Test your soil before using fertilizer

• A soil test helps determine the right amount and type of fertilizer you need. Testing first could save you money on expensive and unnecessary fertilizers.
• Fertilizers and other yard chemicals can harm local streams and rivers. To prevent runoff, buy a slow-release product and avoid applying before rain, on slopes, near bodies of water or storm drains.
• If you live near water, avoid fertilizing the first 50 feet of shoreline.

Pick up your free soil test kit ($18 value) on March 27 at:

OR

Pick up a soil test kit (while supplies last) at the
Greenville County Soil and Water Conservation District office.
Hours: Monday – Friday 8:00am – 4:00pm
301 University Ridge, Suite 4800

We stopped by Your Carolina on October 30th to talk about why we want folks to “Go Au Naturale”!

Go au naturale. Buffers don’t need to be bush-hogged, mown or sprayed – let it grow!

A buffer zone is a wide strip of native grasses, plants, and trees along a river that protects water quality and provides important wildlife habitat. These areas are the last lines of defense against unwanted pollutants like pet waste, fertilizer, and other chemicals that travel with stormwater. These buffers do more than just slow water down and filter out pollution – they help reduce flooding and fight against erosion by holding soil in place. [Read more…]

Do what on your lawn? Wash your car!

This summer, don’t worry about what your neighbors will say. Just get outside and do it on your lawn.

Wash your car, that is…

All innuendoes aside, the health of the Reedy River is no joke. Like most great cities, Greenville owes much of its success to the natural resources that have drawn people here for centuries. The banks of the Reedy River have seen a transformation that is hard to imagine. As the landscape has changed, so have the sources of pollution. Historically, mills, textile plants, and other industries had a lot to do with the health of the Reedy. Today, however, it’s often down to the accumulation of our individual actions. Something as simple as washing your car on lawn or gravel can stop pollution from flowing into the Reedy. You can visit a site like Lawncare.net if you are worried about damaging the turf on your lawn. [Read more…]