Know your plants - most native and drought tolerant plants don’t require fertilizer when planted in healthy soil.
Fertilize when your plants need it - for natives, fertilize from fall through late spring and never in the summer. Use half the amount recommended on product labels.
Use the right product in the right quantity. Do not use fertilizer in excessive amounts. Fertilizer in landscape runoff is a significant source of pollution in our creeks and streams.
Use compost as an alternative to manufactured fertilizers.
Apply fertilizer to the root zones, not on top of the plant. Plants absorb nutrients through their root system, not their leaves.
