{"id":27229,"date":"2023-03-30T09:00:28","date_gmt":"2023-03-30T13:00:28","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/?p=27229"},"modified":"2023-03-28T10:42:54","modified_gmt":"2023-03-28T14:42:54","slug":"protect-local-waterways-follow-marylands-lawn-fertilizer-law","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/news.maryland.gov\/mda\/press-release\/2023\/03\/30\/protect-local-waterways-follow-marylands-lawn-fertilizer-law\/","title":{"rendered":"Protect Local Waterways\u2014 Follow Maryland\u2019s Lawn Fertilizer Law"},"content":{"rendered":"

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ANNAPOLIS, MD (March 30, 2023) <\/b>\u2013 The Maryland Department of Agriculture reminds homeowners and lawn care professionals to follow Maryland\u2019s Lawn Fertilizer Law when caring for lawns this spring. Designed to prevent excess nutrients from entering the Chesapeake Bay and local waterways, the law requires lawn care professionals to be licensed and certified by the department to apply fertilizer.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The law also requires both lawn care professionals and do-it-yourselfers to obey fertilizer application restrictions, use best management practices when applying fertilizer to lawns, observe fertilizer blackout dates, and\u00a0 follow <\/span>University of Maryland fertilizer recommendations<\/span><\/a>.\u00a0 When hiring a lawn care professional to fertilize, be sure that he or she is certified by the department\u2019s Turfgrass Nutrient Management Program or works under the supervision of a certified professional.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

A list of certified lawn care professionals can be found on the department\u2019s <\/span>website<\/span><\/a>. These individuals have been trained in proper fertilizer application techniques and bay-friendly fertilizer practices.<\/span><\/p>\n

If you care for your own lawn:\u00a0<\/span><\/i><\/p>\n