Best Dog Friendly Fertilizer – A yard is a great place for dogs and people, but it’s important to make sure your space suits your needs as well as Fido’s. Dog-friendly landscaping and human-friendly landscaping are not automatically the same.
While you may think of your outdoor space as a place to relax or grow a vegetable garden, your dog doesn’t think the same way you do. For them, the yard is a place to run, sniff, dig (especially if it’s in your garden), explore, and answer nature’s call.
Best Dog Friendly Fertilizer
That doesn’t mean you can’t have a dog-friendly yard that you can enjoy just as much, but it does mean you can’t plant and landscape with only yourself in mind. Dog friendly landscaping ideas are out there; you just need to know where to look and what information you need to show to the local landscape to make it true.
Pet Lawn Grass Seed
While a green lawn is nice to look at, dogs can pull up your grass when they run around and create yellow urine stains. Consider alternative options such as mulch, rock or artificial grass that is sturdy and won’t get too hot in the warmer months. If you use rocks, make sure they are not small enough to get stuck in your dog’s paws, and make sure your dog doesn’t eat the rocks.
Talk to your local landscaper about the best location and consider using a ground cover under gravel, mulch or rocks to prevent materials from settling into the soil. Also known as landscape fabric, this material will prevent weeds from growing in the middle of your land.
The bottom covering is a layer of woven fibers that are perforated with holes to let water in. Some include UV protection to extend the life of the fabric. If you use cloth to cover the floor, it must be secured so that the dogs do not dig or tear. There are landscape pins for this purpose.
As you plan your dog’s backyard landscape, consider the area where the plant is located and how much your climate will affect the ground cover. For example, if it rains where you live, you may want to avoid dirt roads, which can lead to muddy roads.
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As you consider alternatives, you’ll also want to consider the cost of different landscaping options and how they may affect your budget. Construction costs are a big part of any project, and you need to know what you’re getting into as you plan, whether you hire someone or do it yourself.
Although these are tougher options than regular grass, they can still go with you, especially if you have a large dog that runs in the same area all the time. When choosing, consider factors such as climate, energy, seasonality, appearance and lawn care.
Bermuda grass is a good choice for large dogs that like to run and play in the yard because it has deep roots and does well in high traffic areas. Bermuda grass will go dormant in the winter if the weather is too cold, so it grows best in areas with warm, cool winters and thrives in hardiness zones 7 to 10.
If you’re not sure where your zone falls, you can enter your zip code on the USDA plant hardiness website to find out.
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Kentucky bluegrass is grown in thick and grassy ways, making it a good alternative to bermudagrass for people who live a little further north. Kentucky bluegrass is best for cooler temperatures, can tolerate cooler weather than bermudagrass, and grows best in hardiness zones 2 to 6.
Sometimes people call clover a weed (many herbicides kill it), but it’s interesting. And as an added benefit, clover can pull out unattractive weeds. Clover can be a good alternative to grass if you want your garden to stay green because it doesn’t change color like grass.
However, there is one drawback: it is not as robust in heavy traffic. Clover tends to become patchy after a while and may need to be redone every few years. It dies in the winter, but don’t worry – it will come back in the spring. In the meantime, however, you may be left with a muddy yard.
Above all, clover grows well in poor soil and can be sensitive if you walk in bare feet. Also, it doesn’t need fertilizer at all and you don’t need to plant it. It’s also cheap: the average seed cost is $4 per 4,000 square feet.
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Artificial grass made from synthetic fibers has been developed as an alternative turf surface for sporting events. It was first used on a large scale in Houston’s indoor stadium, the Astrodome, built in 1966. The nature of the stadium meant that rain and sunlight, often needed to grow organic grass, could not penetrate. Astroturf is the solution.
Artificial grass can also be a solution for dog owners if used correctly. It’s more durable than hay, and if it can hold up to 280 pounds of owners wearing cleats, it can handle anything a Golden Retriever or Doberman can throw at it.
You don’t need to water artificial grass, although it’s a good idea to rinse to avoid building up dog urine odor. Make sure your professional sets it up to flush properly. Deodorizing remedies are also available to reduce pet odors.
If you are considering artificial grass, know that it can be an expensive solution, typically $5 to $20 per square foot. area in square feet. Factor this into your decision before you act.
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If you’re fine with no grass, consider hardwoods or even explore low-maintenance options like mulch or cedar.
Technically, mulch is not a form of hard because it is organic, and hard surfaces are made of inorganic materials such as stone, brick, and concrete pavers. These areas require more maintenance than lawns, clover and other organic options because there is no mowing and little maintenance.
It’s also easy to pick up dirt from your dog’s papers and use a hose to wash them off.
Unlike hard surfaces and gravel, mulch is kinder to your dog’s toes: it’s not hot, and it’s still soft. Absorb the dog’s urine and its odor. Additionally, cedar provides its own fragrance that helps mask unpleasant odors. Just make sure your mulch and the soil where you put it have adequate drainage.
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If you decide to use mulch, avoid cocoa beans, because they can cause symptoms in dogs similar to those caused by chocolate poisoning. Side effects can include diarrhea and vomiting and, when large amounts are consumed, muscle tremors and muscle problems.
Gravel peas are rounded rock fragments that, as the name suggests, are about the size of a pea: usually one-eighth to three-eighths of an inch. It can be obtained in colors ranging from gray to brown to white, so it is easy to complement the look of your garden.
Because of its smooth surface, you and your dog won’t have to worry about stepping on jagged or pointy edges, and pea gravel can be used for everything from driveways to patios to playgrounds and even bathrooms.
Best of all, pea gravel is affordable, typically $300 to $400 for 200 square feet of coverage. Color variations can be a little extra.
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Although not as smooth as pea gravel, crushed gravel can be layered to make it easier on your dog’s paws. It also removes its smell well, those who are not able to wash easily because it flows well. The price of crushed stone may vary depending on the quality.
Like crushed stone, weathered granite is durable but not hard on your dog’s paws. It’s also an affordable option, ranging from $0.30 to $0.70 per square foot.
While concrete, artificial grass and pavers may be fine if you live in a mild climate or are in a shady part of your yard, it’s important to understand how hot they can be.
Humidity, wind and other factors can play a role in how much heat a dog can tolerate. So your dog’s size, age and breed.
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Make sure your dog always has plenty of water and shade to retreat to. You may also want to add a water feature as a pet-friendly drinking source. Drinking water can reduce your heat.
The data for the chart above was collected from individual surveys, including Petsitters.org, PetSitterCourse.com, Liberty Home and Pet Services, WHAS11, and Penn State.
You may have noticed that the smell of dog urine can build up over time. The easiest way to combat this is to wash the affected areas with water or change the soil, but if that doesn’t work, try natural solutions like baking soda, vinegar, or orange.
When choosing greenery for landscape design, it is important to avoid poisonous plants. For example, it is popular to grow aloe for medicinal purposes: it has antioxidants and can be great for treating wounds and burns, among other things. But it is also poisonous to dogs, and cats and horses, so it should be kept out of the garden and grown in pots.
