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This Saturday and Sunday, March 12 and 13, we will be at the Chisago Lakes Home, Garden and Business Show. The event will be held at the Chisago Lakes High School from 10 a.m.-5 p.m., Saturday and 11 a.m.-4 p.m., Sunday.

We will continue to take orders for bare root raspberry, strawberry, blueberry and asparagus plants. We will also provide information on these plants plus have a variety of other useful information.

There will be heirloom tomato seeds for sale, along with native plants, canna bulbs, calla lilies and other plants.

Starr Carpenter, Program Assistant, has been receiving calls from people with questions about the new fertilizer laws for lawns. Below is a summary of the new law. We will have printed information available at our booth.

Following Minnesota’s New Phosphorus Lawn Fertilizer Law

Starting January 1, 2005, fertilizers containing phosphorus cannot be used on lawns in Minnesota. This is an expansion of the current law restricting their use in the twin cities metro area.

However, fertilizers containing phosphorus may be used on lawns if a soil test indicates that it is needed or if you are establishing a new lawn.

This makes following the law somewhat confusing, because it is not against the law for garden centers to sell phosphorus containing fertilizers, however you are breaking the law if you use the product without meeting the above exceptions.

There are three identifying numbers (22-0-15 for example) on a bag of fertilizer. Find the phosphorus content by looking for the middle number. If the middle Number is zero, you may use that product on an existing lawn.

These restrictions do not apply to fertilizers used for agricultural crops, or flower and vegetable gardens.

For more information you can visit the Minnesota Department of Agriculture website at www.mda.state.mn.us.

We were able to add on to our order, so there are still a few of the bare root strawberry, raspberry, blueberry and asparagus plants available for you to preorder. You can call Jerry Vitalis at 651-257-4496, visit us at the Home Show, or leave a message at the office 651-674-4417 to have an order form mailed to you.

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