Baltimore, MD – Environmental impact, superior results and good fiscal sense play into Scientific Plant Services (SPS) decision to ‘go green’ with a new fertilizer.
The Baltimore-area’s preeminent lawn and landscape service has developed a custom blend of POLYON® fertilizer with special emphasis placed on the potential impact of nitrogen on the Chesapeake Bay. Working with Harrell’s, LLC of Lakeland, Florida, the exclusive distributor of POLYON® , Agrium Advanced Technologies, SPS has created a fertilization program that is not only more effective, it’s environmentally conscientious.
Advanced polyurethane coating technology is the secret. The patented polymer coating predictably controls the release of nutrients, making it possible to apply less nitrogen with a greater effect than that of conventional sulfur coated urea products. POLYON’s release mechanism is dependent upon soil temperature and moisture, which means nutrients are released only when conditions are favorable for the turf to utilize them. The company currently applies 43 percent less granular fertilizer than it did in 2007. The applied rates of nitrogen have been reduced 30-50 percent with no sacrifice in quality results. This “smart” fertilizer – knowing when to release nutrients and when not to – prevents the risk of wasted nitrogen and excessive nutrient run-off in the Chesapeake Bay.
As its client base is located in the Chesapeake Bay watershed, SPS aims to reduce its own eco-impact and provide service that is in-line with its green philosophy. In working with Harrell’s, SPS developed a fertilizer blend that is not only smarter, but reduces the number of times a lawn needs to be fertilized – by half – and that means reduced highway trips.
For Ken Mays, President of SPS, this just makes good sense for both the company and for his clients.
“Reducing truck trips to fertilize lawns not only means we have a superior product for our clients – one that needs fewer applications – it translates into less time on the road, reducing our company’s emissions by half,” says Mays. “Normally, SPS would make three to four trips annually to fertilize a landscape. Our athletic fields at schools and colleges and select commercial accounts receive a single Polyon application which lasts the entire year. While POLYON is a more exclusive, expensive fertilizer, reducing the number of trips off-sets the cost and we provide a ‘greener’ service with greener results.”
Polyon® is produced by Agriun Avanced Technologies Pursell Industries of Sylacauga, Alabama and is a is a registered trademark of RLC Technologies, LLC and distributed exclusively by Harrell’s Professional Fertilizer Solutions. Scientific Plant Service has been servicing residential and commercial customers with lawn and landscape health care since 1957. SPS strives to create the safest, most productive micro-environments for more abundant landscapes and healthier trees and shrubs. For more information on Polyon or Scientific Plant Service please contact 410.321.0970.
| Timed-Release Nitrogen  | Slow-Release Nitrogen (methelyne urea) | Fast-Release (nitrate, ammonia, urea) |
| Lasts 2, 3, 6 or 9 months | Lasts 6 to 8 weeks | Lasts only 2 to 4 weeks |
| Too much rain or overwatering does not affect release | Too much rain or overwatering speed release | Too much rain or overwatering speeds release |
| Resists leaching | Can leach in heavy rains | Is quickly dissolved, then leached or washed away |
| Release based on soil temperature | Release based on soil moisture | Release based on soil mositure |
| Will not burn lawn or plants | Not likely to burn lawn | Can burn lawn and plants |
| Saves Time and Money | Saves some time | Appears cheaper, but really isn't |
Source: SPS