Using Chemicals

Quick Tips

• Feed the needs. Give your plants only the nutrients they need. If your plants don’t talk to you, then you’ll need to take a soil test for fertility and pH. Test kits are available at county Cooperative Extension and Soil & Water Conservation District offices.
• Phosphorous not for us. Phosphorous in fertilizer is rarely needed for established Maine lawns. Use phosphorous-free fertilizer unless seeding a new lawn. Best time to fertilize your lawn is late August to mid November. Never apply on frozen ground.
• Not all fertilizer is created equal. Buy fertilizer with water insoluble, slow release or controlled release nitrogen printed on the package. Otherwise, the nitrogen is washed away by rain or watering before it's used, wasting your time and money, and may end up in your drinking water.
• Think before you spray. Identify your pest without a doubt. Realize a few pests are okay. Use non-chemical controls first: handpicking weeds, flushing insects with water, fighting bugs with bugs. Use pesticides only when pests increase beyond acceptable levels. Choose ready-to-use products that read "Caution" on the label, and avoid those that read "Warning" or "Danger." Buy only what you need to avoid having to store it. And, read the label! Spot treat only.
• Reduce runoff. Pesticides and fertilizers used on our yards can wind up polluting water bodies after a heavy rain or snowmelt. Prevent runoff by limiting their use. If using them, avoid applying before rain and keep them off sidewalks and driveways. Other to-dos: direct roof runoff into vegetated areas and minimize areas like lawns and driveways that don’t absorb water quickly or at all.