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The best way to avoid fertilizing algae blooms – avoid fertilizing pond-front land!  But if you must fertilize, here is how to do so more responsibly.

Fertilizers with an “x” to the left side, and highlighted in green, are “preferred”- -they have less impact on the water- surface and ground.

All of the fertilizers listed below are readily available on Cape Cod in garden supply shops/nurseries.

Fertilizer name (N-P-K) refers to the % of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in the named fertilizer bag.

Source/production process: Chemical =derived from non-renewable resource (petroleum); biological=sustainable.

% N refers to the percentage of nitrogen in the fertilizer.

% water-soluble N refers to the percentage of quickly available nitrogen in the fertilizer, (higher numbers more likely to leach into water).

% P refers to the percentage of available phosphate in the fertilizer.

The last column indicates the formulations containing pesticides*.  For specific information on the toxic effects of these pesticides on humans and the environment, the EXTOXNET (EXTension TOXicology NETwork data-base can be retrieved on the Internet at any CLAMS Library on CapeCod--http://ace.orst.edu/info/extoxnet/pips.

 

 

FERTILIZER NAME (N-P-K)

N=% nitrogen in product

P=% Phosphate, K=%Potassium

SOURCE or

Production

Process

%

N

% of WATER SOLUBLE N

or P

%

P

Other Ingredients/

Comments

X

GRASS CLIPPINGS (4-1-2)

BIOLOGICAL

4

MEDIUM

1

REDUCES NEED FOR FERTILIZER BY 50%!

X

FINISHED COMPOST

(RATIO VARIES WITH INGREDIENTS)

BIOLOGICAL

0.4-3.5

MEDIUM

0.3-3.5

IMPROVES SOIL QUALITY, DRAINAGE, WATER- HOLDING

CAPACITY

X

SEAWEED (1.5-0.7-5)

BIOLOGICAL

1.5

MEDIUM

0.7

MICRONUTRIENTS

X

LEAF MOLD (1-0.4-1)

BIOLOGICAL

1.0

MEDIUM

0.4

ORGANIC MATTER

X

 

HORSE MANURE-COMPOSTED

(0.7-0.5-0.6)

BIOLOGICAL

0.7

MEDIUM

0.5

SOIL CONDITIONER, ADDS ORGANIC MATTER & BIOLOGICAL ACTIVITY

X

COW MANURE-COMPOSTED

(0.5-0.2-0.5)

BIOLOGICAL

0.5

MEDIUM

0.2

SAME AS ABOVE

 

X

COAST OF MAINE-

FERMENTED SALMON (1.4-0.2-0.2)

BIOLOGICAL

1.4

1.4

0.2

MICRONUTRIENTS, AMINO & FATTY ACIDS, VITAMINS,

 

SLUDGE (4-2.5-0)

(ingredient of “organic–based” fertilizers

TREATED SEWAGE

4

 

MEDIUM

2.5

MAY CONTAIN HEAVY METALS &

OTHER UNKNOWN TOXINS

X

PURE BARNYARD’S WEED & FEED

COCKADOODLE DOO (5-3-2)

CORN GLUTEN MEAL (10-1-1)

BIOLOGICAL

 (CHICKEN,

   CORN)

5

 

10

2.25

 

 

3

 

1

Certified ORGANIC (NOFA/Mass)

MILKY SPORE GRUB CONTROL,

ORGANIC WEED CONTROL

 

MILORGANITE  (6-2-0)

SEWAGE SLUDGE

from MILWAUKEE

6

.75

2

MAY CONTAIN HEAVY METALS &

OTHER UNKNOWN TOXINS

X

ORGANICA-LAWN BOOSTER

(8-1-0.6)

BIOLOGICAL (CORN GLUTEN,SOYMEAL)

8

0.44

1

BENEFICIAL MICROBES

X

NORTH COUNTRY ORGANICS-

NATURE’S TURF (8-1-9)

BIOLOGICAL

8

2.2

1

 

 

AGWAY’S ORGANIC LAWN FOOD

(8-2-4)

CHEMICAL &

BIOLOGICAL

8

3.2

2

5% CALCIUM

 

DRIED BLOOD (12-0-0)

BIOLOGICAL

12

HIGH

0

 

 

ESPOMA ORGANIC (18-8-6)

CHEMICAL &

BIOLOGICAL

18

7

8

 

 

ROCK PHOSPHATE (0-3-0)

MINED

0

LOW

3

11 TRACE MINERALS

 

BONE MEAL (STEAMED) (0-9-0)

BIOLOGICAL

0

MEDIUM

9

 

 

AGWAY’S 4 STAGE LAWN PROGRAM: (See stages below)

CHEMICAL

 

 

 

 

 

           Stage 1 (22-4-10)

CHEMICAL

22

18.5

3

BENEFIN & TRIFLURALIN

(pesticides)*

 

           Stage 2 (27-4-6)

CHEMICAL

27

23.2

4

2,4-D, MECOPROP & DICAMBA (pesticides)*

 

           Stage 3 (25-3-3)

CHEMICAL

25

21.25

3

DIAZINON (pesticide)*

 

           Stage 4 (25-3-13)

CHEMICAL

25

NA

3

11% CHLORINE

 

K (GRO PREMIUM with POLYON

(28-3-4)

CHEMICAL

28

20.5

3

DITHIOPYR (pesticide)*

 

SCOTT’S TURF BUILDER / PLUS 2 WEED CONTROL (28-3-3)

CHEMICAL

28

27.5

3

2,4-D & MECOPROP

(pesticides)*

 

SCOTT’S MIRACLE-GRO (31-3-9)

CHEMICAL

31

21

3

 

 

GREENVIEW GREEN POWER

(30-4-4)

CHEMICAL

30

24.8

4

CHLORINE

 

SCOTT’S SUPER TURF BUILDER (30-3-3)

CHEMICAL

30

29

3

 

 

SCOTT’S 4 STEP LAWN PRO PROGRAM: (See steps below)

CHEMICAL

 

 

 

 

 

           Step 1 (32-3-10)

CHEMICAL

32

31.1

3

PENDIMETHALIN

(pesticide)* + CHLORINE

 

           Step 2 (29-3-3)

CHEMICAL

29

27.9

3

2,4-D, MECOPROP &

DICAMBA (pesticides)*

 

           Step 3 (28-4-6)

CHEMICAL

28

26.1

4

DIAZINON (pesticide)*+ SULFUR

 

           Step 4 (31-3-10)

CHEMICAL

31

29.8

3

CHLORINE

        Compiled by Sue Phelan of GreenCAPE  (www.greenCAPE.org) or (508) 362-5172—offering non-toxic strategies for a sustainable Cape Cod.

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