Unfortunately most of our fertilizers and driveway car washes contain phosphorus which (together with water soluble nitrogen) creates ideal conditions for algae and common water plants such as bladderwort and pondweed These spoil the lake and then decay to rob the fish of oxygen!
The environmental committee wants to help us have an attractive lot
and clean lakes. It is easier if owners follow the general guidelines
given below but this is not always possible.
So to support a healthy lawn we looked for compatible fertilizers
and developed some
guidelines overleaf which we believe provide a reasonable compromise
solution to the
problem and meet the spirit of the Restrictive Covenants
of the Association. Give them a try and help us find out how they work!
All home owners should try to clear their street gutters of plant residues once a week. The township only does it 4 times a year.
In general control soil erosion by using natural ground covers like such as ivy and myrtle rather than lawn grasses. Be advised that wood chip does not reduce soil erosion but makes the beds look good and more beds mean a reduction in the overall size of the lawn. Remember 24 % of your area is the maximum lawn size permitted by the covenants.
Use a drought resistant low fertilizer grass such the Rebel II fescue (available in sod) which the association uses on the dams. Set the mower up to 3-4 inches to choke out weeds and leave clippings on the lawn as fertilizer. According to Rutgers such a lawn acts as a filter for pollutants.
Ringer Lawn Restore is now our top choice in organics. We also like the slow release Espoma Organic Plant food but not Turf Tone which is 10- 6- 4 and only 30% WIN.
Comment | Company | Product Name | Ni-Pho-Pot | WIN | WIN% |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
RECOMMENDED | Ringer | Lawn Restore | 10 - 2 - 6 | 9 | 90 |
(Slow Release) | Espoma | Organic Plant Food | 18 - 8 - 6 | 11 | 61 |
Please ask for it and have them test your soil first to know how much you need
The following were approved a few years ago: