A big debate is expected Tuesday over fertilizer use in Orange County.

  • Orange County commissioners consider prohibiting nitrogen fertilizers
  • Other counties have stricter fertilizer bans

Several counties in Central Florida have banned fertilizer use during these rainy, summer months.

Now Orange County is considering banning some, but not all fertilizers, during the summer months when rainfall can wash harmful nutrients into waterways.

Under the proposed changes, county commissioners on Tuesday will consider prohibiting the use of nitrogen fertilizers from June 1, to Sept. 30.

“This particular area of grass right here, if we stop fertilizing it from June through September, it could potentially thin out by the end of the season, because as this grass grows it uses nitrogen and it needs nitrogen to grow and replace it’s leaf blades,” said Steven Kelly with Scotts Miracle-Gro Florida Field Station in Apopka.

Applicators would have to go through a training course to still use phosphorus fertilizer.

But the Sierra Club Central Florida Group says that fertilizer should be banned as well during the summer.

“It boils down to what’s important to Orange County residents and our leaders, turf grass or sea grasses and water quality,” said Marjorie Holt with the Sierra Club Central Florida Group.

Brevard, Seminole and Volusia counties have stricter fertilizer bans on the books. In Brevard’s case, they banned the use during the rainy season to help the Indian River Lagoon recover from toxic algae blooms. Orange County is also considering a 15 feet fertilizer free zone surrounding bodies of water.

The public is expected to have their say on the ordinance, when it comes up for debate at 2 p.m., Tuesday, at the Orange County Administrative Building.