| LOOK FOR THE ZERO! USE ONLY "0"
PHOSPHORUS
FERTILIZER ON YOUR LAWN
Three main causes of phosphorus in lakes are non-conforming septic systems, phosphorus lawn fertilizers, and improper shorescaping. When you shop for lawn fertilizer this spring, insist on "0" phosphorus! It is now easy to find in the lakes area. Fleet Farm has carried zero phosphorus fertilizer for years. Beginning this spring, Ace Hardware stores (this includes Carlson's Ace Hardware in Nisswa) and Thurlow Hardware In Pequot Lakes also carry it. Be a good steward of the lakes -- apply only "0" phosphorus fertilizer to your lawn! |
OOPS! THERE IS A BETTER PRODUCT! by Shirley Hild
Like most shoreland property owners we brought our city "habits" with us when we moved up north. In most cases, those habits concerning water usage and the types of products used for cleaning worked well to avoid problems with our septic system and to improve its performance. For instance, we have always used a liquid laundry detergent so the continued use of my favorite product fit the recommendation to use liquid rather than powdered detergents (using powdered detergents adds fine particles to the sludge accumulation in the bottom of the septic tank). However, I continued to use my favorite dishwasher detergent which was in powder form. It never entered my mind to change products (and I should know better with the extensive research I conducted prior to writing the Lakeshore Owners' Guide!!) until my favorite product was no longer available at Schaefers or Target.
My initial purchase of a new dishwasher detergent was still in powder form. After a conversation with another lakeshore owner concerning various products I started to read labels to determine the phosphate level of the various products available, since another recommendation for use of septic systems is to choose low-phosphate (0-5%) dishwasher soaps. What follows is the result of my "research".
FORM AND PHOSPHORUS CONTENT
| Product Brand | Powdered Form | Liquid Form |
| "All"
Cascade Electrasol Palmolive Sunlight Target |
5.1%
7.74% 6.1% N/A 5.6% 5.8% |
N/A
6.5% 4.9% 1.6% 4.3% 4.05% |
As you can see, all products in gel form have a lower phosphorus content than the powder form. and an added benefit of using a low-phosphate product is -- the lower the phosphate, the less etching on glasses!
A "zero percent" phosphorous detergent is "WAVE", available at
www.ecos.com.
For more information on the use of your septic system,
refer to your copy
of MANAGING YOUR SHORELAND: A Guide for Lakeshore Owners, pages
11-12.
