Pennsylvania Turfgrass Council – Site-Specific Plans & PA Act 83 Compliance

PENNSYLVANIA TURFGRASS: Maxim J. Schlossberg, Ph.D. Email responses I receive from PTC members are the most rewarding part of contributing to Pennsylvania Turfgrass Magazine. Which shouldn’t come as a surprise given the above-average mean aptitude of Pennsylvania Turfgrass magazine’s readership. Well above average. These enlightening interactions support and facilitate direction to my ongoing efforts (so please keep them coming). Resultantly, I’ve prepared the following for Pennsylvania turfgrass managers seeking further interpretation of PA Fertilizer Law specifics and/or assistance developing their Site-specific Plan(s). Of course, the official guidance on all practical aspects of the Responsible Fertilizer Use act will be finalized by the Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture (PDA). The official guidelines are pending issue within the PDA website: (https://www.agriculture.pa.gov..../Plants_Land_Water/F But in the meantime, having read the PA Responsible Fertilizer Use Law (Act 83 of 2022) several times, I offer my best-educated answers to recent questions from motivated pragmatists. Must I develop a Site-specific Plan for my golf course or recreational / athletic facility? Well, it depends. If at some point in the future you would like to lawfully make any single granular fertilizer application to turf at a rate supplying >0.7 lbs readily-available N per 1000 ft2, then the answer is yes. Likewise, if you imagine yourself legally treating mature turfgrass with a phosphorus fertilizer of your choice at a rate exceeding 0.25 lbs P (0.57 lbs P2O5) per 1000 ft2 per application, or cumulatively exceeding 0.5 lbs P (1.14 lbs P2O5) per 1000 ft2 annually; then yes, your development and maintenance of a Site-specific Plan is advised. However, fertilizer N and P application rates applied to a turfgrass system described in a Site-specific Plan and exceeding the maximum(s) described above must still not exceed ‘recommendations by The Pennsylvania State University or other institution of higher education in this Commonwealth approved by the department.’ These recommendations are provided within informational components #2 and #3 of the following. What information is required of a valid Site-specific Plan? While subject to change, Site-specific plans pursuant to PA Act 83 currently require: Characterization of soil properties, plant species, climate, use, topography or other appropriate management factors; and, Soil test results from a sample collected from the specific turfgrass system site in accordance with procedures recommended by The Pennsylvania State University no more than 3 years previous; and, Nutrient delivery rates recommended by The Pennsylvania State University or other institution of higher education in this Commonwealth approved by the department. Does possession of a valid Site-specific Plan exempt me from the 0.5 lbs total N per 1000 ft2 cumulative application limit between December 15 and March 1? No, this maximum cumulative N application applies to all turfgrass in the Commonwealth. The dates and N rate limit is also subject to revision by the PDA, so affected parties should stay apprised. Will a unique Site-specific Plan be required for each putting green or fairway of my golf course? Based on my interpretation of Act 83, probably not. Particularly if all 20 putting greens reside on similarly constructed rootzones or topdressed native soils and feature common turfgrass species monostands or mixtures. The same will likely apply to multiple athletic fields maintained within a single recreational facility. A comprehensive Site-specific Plan for all putting green or athletic field acreage seems appropriate considering similar usage and the likelihood of similar fertilizer programs. However, starkly different underl