Fertilizer content and application rates.
Miami City Code § 22.5-136
in effectSec. 22.5-136. - Fertilizer content and application rates.
(a) Fertilizers applied to turf and/or landscape plants within the city shall be applied to turf and/or landscape plants at the lowest recommended rate according to the "Florida Green Industries Best Management Practices for Protection of Water Resources in Florida, December 2008", as updated, with no more than four pounds of nitrogen per 1,000 square feet applied in any calendar year.
(b) Liquid fertilizers containing nitrogen applied to turf and/or landscape plants within the city shall not be applied at a rate that exceeds 0.5 pounds per 1,000 square feet per application.
(c) Solid fertilizers containing nitrogen applied to turf and/or landscape plants within the city shall not be applied at a rate that exceeds one pound per 1,000 square feet per application.
(d) Granular fertilizers containing nitrogen applied to turf and/or landscape plants within the city shall contain at least 65 percent slow release, controlled release, timed release, slowly available, or water insoluble nitrogen per guaranteed analysis label. Caution should be used to prevent direct deposition of nutrients in the water.
(e) No fertilizer containing phosphorus shall be applied to turf and/or landscape plants within the city, except where a phosphorus deficiency has been demonstrated in the soil underlying the turf and/or landscape plants by a soil analysis test performed by a State of Florida certified laboratory. Any person who obtains a soil analysis test showing a phosphorus deficiency and who wishes to apply phosphorus to turf and/or landscape plants shall provide a copy of the test results to the city prior to the application of phosphorus. Phosphorus shall not be applied in excess of the amount needed to correct the deficiency as indicated by said test results. Where a deficiency has been verified, phosphorus fertilizer shall not be applied at application rates that exceed 0.25 pounds of phosphorus per 1,000 square feet per application and not to exceed 0.50 pounds of phosphorus per 1,000 square feet per year.
(f) Fertilizers labeled for sports turf at golf courses, parks, and athletic fields shall:
(1) Have directions for use not to exceed rates recommended in the document titled SL191 "Recommendations for N, P, K and Mg for Golf Course and Athletic Field Fertilization Based on Mehlich I Extractant" dated March 2007, as amended from time to time, which is hereby adopted and incorporated by reference into this article.
(2) Have directions for use in accordance with the recommendations in "BMP's for the Enhancement of Environmental Quality on Florida Golf Courses" published by FDEP dated October 2012. This does not exempt applicators at these sites from the required basic green industry BMP training.
(Ord. No. 13896, § 2, 4-9-20; Ord. No. 14006, § 2, 6-10-21)
Source: City of Miami, Florida, City Code, City Charter, Special Acts and Related General Laws (Municode Library, library.municode.com)URL: https://library.municode.com/fl/miami/codes/code_of_ordinances?nodeId=PTIITHCO_CH22.5GRIN_ARTVIIFLIEFEUSURLA_S22.5-136FECOAPRAFetched: 11/1/2026