Natural Alternatives for your lawn, garden and pests
Hello again J
Well today we are a PC majority government, my wonderful little black Lab Boadicea has two points towards her championship, and the weather although not bright and beautiful this morning, has graduated (FINALLY) from winter to spring. Two Footed and four footed companions everywhere are doing their happy dance at being able to thoroughly enjoy the outdoors again.
Unfortunately, along with melted snow comes the backyard clean up. We have spent two weekends on our 20 acres with that job. UGH!!!! But everything is looking beautiful again and ready for the sun and rain to make it grow.
So with spring and summer coming we have lawns and gardens to take care of, and we always have to consider what’s safe for our four footed friends because their noses and mouths are a little too curious for their own good.
So lawn perfectionists that are lamenting lack of chemical products to create the perfect lawn. Fear not I live with a lawn perfectionist and watch him faithfully pour hours into our lawn care and over the years and through some research we have learned some things.
First, there are some pet safe products out there but one can never be sure so please make sure you research a product before you buy it to ensure it is safe for your furry friend.
Alternatively:
Lawn Care – soil compaction is definite problem for dog owners especially if you have larger dogs. In high traffic areas or in our four foots favourite sun bathing spot the soil becomes compacted and cannot breathe and chokes the roots, starving them. Aerating your lawn opens compacted soil and allows water and nutrients to seep in to allow the soil and roots to receive all that love to grow healthier and stronger.
For those really OCD lawn care dog owners testing your soil’s PH level can help you figure out the whether the soil is healthy enough to promote a beautiful healthy lawn.
MOWING- lawns that are only 1 – 2 “ high allow budding weeds to seek out all that beautiful sunshine and grow. Through our research we have learned a bit of a longer lawn (2.5 – 3 “) hides them from the sunshine as does keeping your lawn thick. Experts recommend over seeding on what lawn you already have, the thicker and healthy your lawn the more it naturally chokes out your weeds. Don’t get weed crazy a lawn that has only 10- 20% weeds doesn’t look like it has weeds at all. Also don’t rake up all that cut grass it provides natural food for your lawn.
Watering – our lawns do not need nearly as much water as we all think!!! Here our lawn was constantly under the sprinkler if it wasn’t raining. However, those people with beautifully lush lawns often just trust Mother Nature to take care of it unless we are having an extended dry spell. Many landscaping companies recommend only 1” of water per week to maintain a healthy lawn. If the water is floating around on top of the ground you are wasting water because either you have a soil impact problem or your lawn just isn’t thirsty anymore.
Fertilizing- kelp and seaweed are high in nutrients that make lawns flourish and you can use them monthly. Composted (completely broken down) plants and foods provide great fertilization for lawns. You do have to take care to not use compost with any plants or food toxic to your canine companion.
Weeds (UGH!) – nasty little buggers just sprout up wherever they want !!!! If you’re really ambitious you can manually remove these hoodlums with tools you can find at home and garden centres that help you get it out root and all, then grass seed those areas. Some of us would need the entire spring to get rid of our weeds especially if you find yourself on a new property where lawn care may not have been a big deal. There are some natural products you can use to get rid of weeds; 1 gallon of boiling water and a ½ gallon of vinegar with a few drops of lemon oil works (apply using a spray bottle) great on weeds especially if applied on a warm sunny day; a mixture of lemon juice and water for weeds along your walkways etc. works really well; Corn Gluten meal applied to your lawn once in the spring and once in the fall makes for a great weed deterrent.
Bugs – Diatomaceous Earth both kill and deters; boric acid; or 6 tbsps. of dish washing liquid (without a degreaser) in a gallon of boiling water work well. Citric acid works well as a sharp shooter for pests J
The Infamous Female Dog Lawn disease
In actuality, there is no difference in the urine of a male dog and a female dog or their stools and the potential damage to your lawn. The difference lies in the fact that after about 1 yr. of age most males no longer squat peeing on your beautiful lawn, instead they search for things to pee on. Male dogs also have this wonderful habit of marking (their territory HA!) so they are spreading their urine around therefore there’s no concentration in one spot. Dog pooh can also cause damage but most of us are really diligent about picking up these solid nasty logs (right?). Female dogs squat, that’s it that’s all so all that nitrogen filled urine gets to one pretty little spot over zealously fertilizing to the point of killing that spot in your lawn. So if you would prefer your lawn to not look like a bad plaid blanket of green and brown there are some things you can do. For the very diligent dog owner you can make a potty area in your yard training your dog to go to the same spot all the time. You can water the spot your dog urinates diluting the concentration of pee spreading it out. If you have one dog that may work wonderfully well, I would need a hose attached to my hand at all times. There are supplements that you can add to your dogs food or water or give as treats that eliminate this problem for you. Hydration for your four footed friend also helps so for those of you feeding dry dog food mixing a little water in with their meals helps a little. Skim milk powder mixed in with their food, whether you’re feeding a dry, wet, or raw diet kicks the butt of the spotted lawn dilemma. I have heard that a little bit of ketchup mixed in with your dog’s food also helps but I don’t know about that one. Finally, there is an Albertan Company called Purewest Environmental Solutions that offer a variety of natural product solutions for your lawn, garden and pests that are pet friendly.
Fleas – nasty buggers, and for some animals that are allergic can cause lots of damage. There are natural products to deter and deal with fleas, but if your dog has an infestation please use advantage or something similar from your vet, and once the problem is eliminated return to natural flea repellents. Grooming is vitally important for your four footed companion to keep you aware of any changes in their skin condition and whether or not they’re carrying around any extra critters. So brush your dog at least once a week (especially in the warmer months) it provides great bonding time, most of them love it and you will notice any change in them whether it’s a bump, a sore, a tick or fleas. Fleas lay eggs like crazy and they simply look like dandruff on your pet. Also fleas have a really hard outer shell and are hard to kill and jump around, so if you find one on your dog. One of the easiest solutions is to put them into a bowl or glass of rubbing alcohol (this is true for ticks as well) then flush it down the toilet.
Natural Flea and Tick (and mosquito) Repellents – cut up a lemon (peel and all) boil it in a pint of water and then allow it to steep overnight and sponge onto your dog’s coat Then put the remainder in a spray bottle(strain out the lemon) for frequent applications. There is a powder you can make by combining equal parts of powdered eucalyptus, rosemary, lavender, fennel, and penny royal into a shaker jar (like a spice or salt shaker). To apply back comb your dog’s fur, sparingly shake out the powder at the base of the fur concentrating on the neck and tummy areas. Then put your dog outside because fleas do not like this powder and will vacate the premises. A combination of the following oils also works; pine needle, peppermint, tea tree, rosemary, sage and eucalyptus.
There are also many companies out there that make combinations of these things in liquid and powder forms so if you are not comfortable making your own do some research and find a company that makes it.
Please be especially careful when dealing with ticks; wear rubber gloves, use tweezers, pull the tick straight up and out ; avoid moving the tick back and forth; if you are unsure whether or not you have gotten the entire tick removed watch the spot for irritation and if there is any take your dog to the vet. Ledum is supposed to be a great homeopathic solution for ticks for both prevention and treatment. Here in Alberta I haven’t had to deal with ticks so I haven’t tried it but it is recommended by Homeopathic vets.
Ants – if you use a line of cream of tartar along the entrances where ants are entering your house the ants will not cross it.
Moths – many people use mothballs but as a dog owner that is not an option so as an alternative use a lavender sachet in closets, drawers, and packed away clothing.
Essentially there are always safe and natural alternatives to any situation to keep your four footed family members safe and healthy and you’re doing your part to make Mother \nature Happy at the same time.
S~~
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