Nitrogen

Plants need nitrogen to grow, develop and produce seed. Their main source is from organic matter, but sometimes plants need additional nitrogen, by way of fertilzers. Many people fertilize without knowing the consequences. Using too much causes nitrogen and other chemicals to run off into canals, rivers, even ditches, polluting the water.

UF/IFAS Sites

• Lawn Fertilizer
• What Can Be Composted? Nitrogen and Carbon Sources

UF/IFAS Publications

• Be Careful with High Nitrogen Lawn Fertilizers in the Fall (PDF)
• Common Fertilizers Damage Local Water Quality (PDF)
• Fertilizer Recommendations for Landscape Plants
• Figuring Out Fertilizer for the Home Lawn
• For a Healthy, Long-lasting Lawn, Fertilize with the Right Numbers (PDF)
• Improve Your Lawn by Using Fertilizers with the Right Numbers (PDF)
• Selected Fertilizers Used in Turfgrass Fertilization

Other Sites

• Choosing Fertilizers for Home Lawns--University of Illinois Extension
• Nitrogen: The Essential Element--Cornell Cooperative Extension
• Nitrogen in the Environment--University of Missouri Extension