Fertilizer Reduction
Like pesticides, fertilizers are chemicals that often cause environmental problems. In our attempt to encourage growth of our lawns and landscape plants that are not adapted to our stressful North Central Texas environment, we often make repeated applications of fertilizers. If all the fertilizer applied directly fed the targeted plants, fertilizers would not be a problem. Unfortunately, this is often not the case.
Fertilizer is most often applied in the spring and/or fall, the two times we receive significant rainfall. As a result, a high percentage of the fertilizer never reaches the targeted plants, but instead enters our waterways through normal runoff. Fertilizer applied in both urban and rural areas is one of our significant sources of non-point source pollution. Aquatic plants, especially various algae, respond vigorously to these additional nutrients, often creating visible mats that literally choke out small ponds, tanks and slow-moving streams. When these aquatic plants experience a die-back, often in mid-summer, the foul-smelling decomposition that follows depletes the water of its oxygen, resulting in fish kills.
Once again, gardening with natives will go a long way toward alleviating these problems. If you stick to plants local to your region, you will find they are capable of maintaining a healthy, vigorous growth form without the use of fertilizer. The best soil amendment to increase growth and health is organic compost. This method offers a non-polluting solution.