Pets are family and your lawn care can affect them. Mowing, chemicals, bare spots, and fencing are all things that can make a difference on whether you are practicing pet friendly lawn care or if your furry friend is at risk. Here are some tips on how to create a pet friendly lawn.
Mowing:
Most pet owners think they should keep the grass cut as low as possible to avoid pets getting dirty or eating grass. The reality is that it needs to remain about 3 inches tall to keep the roots of the grass strong. Strong roots help to prevent bare spots. Make sure to leave your grass clippings on your lawn, it provides a natural fertilizer. Keeping grass cut at about 3 inches does not allow for as many pests that carry potential disease to enter your lawn. Lawn mowing is a basic pet friendly lawn care that can be overlooked.
Chemicals:
There are fertilizers out there that are specifically labeled as pet or dog friendly. If you are not going to use those, then you have to wait 24 hours before letting your pet run free in your lawn. These are some of the symptoms your pet may show if they have been in contact with a pesticide that is harmful: vomiting, skin rashes, diarrhea, tremors, coma, or death. This is not to scare anyone, it is only to make pet owners aware that they need to take their dog on a walk the day of fertilizing, buy organic fertilizer, or use pet friendly fertilizer.
Bare Areas:
How do you deal with bare spots on your lawn when you have pets? It seems like they are never ending and will never get better. The most preventive thing to do is keep your grass roots strong. That comes with mowing a proper height, fertilizing, and aeration. Aeration is removing cork size holes in your lawn to let the grass roots breathe and receive nutrients. Overseeding your lawn after aeration is a great way to help with bare spots.
Large bare areas are not uncommon with pets. A good way to fix the problem is by creating a temporary fence area after seeding so that pets cannot get in. Covering the area with hay will capture water and keep the area hydrated and hold nutrients to promote growth. The downfall of hay is that it can cause weeds if it is from a pasture that had a lot of weeds before it was cut.
Fencing:
Keeping your pets safe is what pet friendly lawn care is all about. That includes fencing. If you do not want a permanent fence installed, there are some temporary kennel style fencing options. If this is the route you go, make sure to rotate or move it as often as needed to keep grass in that area. There are a lot of fence options. Here are some of the most common electric fences, privacy fences, and chain link fences. The best fence for you will vary on the size of the pet and where your home is located. An electric fence might not be the best option if you are located by a busy road, in case there is a malfunction. Keep in mind that after getting a fence installed, you can put sod down to promote a faster grass regrowth.
Pets are family and their health is important. With all these pet friendly lawn care tips we hope your furry friend is around for a long time. If you do see your pet getting ill, please contact your vet immediately.
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Mowing the most basic and time consuming way to help your pet. Get a FREE mowing quote by clicking here or calling (913) 568-5013.