UF/IFAS Sarasota County Extension
Landscape Professional Fertilizer Management

View the Sarasota County's Fertilizer and Landscape Management Codes Brochure

Overview

Sarasota County Fertilizer & Landscape Management Codes
There are three ordinances within Sarasota County; Sarasota County, Town of Longboat Key, and the City of North Port.  While they are all similar in most respects, a few differences exist. Here is a breakdown of the ordinances.
Note: Venice has adopted the Sarasota County Ordinance and follows their recommendations.

For All of Sarasota County
All applicators of fertilizer (except homeowners on their own property) must receive training and certification in a Sarasota County approved Best Management Practices (BMP) training program.

Restricted Season
The restricted season calls for a blackout period from June 1 – September 30. During this period, no fertilizer containing nitrogen or phosphorus should be applied to turf or landscape plants.  This applies to Sarasota County, and the Town of Longboat Key.  The City of North Port follows the same rule during this period, but allows the use of nitrogen and phosphorus to landscape plants.   There is no limit placed on the amount of potash that can be applied.  New plantings of turf and landscape may be fertilized only for a 60 day establishment period.

Fertilizer-free Zone
The Town of Longboat Key is to maintain a 3 foot buffer of any water body or wetland or a 10 foot buffer if a deflector shield is used.  The rest of Sarasota County must maintain a 10 foot buffer and use a deflector shield.  All of Sarasota County: no fertilizer may be applied to impervious (non porous) surfaces, and any spillage must be removed.  The City of North Port requires that no fertilizer be applied within the channel flow of any swales. 

Grass Clippings (applies to all of Sarasota County)
No grass clippings, vegetative material or debris may be deposited in stormwater drains, ditches, conveyances, water bodies or roadways.

Low Maintenance Zone
This is voluntary for all of Sarasota County.  Sarasota County and the City of North Port recommend a 6 foot low-maintenance zone from any pond, stream, water course, lake or canal or any designated wetland, or from the top of a seawall. The Town of Longboat Key promotes the use of a low-maintenance zone around water bodies, but does not have a specific distance recommendation.

Deflector Shields
Spreader deflector shields are required when fertilizing via rotary (broadcast) spreaders for all of Sarasota County.  Deflectors must be positioned so that fertilizer granules are deflected away from all impervious surfaces, fertilizer-free zones, water bodies and wetlands.  The Town of Longboat Key requires a deflector shield within 3 feet of any water body or wetland.  The City of North Port requires the use of one within 10 feet of any water body.  Sarasota County does not have a required distance within water bodies.   

Nitrogen Applications:  (applies to all of Sarasota County)
Nitrogen fertilizer must contain at least 50% slow release nitrogen. No more than 4 pounds per 1,000 sq, feet may be applied to turf or landscape plants per year.

Phosphorus Applications: (applies to all of Sarasota County)
Phosphorus fertilizer shall not exceed 0.25 lbs per 1,000 sq. ft. per application, nor exceed 0.5 lbs per 1,000 sq, ft, per year. 

  Contacts:
To view the model ordinances in their entirety, go to:
Sarasota County -  Ordinance  No. 2007-062   www.scgov.net/fertilizer
941-861-5000
Town of Longboat Key -Ordinance No. 2008-04, 2008-07 www.longboatkey.org
941-316-1988
City of North Port - Ordinance No. 2007-45  www.cityofnorthport.com

City of Venice– same ordinance as Sarasota County

Educational Program Training
(For all of Sarasota County)
Florida Senate Bill 494 states that all commercial fertilizer applicators must have a license from the Florida Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services (FDACS) by January 1, 2014.  To obtain this license, each Green Industry worker must be trained in the GI-BMPs and receive a certificate of completion from UF/IFAS and FDEP.

Training programs are available through Sarasota County Extension. 

For information, class schedules and program information, contact:  Bob Mertens/Program Specialist - 941-861-9805

Training is also available online. For information, visit:
http://gibmp.ifas.ufl.edu