinch bugs and heavy thatch. 

Slow-release Fertilizers

Here’s a good way to prevent the problems associated with nitrogen shock: choose a fertilizer that has 30% or more of the nitrogen is in a slow- or controlled-release form. When fertilizer nutrients are in “slow release" forms, they are available to plants over a longer period of time.  This also has another benefit: fewer nutrients are also wasted or lost as pollutants. 

Look for these terms on the product or fertilizer tag: timed-release, slow-release or controlled-release.  The new fertilizer label rule which became law this year will help to make the information more clear.  Also look for the following terms: water insoluble nitrogen, activated sludge, sulfur-coated urea (SCU), IBDU, urea form (UF), nitroform, or polymer-, plastic-, or resin-coated urea – they are all slow release forms on Nitrogen

When selecting a fertilizer, look at the three numbers on the bag.  A typical lawn fertilizer may say 16-4-8. These numbers represent nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium.  (These three nutrients can be more simply thought of as the raw materials for “shoots, fruits, roots”, respectively, because of their large effects on those parts of the plant.)

Since most Florida soils are naturally high in phosphorous, chances are good that you need very little or none.  In fact, the new fertilizer rules say that mature lawns don’t need any phosphorous fertilizer. 

The amount of fertilizer to apply to your lawn is shown on the bag.  A rule of thumb: if you are using a product with half or more (50%+) of it’s nitrogen in a slow release form, use up to one pound of nitrogen per 1000 square feet. 

In this area, fertilize your Florida lawn twice a year, once in March and then again in October.  To green up your lawn in the summer without increasing growth, apply chelated iron or iron sulfate.

Don’t fertilize when heavy rain is forecast or you may lose the nutrients to run off and leaching.  And if you are next to a canal or pond, keep the product at least 10 feet away from the water’s edge. 

Other Landscape Plants

If you use fertilizer on your lawn, chances are that the shrubs and trees are being fertilized as well.  Roots of established landscape plats reach out under the grass.  If you are not using fertilizer on the turf you may choose to feed these plants, but don’t use more than 2 pounds (per 1000 square feet) of nitrogen per year.

Palms, citrus and acid loving plants all have special nutrition needs.   Palms need magnesium and other micronutrients so look for specialty palm fertilizers and follow the recommendations on the label.  Do the same with citrus and acid loving plants like Ixora, azalea, hibiscus and gardenia.  Read and follow labels and you should be safe!

Another Spring Activity

 This is a time we think of planting.  Bedding plants are looking lush at local nurseries.  Seed packets are often on display with beautiful pictures of new and old varieties.  If you are thinking of gardening, here’s an activity that might be of interest.  It’s called The Great Sunflower Project, developed by Professor Gretchen LeBuhn of San Francisco State University. 

A few weeks ago Angela wrote about disappearing honey bees.  Since this is a national concern, this project is distributing FREE sunflower seeds for folks to plant.  In return, the gardener is asked to collect some information about bees visiting the flowers.  In addition to the seeds, the Sunflower team provides lots of information about how to grow this US native plant, as well as about the importance of bees.  Stop by our Extension office for a kit - this is a fun family activity.  The motto for this program is Bees: Responsible for Every Third Bite of Food, and their website is www.GreatSunflower.org

If you need additional information on fertilizers, sunflowers or bees, please email us at okeechobee@ifas.ufl.edu or call us at 863-763-6469. In Highlands County call 863-402-6540 and in Glades County call 863-946-0244.  Okeechobee residents can stop by our office at 458 Hwy 98 North in Okeechobee, and visit our Okeechobee County Master Gardeners from 1 to 3 PM on Tuesday afternoons. Go Gators!

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Trade  names, where used, are given for the purpose of providing specific information. They do not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of products named, nor does it imply criticism of products not named. The Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin.  Florida Cooperative Extension Service / IFAS / University of Florida.  Larry A.  Arrington, Dean. Last update: 03/27/2008.  This page is maintained by Dan Culbert