Leaching trial to compare nutrient leaching of 4 typical lawn fertilisers

The project is delivered over three years and is due to be completed in 18 months.

SERCUL decided to focus on improving household fertiliser practices.

SERCUL have developed the project in two parts;

• The information, education, behaviour change component (surveys, promotional packs, fertiliser giveaways, web site, signs, bin stickers, postcards, school and community events, etc.).
• The infrastructure component (sourcing and endorsement of a fertiliser, supply and distribution arrangements, local retail stocking arrangements)

This activity relates to the second component. After constructing a criteria to assess, and potentially endorse, fertiliser products on the market SERCUL found that none met the Fertilise Wise™ criteria. Approximately 15 months ago SERCUL started discussions with a company, Fertitech, who supply mineral based fertilisers to broad acre farmers. Some of their products appeared to meet the Fertilise Wise™ criteria as well as SERCUL’s NRM objectives.  SERCUL provided support and encouragement to Fertitech to develop a 10kg domestic all-purpose fertiliser that SERCUL could endorse and promote to stakeholders to encourage them to switch to their brand (but retain current practice).

It is critical to SERCUL’s NRM interests, and the credibility of the Fertilise Wise trademark, that the Fertitech ‘Shades of Green’ fertiliser performs effectively from a nutrient leaching perspective in comparison to other commercially available products.  Whilst the product has been shown to be effective agronomically, its potential to leach nutrients has not been evaluated.  Solubility tests have been provided by Fertitech, but laboratory leaching tests need to be undertaken as an interim step between these tests and longer term field trials that may take up to 3 years to complete and provide field based data.

The leaching trial will:

• assess the leaching losses of Phosphorus (P) and Nitrogen (N) from 4 commercially available lawn fertilizers, one of which will be supplied by FertiTech, in comparison to a control Leaching trial of typical lawn fertilisers
• provide insight into the retention of nutrients after a simulated leaching event equivalent to one years rainfall in the absence of plants
• provide some results which may be used by SERCUL in their effort to endorse a fertilizer product for use in the NRM region for which they have jurisdiction.

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