Hopatcong Homeowners Have New Guidelines For Fertilizing

Homeowners and lawn care professionals who want to use fertilizer will have to follow what Lake Hopatcong Commission administrator Donna Macalle-Holly called “one of the most restrictive fertilizer laws of its type in the nation.”

Speaking at Monday’s LHC meeting, Macalle-Holly discussed the New Jersey Fertilizer Law,which she said emphasizes public education on safe fertilizers.

The new law:

• Provides statewide standards for fertilizing that preempt any municipal ordinances.
• Establishes blackout dates for fertilizer application. Homeowners cannot apply between Nov. 15 and March 1, and lawn care professionals have a blackout of Dec. 1 through March 1.
• Prohibits fertilizer application during a rainstorm, when rain is predicted or on ice-covered ground.
• Mandates restrictions on fertilizer content, including phosphorus and nitrogen.
• Establishes buffers. Fertilizer cannot be applied within 25 feet of any waterway.

Commissioner Rich Zoschak questioned how the law would be enforced.

“Lawn care professionals need to be trained and certified,” Macalle-Holly said. “Homeowners will not be policed as hard. The law is really about public education,” she added.

She also said that over the next two years, fertilizer manufacturers will change the mix of chemicals in fertilizer to comply with the new law.

Finally, she said that performing a soil test before fertilizing will tell homeowners if their lawn needs phosphorus.

In other commission business, approval was given for $20,000 to bring in three seasonal employees to repair the weed harvesters.

Macalle-Holly also said she had heard of resident concerns about police on the lake. She said that the state police will continue to monitor the lake substation this summer.