Every crew, every builder, and every homeowner laying sod in the Northeast asks the same three questions at the truck: is a starter legal here, what goes under the sod, and when do I feed it. The answers change at the state line. So this is one card per state, one page each, built to print and hand to the person holding the rake. Each card is English on the front and Spanish on the back, with a QR code to this page. The legal line on each card was checked against the state's own statute or agency page; the rates come from the products' labels and the university sources cited across this series. Print the state you are working in, or the whole set.
Download the cards
All eight states, English and Spanish, one PDF · English only · Solo español · Single states, English front and Spanish back: Connecticut · New York · Massachusetts · New Jersey · Rhode Island · New Hampshire · Vermont · Maine
The part that is the same in every state
What goes under the sod is decided by the soil test, not the state. The state decides whether it is legal and when.
| Test result | Under the sod |
|---|---|
| No test yet | Test if the sod is a week out. Sod tomorrow on an established lot: assume optimum or high (Cornell found 80%+ of lawn samples had enough phosphorus) and use the incorporated low-phosphorus bag. Sod tomorrow on scraped fill: treat as low. |
| Below optimum / low | Starter or straight phosphate at the report's rate, tilled into the top 4-6 inches, once. Common starters at label rate: Scotts 24-25-4 at 3 lb = 0.75 lb P2O5; LESCO 18-24-12 at 4.2 lb = 1.0 lb P2O5; Jonathan Green 12-18-8 at 3 lb = 0.54 lb P2O5. If UNDER SOD™ is also used, count its 1 lb P2O5 per 1,000 toward the report. |
| Optimum / high (the usual result) | No starter. One 25-lb bag of UNDER SOD™ per 500 sq ft pallet, tilled into the top 4-6 inches, once (planned label, spring 2027). Today: Sustane BOLSTER 4-4-4, 5 of 7, carries 3% iron under the sod and its phosphate doubles at the sand rate; or a phosphorus-free slow-release bag at a light rate worked into the surface, no biology, potassium-light. |
Then, at day 30. Day 30, after the tug test: phosphorus-free, mostly slow-release, about 1 lb N per 1,000 sq ft. One 25-lb bag of OVER SOD™ per four pallets (8-0-6 with 2% non-staining iron; planned, spring 2027). Today: LESCO 24-0-11 Poly Plus at 4.2 lb per 1,000 sq ft, 4 of 6; no sod rate on the bag, sweep the iron off walks. Never a starter on top. Check the date line above before you count 30 days.
| Pallets | Sq ft | UNDER SOD™ bags (1 per pallet) | OVER SOD™ bags (1 per 4 pallets) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 500 | 1 | 1 |
| 2 | 1,000 | 2 | 1 |
| 4 | 2,000 | 4 | 1 |
| 6 | 3,000 | 6 | 2 |
| 8 | 4,000 | 8 | 2 |
| 10 | 5,000 | 10 | 3 |
| 20 | 10,000 | 20 | 5 |
Four rules that do not change by state:
- Whatever goes under the sod goes into the soil, not on top of it. Till or harrow it in, finish grade, lay the same day, roll, water.
- Nothing on top for 30 days. Water every day for two weeks. Skip the week-two bag.
- The weld: the 4-2-5 with no iron and four species of mycorrhizae, one 25-lb bag per pallet mixed into the top 4-6 inches, is UNDER SOD™; the 8-0-6 with 2% non-staining iron, one 25-lb bag per four pallets at 30 days, is OVER SOD™.
- Dormant, brown, frozen, or saturated: no feeding, no matter the date.
The part that changes at the state line
| State | Phosphorus on new sod | Established lawn | Dates | Other |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Connecticut | Allowed when seeding or sodding | Test within 2 years | Phosphate products Dec 1 – Mar 15; a P-free bag has no date | 20 ft from water |
| New York | Allowed, first growing season | Test showing need | Dec 1 – Apr 1; Suffolk Nov 1; Nassau Nov 15 | 20 ft (3 ft drop spreader); buffer waived for new lawns |
| Massachusetts | Allowed when establishing, patching, renovating | UMass-method test, 3 years | Dec 1 – Mar 1; never on dormant turf | 20 ft / 10 ft; one 0.25 lb P2O5 application per year exempt |
| New Jersey | Allowed for first establishment, repair, or under the soil surface | Test within 3 years | Homeowners Nov 15 – Mar 1; pros Dec 1 – Mar 1 | 0.9 lb N per application, 0.7 soluble; 3.2 lb/yr |
| Rhode Island | No statewide phosphorus law or blackout date found (Sept 2026) | Check town rules near water | ||
| New Hampshire | Allowed, capped at 0.25 lb P2O5 per application for retail turf fertilizer (2025) | New lawn or soil-test deficiency only | No statewide date | 25 ft from water and storm drains |
| Vermont | Allowed when establishing | Test showing need | Oct 15 – Apr 1 | 25 ft; N at least 15% slow-release |
| Maine | Named as an appropriate use on the retail sign | Sign law, no ban | No statewide date | — |
Connecticut
Print the Connecticut card (PDF)
The rule:
- New sod: phosphorus allowed when seeding or sodding a new lawn (Public Act 12-155; UConn).
- Established lawn: phosphorus only with a soil test done within the previous 2 years.
- Dates: no phosphate-containing fertilizer on any lawn December 1 - March 15. A phosphorus-free bag has no legal date; UConn recommends fertilizing only April 15 - October 15.
- Buffer: keep phosphate products 20 feet from any body of water. 0.67% phosphate is the threshold.
Source: UConn, Your Lawn and the Phosphorus Law; UConn Suggested Fertilizer Practices for Lawns.
New York
The rule:
- New sod: phosphorus allowed on a newly established lawn during its first growing season (ECL 17-2103).
- Established lawn: phosphorus only with a soil test showing it is needed. 0.67% phosphate is the threshold.
- Dates: no lawn fertilizer December 1 - April 1 statewide. Suffolk County: November 1 - April 1. Nassau County: November 15 - April 1.
- Buffer: 20 feet from surface water (3 feet with a drop spreader or deflector); the buffer does not apply to a new lawn in its first growing season.
Before you buy a bag: Cornell method via Agro-One / Dairy One (Form H), Morgan extraction. Sample 10-20 cores, top 3-4 inches.
Source: NY ECL 17-2103; NYS DEC lawn fertilizer FAQ; Suffolk County LL 41-2007; Nassau County Fertilizer Law.
Massachusetts
Print the Massachusetts card (PDF)
The rule:
- New sod: phosphorus allowed when a lawn is being established, patched, or renovated (330 CMR 31.00).
- Established lawn: phosphorus only with a UMass-method soil test, valid 3 years. A single application at or under 0.25 lb P2O5 per 1,000 sq ft in 12 months is exempt.
- Dates: nothing December 1 - March 1; nothing on frozen, snow-covered, or saturated soil; nothing on cold-dormant or brown turf.
- Buffer: 20 feet from water broadcast, 10 feet with a drop spreader. Rates must follow UMass guidelines.
Before you buy a bag: UMass Soil and Plant Nutrient Testing Laboratory, modified Morgan. The form requires a crop code; send one cup, air-dried. Sample 10-20 cores, top 3-4 inches.
Source: MDAR, Plant Nutrient Regulations for Turf and Lawns fact sheets (2015, 2018).
New Jersey
Print the New Jersey card (PDF)
The rule:
- New sod: phosphorus allowed when establishing turf for the first time, repairing turf, or when fertilizer is applied under the soil surface directly to roots (2011 Fertilizer Law).
- Established lawn: phosphorus only with a soil test no more than 3 years old.
- Dates: homeowners November 15 - March 1; professionals December 1 - March 1; nothing on frozen ground or before heavy rain.
- Nitrogen: no more than 0.9 lb total N (0.7 lb water-soluble) per 1,000 sq ft per application, 3.2 lb per year; at least 20% slow-release; professionals must be certified.
Before you buy a bag: Rutgers Soil Testing Laboratory, kit through the county extension office, Mehlich-3. Sample 10-15 cores, 6-7 inches for a new lawn per the kit instructions.
Source: Rutgers NJAES, 2011 NJ Fertilizer Law quick facts and news.
Rhode Island
Print the Rhode Island card (PDF)
The rule:
- No statewide lawn phosphorus law or fertilizer blackout date that we could find in the General Laws or on URI Extension's pages (checked September 2026).
- Follow the same rules as the neighbors anyway: phosphorus only under new sod or on a soil test, nothing on frozen or dormant turf, stay off pavement and away from water.
- Towns near ponds and Narragansett Bay may have local rules. Check before a large job.
Source: Absence of a statewide law, checked September 2026.
New Hampshire
Print the New Hampshire card (PDF)
The rule:
- New sod: phosphorus allowed for establishing or repairing a lawn, but retail turf fertilizer for that use is capped at 0.25 lb P2O5 per 1,000 sq ft per application and 0.5 lb per year (RSA 431:4-b, amended January 1, 2025).
- Established lawn: phosphorus only on a new lawn or a soil-test deficiency; no-phosphate turf fertilizer may not exceed 0.5% available phosphate.
- Dates: no statewide date in the statute. Feed only actively growing turf.
- Buffer: keep phosphorus products 25 feet from water and storm drains.
Before you buy a bag: UNH Cooperative Extension Soil Testing Service. Ask for the lawn recommendation. Sample 10-20 cores, top 3-4 inches.
Source: NH RSA 431:4-b; UNH Extension fact sheet on the turf fertilizer law.
Vermont
The rule:
- New sod: phosphorus allowed when a lawn is being established (10 V.S.A. 1266b).
- Established lawn: phosphorus only with a soil test showing need.
- Dates: no lawn fertilizer October 15 - April 1, the earliest cutoff in the region.
- Buffer: 25 feet from water. Nitrogen must be at least 15% slow-release.
Before you buy a bag: UVM Agricultural and Environmental Testing Laboratory, modified Morgan. Ask for the lawn recommendation. Sample 10-20 cores, top 3-4 inches.
Source: 10 V.S.A. 1266b as passed (H.26, 2011); Lake Champlain Committee.
Maine
The rule:
- New sod: the retail sign law names establishing a new lawn or turf as an appropriate use of phosphorus (38 MRSA 419).
- Established lawn: signage says phosphorus is not appropriate for lawns unless a soil test shows it is needed.
- Dates: no statewide application blackout; the law works through signs at the point of sale. Feed only actively growing turf, never frozen ground.
Source: Maine DEP, Lawn Fertilizer and Phosphorus (38 MRSA 419).
What we are not claiming
UNDER SOD™ and OVER SOD™ are planned labels for spring 2027 and are not on any shelf; the interim bags on the cards are scored on our rubric with their flaws stated. New Hampshire's 2025 phosphate cap sits below the planned UNDER SOD™ rate, and how the bag is labeled for New Hampshire, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania is a registration question we have not resolved. Rhode Island is listed as having no statewide law because we found none. The cards are not legal advice; a soil-test report with a number on it beats every line on them.
Sources
- Connecticut: UConn Soil Nutrient Analysis Laboratory, Your Lawn and the Phosphorus Law. https://soiltesting.cahnr.uconn.edu/your-lawn-and-the-phosphorus-law/
- New York: Environmental Conservation Law § 17-2103. https://nysenate.gov/legislation/laws/ENV/17-2103 · Suffolk County Local Law 41-2007. https://healthylawns.suffolkcountyny.gov/word/Sign_Healthy_Lawns_Clean_Water_2024.pdf · Nassau County Fertilizer Law via the Plainview Water District. https://archive.antonmediagroup.com/?p=25014
- Massachusetts: MDAR, Plant Nutrient Regulations for Turf and Lawns fact sheet. https://www.mass.gov/doc/plant-nutrient-regulations-turf-and-lawns-factsheet/download
- New Jersey: Rutgers NJAES, 2011 Fertilizer Law quick facts. https://casite-791589.cloudaccess.net/images/Environmental/FertilizerLawquickfacts711.pdf · Rutgers NJAES news on blackout dates. https://sebsnjaesnews.rutgers.edu/2013/11/nj-fertilizer-law-restrictions-on-home-lawn-applications-now-in-effect/
- New Hampshire: RSA 431:4-b. https://gc.nh.gov/rsa/html/XL/431/431-4-b.htm · UNH Extension fact sheet. https://extension.unh.edu/resource/new-hampshires-turf-fertilizer-law-what-you-should-know-fact-sheet
- Vermont: H.26 (2011), 10 V.S.A. § 1266b. https://legislature.vermont.gov/Documents/2012/Docs/BILLS/H-0026/H-0026%20As%20Passed%20by%20Both%20House%20and%20Senate.pdf · Lake Champlain Committee. https://www.lakechamplaincommittee.org/learn/news/item/lawn-p-no-more
- Maine: Maine DEP, Lawn Fertilizer and Phosphorus. https://www.maine.gov/dep/land/watershed/fertilizer/index.html
- Rates, label math, and the rubric: Do You Need Starter Fertilizer for Sod?, the Honest Comparison, and the 30-day feeding scorecard.
Ready To Order?
Fresh-Cut Sod Delivered
CT Sod delivers Kentucky Bluegrass, Tall Fescue & RTF sod across CT, MA, NY, NJ, RI, NH, VT & ME.
From The Field
Our Recent Sod Installation Work
Frequently Asked Questions
Is starter fertilizer legal on new sod in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts, and New Jersey?+
Yes. All four exempt establishing a new lawn from their phosphorus restrictions. On an established lawn, phosphorus needs a soil test: within 2 years in Connecticut, 3 years in Massachusetts and New Jersey, and showing need in New York. New Hampshire allows it on new lawns at a capped rate, Vermont and Maine allow it, and Rhode Island has no statewide law we found.
What are the fertilizer blackout dates in each Northeast state?+
Connecticut: phosphate products December 1 to March 15, no date for a phosphorus-free bag. New York: December 1 to April 1 statewide, November 1 in Suffolk County, November 15 in Nassau. Massachusetts: December 1 to March 1. New Jersey: November 15 to March 1 for homeowners, December 1 for professionals. Vermont: October 15 to April 1. New Hampshire, Maine, and Rhode Island: no statewide date.
What goes under sod if the soil test is optimum or high in phosphorus?+
No starter. A low-phosphorus, potassium-forward bag with living biology mixed into the top 4 to 6 inches, once. The 4-2-5 with no iron and four species of mycorrhizae, one 25-pound bag per pallet, is UNDER SOD™, planned for spring 2027. Until then, Suståne BOLSTER 4-4-4 scores 5 of 7 on our rubric, carrying 3 percent iron under the sod with phosphate that doubles at the sand rate.
What goes under sod if the soil test is low in phosphorus?+
A starter or straight phosphate at the report's rate, tilled into the top 4 to 6 inches, once. At label rate Scotts 24-25-4 delivers about 0.75 lb P2O5 per 1,000 sq ft, LESCO 18-24-12 about 1.0, and Jonathan Green 12-18-8 about 0.54. If UNDER SOD™ is used as well, its 1 lb P2O5 per 1,000 counts toward the report.
Can I print these cards for my crew?+
Yes. Each state is a two-page PDF, English on the front and Spanish on the back, with a QR code to this page, and there are combined sets in both languages and each language alone. They are built to be handed to the person on the job. Print the state you are working in.
Are the cards available in Spanish?+
Yes. Every card has a Spanish side with the same facts, the same numbers, and the same sources, and there is an all-Spanish set of all eight states. Product names and rates are unchanged.
What is different about New Hampshire?+
Since January 1, 2025, retail turf fertilizer sold for new or repaired lawns in New Hampshire is capped at 0.25 lb P2O5 per 1,000 sq ft per application and 0.5 lb per year, the lowest cap in the country. The planned UNDER SOD™ rate delivers 1 lb, so New Hampshire needs its own label or rate, which is unresolved. In New Hampshire, follow what ships for that state.
What do I do at day 30?+
Tug test, then a phosphorus-free, mostly slow-release bag at about 1 lb of nitrogen per 1,000 sq ft, on growing grass, inside your state's dates. The 8-0-6 with 2 percent non-staining iron, one 25-pound bag per four pallets, is OVER SOD™, planned for spring 2027; until then, LESCO 24-0-11 Poly Plus at 4.2 lb per 1,000 sq ft scores 4 of 6. Never a starter on top.
Which soil lab should I use in each state?+
Connecticut: UConn. New York: Cornell's method through Agro-One. Massachusetts: UMass. New Jersey: Rutgers through the county extension office. New Hampshire: UNH Cooperative Extension. Vermont: UVM. Maine: the University of Maine's soil testing service. Rhode Island: URI tests pH; use UMass or UConn for nutrients. Ask for the lawn recommendation and sample 10 to 20 cores from the top 3 to 4 inches.
