My property is immediately next to a body of water... What can I do to prevent algal blooms?
1. Plant a buffer strip!
Create an area of non-fertilized land between your fertilized lawn and the lake/stream/river/pond. The buffer strip ideally would be 20 feet, but any plot of land that will prevent nutrients from flowing into the body of water is essential. Fun fact! Radishes are exceptionally good at taking up nutrients from the soil, so planting them in your buffer strip will both clean up the lake and feed you!
2. Conserve water
Any water conservation process that you can do; watering your lawn once, installing a green roof to absorb the water to take it out of the system can help solve the problem.
3. Check out what's in your fertilizers
Lawns typically have enough phosphorus, so adding more is just wasteful! If you absolutely NEED to fertilize your lawn (you can check if you need nutrients by doing a soil test), use a fertilizer only containing nitrogen.
Create an area of non-fertilized land between your fertilized lawn and the lake/stream/river/pond. The buffer strip ideally would be 20 feet, but any plot of land that will prevent nutrients from flowing into the body of water is essential. Fun fact! Radishes are exceptionally good at taking up nutrients from the soil, so planting them in your buffer strip will both clean up the lake and feed you!
2. Conserve water
Any water conservation process that you can do; watering your lawn once, installing a green roof to absorb the water to take it out of the system can help solve the problem.
3. Check out what's in your fertilizers
Lawns typically have enough phosphorus, so adding more is just wasteful! If you absolutely NEED to fertilize your lawn (you can check if you need nutrients by doing a soil test), use a fertilizer only containing nitrogen.