What is healthy soil and why is it important? How you care for your lawn affects the health of our waterways, especially Lake Champlain. To improve the health of your lawn, soil, AND the Lake, we recommend:
Lake Champlain Sea Grant, UVM, and UVM Extension are researching if differences in soil and grass health exist between lawn cut to 2" and lawn cut to 3" where clippings are allowed to decompose. Ten local businesses/organizations have allowed researchers to use a portion of their lawn to manage and study over time.
Find out how your lawn mowing practices compare to others.
In 2017, Lake Champlain Sea Grant and partner organizations asked for people across the Lake Champlain Watershed to share information about their lawn mowing practices. This information informed our “Raise the Blade” campaign to encourage home and business owners not to cut grass shorter than 3” in height, and to allow the clippings to decompose in place. Over time, these actions will build healthier soils and reduce polluted runoff from reaching nearby waters. Please join us in reducing runoff by raising your lawn mower blade to 3 inches!
DON'T P ON YOUR LAWN!
"P" stands for phosphorus—the most problematic pollutant in Lake Champlain and in many other lakes in Vermont and northern New York. Phosphorus is a nutrient found in most lawn and garden fertilizers. When fertilizers run off from lawns and into lakes, they feed unsightly, smelly and potentially toxic blue-green algal blooms.
Make a Switch! It's easy for home owners and businesses to switch to P-free (phosphorus-free) lawn fertilizers to reduce urban sources of phosphorus. Doing so may help reduce algal growth in your favorite lake—and you can still have a beautiful lawn!
It's the Law! New laws in Vermont and New York that took effect January 1, 2012, prohibit the application of phosphorus fertilizers except in certain circumstances. Fertilizer with phosphorus may be applied to new lawns (or non-agricultural turf in the 1st growing season in New York) or if a soil test indicates a phosphorus deficiency.
What is healthy soil and why is it important? How you care for your lawn affects the health of our waterways, especially Lake Champlain. To improve the health of your lawn, soil, AND the Lake, we recommend:
"P" stands for phosphorus—the most problematic pollutant in Lake Champlain and in many other lakes in Vermont and northern New York. Phosphorus is a nutrient found in most lawn and garden fertilizers. When fertilizers run off from lawns and into lakes, they feed unsightly, smelly and potentially toxic blue-green algal blooms. 
Make a Switch! It's easy for home owners and businesses to switch to P-free (phosphorus-free) lawn fertilizers to reduce urban sources of phosphorus. Doing so may help reduce algal growth in your favorite lake—and you can still have a beautiful lawn!
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