Yes, the Ordinance is county-wide, the City of Fort Pierce, the City of Port St. Lucie, and the St. Lucie Village have adopted the same ordinance.

From June 1- to September 30, during this period no fertilizer containing Nitrogen or Phosphorus can be applied to turf or landscape plants.

The three numbers that are shown usually on the front of your fertilizer's label are the percentages of nitrogen (N), phosphate (P2O5), and potassium (K2O) contained in the fertilizer.

Fertilizers with phosphorous (N-P-K) are not allowed unless you have obtained a soil or plant tissue test that indicates a phosphorous deficiency verified by the University of Florida Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences approved testing methodology. If it can be verified that your soil lacks phosphorus you may apply fertilizer containing phosphorus, but it must be applied as described in the Florida Administrative Code, Fertilizer, 5E-1FAC. The test results are valid for no more than 2 years. To find out more about soil testing, contact the UF/IFAS St. Lucie County Extension Service at (772) 462-1660

No fertilizer with nitrogen or phosphorous can be applied: 

• June 1 through September 30th

• If a flood, tropical storm, or hurricane watches or warnings have been issued by the National Weather Service for any portion of St. Lucie County

• If heavy rains are expected

Slow-release nitrogen in a fertilizer means that the nitrogen is in a form that delays its availability for a plant to uptake and use after application or which extends its availability to the plant longer than a rapid or quick-release product. Similar terms used to describe the form of nitrogen include "controlled release", "timed release," and "slowly available or “water-insoluble”. 

The only fertilizers allowed for landscape and turf use must be at least 50% slow-release nitrogen. The percentage of SRN is listed in the guaranteed analysis table on your fertilizer package. To find out if at least 50 percent of the nitrogen is SRN, divide the amount of SRN by the amount of total nitrogen (also listed in the guaranteed analysis table). Multiply your answer by 100. If the result is 50 (percent) or higher, your fertilizer contains the required amount of slow-release nitrogen.

Yes, both the homeowner and landscaper will be in violation of the Fertilizer Ordinance. 

Nutrient levels in reclaimed water are much higher than in other irrigation water sources; therefore, if irrigating with reclaimed water you may not need additional fertilizer. While reclaimed water offers many benefits, it also can lead to landscaping and pollution problems if not properly managed. Contact your reclaimed water supplier to get information on nutrient content. 

Absolutely, your landscaper should be able and willing to tell you what components (N, P, K, etc.) are in the fertilizer they use on your property. You should also ask your landscaper if they know about the ordinance and refer them to UF IFAS St. Lucie County Extension (727) 462-1660 for training requirements.

No, the Ordinance doesn't apply to potted plants. 

No, but you are not allowed to use a fertilizer with phosphorus unless you can provide a soil or tissue analysis that it is needed. Remember to use a product with 50% SRN.

A Fertilizer Free Zone is exactly what it sounds like, an area free of fertilizer. All property owners are prohibited from using fertilizer within 10 feet of any water body: pond, stream, watercourse, lake, canal, or wetland as defined by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection. Property owners are encouraged to establish a low maintenance zone 10 feet from all water bodies to include plantings managed for minimal watering and mowing, eliminating the need to fertilize.

The new regulations concerning nitrogen and phosphorus apply to the fertilizer that you use in your business. In addition, you must also have completed certification in the Green Industries Best Management Practices (GI-BMP) offered by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection through your local University of Florida Extension office. Once you have this certificate, you must send this with an application for limited certification for urban landscape commercial fertilizer to the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services.

Yes. If your rotary (broadcast) spreader has a deflector shield, under the new rules it can still be used to apply fertilizer. Make sure you adjust the deflector shield so that the fertilizer does not end up on impervious surfaces such as driveways, sidewalks, and streets or in water bodies such as lakes, ponds, and ditches. Remember property owners are prohibited from using fertilizer within 10 feet of any water body. By planting native vegetation and practicing Florida Friendly Landscaping techniques, you can reduce or eliminate all fertilizer use.

According to Florida Statute 576.181 the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services has exclusive authority to regulate the sale, composition, packaging, labeling, wholesale and retail distribution, and formulation, including nutrient content level and release rates, of fertilizer. This preempts such regulation of fertilizer to the state and prohibits local governments from banning their sale unless the ban was enacted prior to July 1, 2011.