High-nitrogen fertilizers are poisoning Long Island water
Though temperatures are still chilly, this is the time of year when many homeowners prepare to sign annual lawn maintenance contracts with Long Island landscaping professionals. But many of the very products that keep the grass a green, do more harm than good to Long Island’s water resources. Pesticides along with high-nitrogen, and “quick-release” fertilizers have been proven to contribute to Long Island’s water quality problems, and these water quality problems can pose a threat to humans, pets, and wildlife.
Pesticides and fertilizers can both contaminate our drinking water, as well as our ground and surface waters. Fertilizers have also been a factor in “fueling” harmful algal blooms that result in fish kills, shellfish bed closures, beach closures, and more. Did you know that chemical fertilizers and lawn treatments can even interfere with natural photosynthesis by coating grass and plants with chemicals that are difficult to absorb? These harmful chemicals can also kill off the beneficial microbes found in healthy soil that are needed to grow healthy plants. Many homeowners don’t realize the impacts of these chemicals used to keep properties picture perfect, but there are steps you can take to protect yourself and Long Island water, and still have a healthy attractive lawn.
If you feel you must fertilize, and in many cases you don’t really have to, please tell your landscaper you don’t want toxic chemicals used on your property, and ask for low-nitrogen and “slow-release” alternatives to fertilizers designed to “green-up” your lawn in an instant. These fertilizers can quickly bypass your lawn and pass directly into our ground and surface water. By contrast, slow-release fertilizers are broken down over time by microbes in the soil, require less regular use, and provide nutrients more evenly and effectively to plantings over the course of the entire growing season. Opt for biodegradable and organic alternatives. Learn more about non-toxic lawn products at I Love Long Island, and check out this news clip about the dangers of high-nitrogen fertilizers and pesticides.
Long Island water is at risk, and improper lawn care adds to the problem. Be informed on what is being put on your lawn, and consider Long Island landscapers that use that natural products when signing up for lawn care services this year. You can make a difference in Long Island’s water quality and help protect your family, pets, and wildlife.
Join the Long Island Clean Water Partnership today and take action to protect Long Island water!