Vegetated Filter Strips (VFS) are commonly used to control agricultural nonpoint source pollution of surface waters. Previous research has shown that in the sandy, phosphorus (P) saturated soils of the Mid Atlantic Coastal Plain, replacing agricultural land with continuously vegetated cover will not always prevent dissolved P transfer from cropland to streams and drainage ditches. The objectives of this study were to determine if dissolved P retention by VFS could be increased by modifying soils prior to VFS establishment by acidifying VFS soil, deep tillage to mix low-P subsoils with P-saturated topsoils, or a combination of acidification and deep tillage. First a laboratory study was conducted to determine the most effective approach to enhance dissolved P retention, using soils from existing VFS and two future VFS that were either i)acidified, ii)mixed to simulate deep tillage of topsoil (0-15 cm) and subsoil horizons (15-30cm and 30-45 cm), or iii) a combination of acidification and soil mixing. Soils were incubated until the pH stabilized and then analyzed for water-soluble P (WSP), iron-oxide extractable P (Fe-ox P), and the P sorption Index (PSI). Selected soils were used to generate P sorption-desorption isotherms. Treatments that most efficiently increased P sorption capacity were used in a greenhouse study to determine the adaptability of various grass and legume species to modified VFS soils. Results will be used to design VFS appropriate for use in landscapes where dissolved P loss is a key environmental concern.