The answer to the question, “Will TSP kill grass?” depends on the type of TSP you mean to ask about. TSP can be a confusing acronym when it comes to lawn and home care. This acronym stands for two similar but very different things. The first, which we’ll be focusing on in this article, is the inorganic cleaning agent TSP. In this case, the acronym stands for “trisodium phosphate”.
The other common use of the TSP acronym is for a phosphate fertilizer known as “Triple Superphosphate”. This is a common commercial fertilizer that provides a large amount of the nutrient phosphate wherever it is applied. This has very few risks when it comes to lawn care unless the phosphate is allowed to build up in the soil to toxic levels.
Will TSP Kill Grass?
Yes, TSP will kill grass. TSP, as trisodium phosphate, is deadly to plants of all kinds and dangerous to people and pets if all recommended precautions are not taken. Common advice given when TSP must be used as a cleaning agent is to tightly cover all greenery with non-porous sheets or tarps and direct any runoff into a designated area off of your lawn and away from all plants.
What Will TSP Do To Grass?
Why will TSP cleaner kill grass? The key is the “sodium” in trisodium phosphate as well as the high alkalinity of the TSP cleaner and the fact that TSP is a detergent. If TSP encounters a plant or plant matter, it will break down exterior oils and waxes, pull moisture out of the plant, and make it difficult for the plant to recover with its high alkalinity.
Related Article: What Kills Grass? The Complete List
Does TSP Kill Grass and Weeds?
The answer to “Will TSP kill grass and weeds?” depends on if you mean TSP the cleaner or TSP the fertilizer. As mentioned above, TSP cleaner is deadly to plants in all recommended concentrations. TSP fertilizer may be beneficial to lawns and weeds, causing no harm and providing the necessary plant nutrient phosphorous.
TSP is not recommended to be used as an herbicide. TSP cleaner is classified as a toxic substance and has been banned in 17 states as a cleaner additive for this and other uses. Though it does kill grass and weeds, overuse of TSP can damage the health of the underlying soil and create toxic runoff that contaminates groundwater, lakes, and streams.
How to Clean Up a TSP Spill on Your Lawn
A TSP spill will damage your lawn no matter how quickly you clean it up. The best thing to do if TSP or TSP runoff gets on your lawn is to dilute it as well as you can. Using TSP before heavy rain can also help mitigate the effects of runoff and accidental splashing of the cleaning solution on plants and grass.
After diluting the area and allowing it to dry, it can be useful to assess the damage. Does the pH of your lawn need rebalancing? If so, adding a light acidifying fertilizer can help aid the recovery of your lawn. Any dead patches may need to be removed or overseeded as well.
Can Trisodium Phosphate Help Your Lawn?
There is a pervasive myth that TSP can help fertilize your lawn as it has “Phosphate” in the name. This is not true and may have more than a little to do with the common mix-up with the other use for this acronym as a shortening of “Triple Superphosphate”.
Using trisodium phosphate in the garden is discouraged for a number of reasons. The primary reason is that trisodium phosphate is deadly to any plant it comes into contact with at the concentration used for effective cleaning. Beyond this, TSP runoff can cause algae blooms in streams and rivers, among other environmental concerns.
Can TSP Be Used as a Lawn Fungicide?
While it is true that some professional growing operations will use a light spray of TSP cleaner as a way to kill fungus on crops, they do so only on mature crops that are known to respond well to TSP used in this way. Grass is a small, low-growing plant that will die if it comes into contact with even a relatively weak strength of TSP cleaner. TSP does not make a good fungicide or pesticide for lawns.
Trisodium Phosphate in the Garden is Bad News
Beyond disinfecting your gardening tools before storage for the winter, TSP has very little use when it comes to lawn or garden care. Power-washing a house, shed, or wall with this TSP will likely cause browning of any plants that are showered with the wastewater. Grass that is fed by the runoff will die. It can take months for the remaining TSP to leave the soil and allow for new growth as well as quite a bit of effort to repair dead patches and rebalance soil pH.
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