Excess nutrients and other garden products such as pesticides can run off the land or leach under ground, eventually making their way to lakes, ponds and streams causing water pollution. That s why it s important to identify what type of nutrients your lawn and garden needs and to follow label directions whenever using lawn and garden products. The three primary plant nutrients essential for growth are nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. The three numbers indicate the percentage of each nutrient in the fertilizer blend.
Fertilizers are available in dry and liquid forms.
They also can be classified by their solubility. Plants are not always able to immediately use all of the nutrients available in soluble fertilizers. Some water soluble nutrients may leach below root levels in the ground and be transported into the nearest lake or stream. Slow-release fertilizers, on the other hand, are designed to release nutrients at a rate more in line with plant needs. This means there is less likelihood that nutrients will leach into groundwater and enter your lake.