Developing a Strategy to Work with the New Florida Fertilizer Laws
by Philip F. Paul, CR


Taken from the Bradenton-Sarasota Rose Society Bulletin, March 2008, reformatted for the Web

Over the past year the State of Florida has established a panel of industry experts to evaluate the best solution to protect our lakes and streams by avoiding the leaching of nitrogen and phosphorus into the soil. The group has just issued its recommendations. In the mean time Jacksonville, Sanibel and Sarasota City and County have all lead the way by establishing new laws that are either already in effect or will be during 2008 (the case here in Sarasota). You should expect statewide action soon.

In Sarasota the use of nitrogen or phosphorus after June 1, 2008 will be prohibited for gardens and lawns during the rainy season until September 30, 2008. This dry period means that to be a law-abiding rose grower in Sarasota you will (and soon we all will) need a Fertilization Strategy for each of our gardens.

The first item in the strategy is to make sure that the garden is ready to receive fertilizer nutrients. This is measured by the pH of the garden. The best pH for roses is typically 6.5 to 6.8. If your pH is too low, then you need to apply Dolomite Limestone at a rate of about 1 cup per plant. Dolomite Limestone stays where you put it, so it becomes important to work it in to the soil. With Fortuniana Rootstock roses be careful not to damage the small surface roots as you work it in toward the roots. It takes one or two applications in my garden about 1 month apart to solve the problem. That is why time is so critical.

If you don’t have a pH meter, Debby at Wayne Hibbs Farm and Garden has offered to test up to 4 samples from your garden for to BSRS Members Only at no charge. Bring her a sample in a zip lock type bag. Mark it with your name and what part of the garden it comes from. Also note on it BSRS MEMBER! This is a great service she is providing us!

If the pH is too high then use sulfur to reduce the overage. See page 39 of Lat Farr’s Southern Queen for more on this. This first step of pH control is critical if you only have between now and the end of May to have maximum impact from the full nitrogen/phosphate you can apply until that date. If it takes two months to get your pH corrected, you only have May left to fertilize. Don’t wait!

The second step is to give the garden a good feeding of your approved fertilizer before the cutoff date.

Stay in touch with your garden center as new formulations become available.


Remember you need a fertilizer that provides 50% slow release nitrogen. For more details see the web site for Sarasota County “Fertilizer Do’s and Don’ts”. Also, look for no more than a “2” on the P in the NPK formula. Based on my research I am pleased to tell you that two fully compliant fertilizers are already available to us locally.

Wayne Hibbs Farm and Garden has private labeled a compliant fertilizer with an NPK of 8-2-10. The table showing the chemical analysis is in Table 1(below). This product is in stock now @ $19.95 for 50 pounds. This fertilizer is quite rich in minor nutrients, you may not need step 3 (below) with this product.

I am told that Ringling plans to use Florikan (staged Nutrient Release-SNR) 13-2-17 fertilizer to comply with the new law for Mable’s Garden. Florikan’s new 13-2-17 is now available to the retail market at Wholesale Landscape at all 3 locations. The closest for many of us is at 6625 Bee Ridge Rd. Sarasota FL 34241. They tell me the price is $ 59.99 for a 50 pound bag. It is also rich in nutrients (see Table 2). It is rated at 6 months FOR THE FLORIDA HEAT ENVIRONMENT!

We have been told by several vendors that this is the same product as the red and green packages of Dynamite. This is a totally different formulation. The Phosphate is too high on those older products. This is not a usable solution in Sarasota.

Many of us have been using Super Phosphate (a handful in the hole) when planting a new bush. This will not be permitted in the Restricted Season.

Third, use So-Po-Mag 0-0-22 (Sulfate of Potash with Magnesium) to enhance your Potassium (K) at a rate of 2 to 4 Tablespoons per month per plant. There are no restrictions on Potassium. Other minor elements are also usable. This is still good in Manatee and other counties.

Fourth, Jack Merriam of Sarasota County recommends the use of rain water where possible to irrigate your roses. He says the amount of natural nitrogen in the water will be a natural help to your garden.

Fifth, we will monitor the summer/rainy season growth. New fertilizer formulations will emerge by mid year to support the gardens under this new set of laws. As we go along we will collect information on how this is all working. BSRS then will feed that back to the City and County of Sarasota.

  Remember in Sarasota:
OK to use fertilizer with Phosphorus and
50% slow release Nitrogen from October 1 to May 31 		 


Here is just a note on how we as rosarians utilize fertilizer for our roses: