Lawn health sacrificed

Thanks to Michael T. Harves (Letters, March 26) for his effort to make Spokanites feel all warm and fuzzy about the state Legislature trying to ban phosphorus from lawn fertilizer.

Unfortunately, the only point in his letter I agreed with was the sentence that began, “While it is an essential element for good plant growth. …” The rest was sweeping let’s-feel-good-about- ourselves-kids generalizations, such as how phosphorus “is in good natural supply in Eastern Washington soils.” Really? There is “The One” soil that blesses this whole side of the state?

Since Spokane sits along the ancient Missoula flood, there are miles and miles of land that is essentially pure sand. Anyone who’s driven by the Central Pre-Mix gravel pit between Broadway and Sprague knows what I’m talking about. So, no, the soil up along 25th in the Valley isn’t the same stuff found in Green Bluff. Sand isn’t good for growing plants. Period.

Lawn fertilizers are required to state three numbers for “N-P-K,” which stands for nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Instead of being able to buy 29-2-4, there will be special 29-0-4 fertilizers for Spokane so our lawmakers can claim to be very “green” – while our lawns aren’t.

Greg Lloyd

Spokane Valley