ST. PETERSBURG – Every year, the City of St. Petersburg requests that residents help protect the local environment by participating in a citywide fertilizer ban from June 1 to September 30.

Increased rainfall in the summer months can cause nutrients from fertilizer to reach bodies of water and lead to environmental issues like algae blooms, fish kills, and water quality problems.

Here’s what you can do to help maintain the health of our waterways and marine life:

• Use a slow-release fertilizer in the spring or fertilizer-free micronutrients in the summer
• Clean debris or vegetation near storm drains
• Do not mow within six feet of any body of water
• Ensure all lawn maintenance/landscapers you use are certified through Pinellas County
• Replace some or all of your lawn with Florida-friendly natives