BETWEEN THE STRIPES NEWSLETTER
HB 1489 - RESTRICTIONS ON FERTILIZER CONTAINING PHOSPHORUS
HB 1489 - "Restrictions on Fertilizer Containing Phosphorous" has passed the legislature. The only step left is for the Governor to sign it.
As passed, it will ban the use of fertilizer that contains phosphorous from sale or use on turf. It will not affect fertilizer used for other purposes. Exemptions are provided for newly established turf, repair of damaged turf and turf with a soil test that shows it needs phosphorus. The act will be administered by the WA Department of Agriculture, however, they will have no authority to issue penalties.
Bagged fertilizer labeled for use on turf, must be phosphorus free. Bulk fertilizer or fertilizer labeled for us on trees, shrubs, gardens, vegetables, etc. will not be affected. Sod farms and all production agriculture is exempt.
In order to buy or sell bagged fertilizer for use on turf that contains phosphorus, the bag or tag will have to include directions for use on newly established turf from seed or sod or for rrepairing turf via overseeding or patching, etc.
It will be legal to sell fertilizer with phosphorus to those with a soil sample showing they need it. It remains to be seen if it will be readily available in most stores.
There is no exemption for organic fertilizer. The intent section was removed.
The act takes effect January 1, 2013.
Thank Goodness for TGIF!
Looking for research and publications related to turfgrass issues? Try Michigan State University's Turfgrass Information File (TGIF). TGIF is free for STMA non-commercial members and offers an extensive and valuable collection of resources pertaining to successful turfgrass management. Simply log in as an STMA member, then follow the link to TGIF on your membership homepage. After accepting the Conditions and Terms of Use, you can begin your search. You can do a basic search by entering keywords into the search field. For example, if you are looking for information on spring fertilization, type "spring fertilization" into the search field. On the results page, a list of links to access various articles and research pertaining to spring fertilization will be available for you to sort and view. You can also refine your search using the guided search and entering additional keywords to access more specific topics or articles. There are also options to browse the latest turfgrass research using "What's NEW in Turfgrass Research," browse by turf topic, and browse full-text journals that relate to turfgrass management. Make sure to take advantage of this free resource to assist in your daily operations.
http://tic.msu.edu/