New Jersey Fertilizer Black-Out Is Underway

As the weather turns colder, applying lawn fertilizer makes little sense, say state Department of Environmental Protection officials, noting three things: the ground is hard, grass has stopped growing—and using fertilizer at this time of year is against the law. 

New Jersey's new fertilizer law is one of the toughest in the nation with the aim of protecting state waterways from nutrient pollution.

One part of the law dictates "Black-Out dates," during which fertilizer cannot be applied. We are in a Black-Out period now: Residents many not use fertilizers containing nitrogen or phosphorus for lawns until Feb. 20, 2014.

Commercial fertilizer applicators have a little more time. They must complete their customer service cycle of late fall nitrogen or phosphorus fertilization by Dec. 2. Their Black-Out period ends Feb. 28, 2014.

DEP officials add that all other materials, including products containing potassium, lime and composts, are still legal to apply during the Black-Out days.

The reason for the fertilizer black-out dates is a common-sense approach to water quality protection, according to a department statement. When the ground is frozen, the possibility is greater for runoff from fertilizer to enter and impair the state's surface water system.

New Jersey's fertilizer law established a new content standard for fertilizer that the DEP said is reducing excess nutrient runoff by decreasing the total amount of nitrogen in fertilizer and increasing the amount of slow release nitrogen.

As of Jan. 5 of this year, all fertilizer products for turf now contain at least 20 percent slow-release nitrogen and zero phosphorus unless a soil test demonstrates a need for more. The law also created a fertilizer application certification program for professional fertilizer applicators, through the New Jersey Agricultural Experiment Station at Rutgers University and in consultation with the DEP.