Homeowner Lawn Care Fertilization Practices

1. Florida Consumer Fertilizer Task Force October 11, 2007 Homeowner Lawn Care Fertilization Practices Rich Martinez Presenting State and Industry Usage Data

2. Providing Context to Homeowner Lawn Care • Lawn Care Data is Often Missing or Misrepresented • What is the level of homeowner participation? • How much product is used? • Is there science behind the product design? • What impact does lawn care have on urban nutrient flow? • The Importance of Providing Data and Context • Lawns have environmental, social and economic benefits • 82% of Americans believe lawn appearance plays an important role in the decision to buy a house • Industry and Stakeholders need to provide the tools for homeowners to be successful in greenspace management • Products have changed significantly in the past 40 years

3. Products/Services Have Continuously Evolved • Homeowner Lawn Care Products Changed Dramatically from the ’60s to the Present • Driven by best available science, newest technology including improved grass varieties, and homeowner attitudinal research • Example: 20-10-5 to 29-2-4 • 20% Nitrogen application rate reduction (average) • 85% Phosphorus application rate reduction (average) • Exception: 1-1-1 ratio fertilizers are >20% of units sold • Lawn Service, Golf, and other Turf Management Have Gone Through a Similar Evolution • State mandated BMPs have been established for all professionally managed turf • Economics have historically driven lawn inputs to the minimum effective dose

4. Size of Home Lawn Market • 80 million home lawns • ~16 million acres 40 million acres of turf --- C. Milesi, S.W. Running et. al. 2005.

5. Annual Fertilizer Use DIY --- Do It Yourself Sources: TFI, FDACS, Industry Sales

6. Homeowner Practices(80 million homes with lawns) 85% of behavior is 1 or 2 applications per year

7. Florida Home Lawn Market • 17 million Floridians • 2000 US Census • Statewide Fertilizer Use • Total use = 2 million tons • 75% Farm Use, 25% Non- Farm Use • DIY Lawn Fert is 4.2%% of total fertilizer use • DIY Lawn Fert is 17.4% of Non-Farm fertilizer use • 3.9 million single family detached homes in Floridahttp://www.flhousingdata.shimberg.ufl.edu/publications.html • 2.9 million acres of turf in Florida --- C. Milesi, S.W. Running et. al. 2005. • 780 thousand acres of home lawn (Assumes 0.2 acres per sfd lawn) • Non-Farm includes DIY lawn, professional lawn care, soils, garden fertilizers, nursery and greenhouse

8. Florida Homeowner Purchase/Use Homeowners average 2.8 lbs. N/M per Year Optimal agronomic lawn feeding times

9. Florida Urban Turf Rule Addresses Product Composition, Rate, & Labeling • Phosphorus Limits • 0.25 lb P2O5/1,000 sq ft per application • 0.50 lb P2O5/1,000 sq ft per year • Exception: Products labeled as Starter fertilizers may apply up to 1.0 lb P2O5/1,000 sq ft • Nitrogen Limits • 1.0 lb N/1,000 sq ft per application • maximum of 0.7 lb N/1,000 sq ft readily available N • Annual maximum rates based of grass species and region • Eliminates “All-Purpose” products for turf maintenance • 10-10-10, 7-7-7 garden products will have turf use restrictions • Reduce rates to comply with limits, use for seeding only • On-Label Use Instructions and Environmental messaging • Do not apply near water, storm drains, or drainage ditches. Do not apply if heavy rain is expected. Apply this product only to your lawn/garden and sweep any product that lands on the driveway, sidewalk, or street back onto your lawn

10. Focal Points for Task Force Recommendations • Broad and Consistent Communication on Fertilizer Best Management Practices • Based on University of Florida recommendations for home lawns • Fertilize when turf is actively growing (no applications to dormant turf) • Avoid application to hard surfaces, keeping clippings out of streets, gutter, and storm water system • Use a product designed for lawns and follow the label directions • Do not apply when heavy rainfall is expected • Other Broad and Consistent Communications on Turf Management • Mow high to reduce weed pressure, reduce run-off potential, improve water infiltration capacity, more efficient use of available water • Return clippings to lawn to recycle nutrients/organic matter, and conserve moisture • Keep clippings, leaves, organic matter off hard surfaces and out of storm and surface waters. • Improved Reporting/Data Management through Existing System • More detailed reporting of non-farm uses • Tracking and analysis of usage data

11. Targeted Application Tools Scotts EdgeGuard™ Broadcast Spreader and Drop Spreader

12. Florida Urban Turf RuleProduct Use Limits • Annual Nitrogen Application Limits • (lbs N / 1000 ft2 / year) • Species North Central South • _________________________________________________ • Bahia grass 2-3 2-4 2-4 • _________________________________________________ • Bermuda grass 3-5 4-6 5-7 • Centipede grass 1-2 2-3 2-3 • _________________________________________________ • St. Augustine grass 2-4 2-5 4-6 • _________________________________________________ • Zoysiagrass 3-5 3-6 4-6 • North Florida is north of Ocala. Central Florida is defined as south of Ocala to a line extending from Vero Beach to Tampa. South Florida includes the remaining southern portion of the state.

13. Florida Urban Turf Rule Development • Rule finalized on May 4, 2007: • Effective Date: December 31, 2007 • Broad Stakeholder Involvement • FL DACS, FL DEP, University of Florida, IFAS, FL Water Management Districts, FL League of Cities, Fertilizer Manufacturers, Green Industry • IFAS Work Product with Scientific Foundation • Nitrogen composition and regional use rates based on University research data (leaching and run-off studies) • Water quality driven and environmentally protective