It is just a horrible thing to see and many people just give up without a fight when it comes to deciding between a nice lawn or a happy dog. Still, there are a few things that you can do to keep your lawn healthy and happy the whole time you have a dog or three running around.

First things first, don’t get too down on your dog if he starts destroying your lawn. Things happen and usually it is the owners fault more than the canines. Now that we have that figured out, lets get to the lawn.

One of the biggest complaints that pet owner’s have about dogs and lawns are the burn spots caused by their urine. Now, this isn’t a blog for pets but since some landscapers either have pets or know people that need help with those burn spots, I thought I would take a minute to talk about ways to get rid of those problem spots on your grass.

First, the damage done to a lawn isn’t caused by the actual urine but is in fact caused by the nitrogen that is found in the urine. Have you ever noticed that there are more burns when a person owns a female dog and less with males? This is often because a female will empty her bladder in one spot while a male will distribute it around a space (marking). The amount of nitrogen is spread out and it doesn’t affect a yard as much.

If you prefer to not worry about the grass at all, the best option for you is to add into your landscape plans, an area of gravel or mulch where the dog can go to the washroom. This is actually one of the easiest ways to alleviate the problem of burnt grass but make sure that you avoid using that particular gravel or mulch in your flower beds since the dog may have difficulty differentiating between the two areas.

If you want nice beautiful grass, one of the most inexpensive options is to go outside with your dog and pour a bucket of water on the spot where your dog has urinated. This gets rid of the nitrogen and you should be able to avoid the yellowing stains in your yard.

Since not everyone has time to get out there and pour buckets of water, there are several products available for both pets and lawns. I’m not sure how I feel about feeding pets pills to cut down on the Ph level in their urine but I know that many pet owners have begun to use them. If pills aren’t the way you want to go, you can always go with a treatment for your lawn, such as Pet Peeve, which is an organic treatment that should prevent yellow spots as well as correct burns that have already occurred.

Whatever your choice for dealing with unsightly grass stains, rest assured in knowing that pets and green grass can now be enjoyed by all.

Sirena Van Schaik

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Surprisingly, the easy grass seed that they market in stores, really isn’t that easy and it takes a lot of work to get your lawn looking amazing.  A lot of times, that beautiful lawn can take even more work than your beautiful gardens but the end result is definitely worth the effort.

To have a beautiful lawn, there are a few tips that you should follow.

1. Scarifying:  Okay, this actually sounds like you are going to damage your lawn but in actuality scarifying is a way to reduce the debris that is growing on your lawn.  You know the stuff, the hard dead grass, the horrible moss, and those awful worm casts.  You may not even notice them but they are there and they are not doing your lawn any good.  The frequency that you scarify your lawn really depends on the overall appearance that you are looking for and the quality of the soil.  A well aerated soil won’t need to be scarified as often as one that isn’t.  When you are scarifying your lawn you should use a plastic lawn rake or a spring-tine rake.  Take the rake and carefully rake your lawn in only one direction such as from right to left.  Gather up the moss and other debris as you work so you are not unintentionally spreading it.  Once you have raked the area, rake it again only this time work at a right angle.  Again gather up the debris as you go along.  Repeat this once or twice a month during the summer and before you fertilize your lawn in the fall.
2. Fertilizing:  Since I already mentioned fertilizers, I will just cover it briefly.  You should fertilize your lawn several times per year.  The important fertilizing times are late spring and in the fall.  There are special fertilizers for autumn and it is important that you use those.  In the spring and summer, you can use your regular fertilizer and it is important that you follow the directions on your fertilizer of choice so you have the desired outcome.
3. Watering:  Every garden and lawn needs to be watered so it shouldn’t be a surprise that I mentioned it here.  The amount of watering that you do is completely a personal choice and don’t feel that you need to water your lawn on a daily basis.  In fact, to conserve water, I would only recommend watering your lawn if you absolutely must water it.  Generally, most lawns will bounce back after a rain fall so there is no reason to worry.  If you do water your lawn, try to use a gentle sprinkler since it is soaked up by the ground much easier than water that is sprayed harshly onto it.
4. Weeding:  I hate this most of all, especially when dandelions take over a yard but it is a necessary task to keeping your lawn as beautiful as possible.  If you prefer an organic approach (something that I prefer), I would suggest purchasing a dandelion grubber to remove any of those stubborn weeds. If you use weed killers, make sure you follow directions and warnings.  Also be aware of your city’s bylaws concerning weed killers.  Many cities are banning the use of pesticides and herbicides so it is important to know if your city allows the use of these products before you use them.
5. Aerating:  This is the last tip that I offer for having that perfect lawn.  You will need to aerate your lawn, usually in the fall, and the easiest way to do this is to use a garden fork.  Simply push the tines into the earth and pull back slightly to allow a raise in the turf.  The depth of the holes should be about 3 inches and you should repeat this every 6 inches apart over your entire lawn.  If you prefer, you can purchase tools for aerating your lawn but the fork works perfectly and is fairly inexpensive.

So, hopefully, these tips will lead to a very green lawn.

Sirena Van Schaik

Photo Credit 

Related posts:

1. Repairing Your Pool Ring Lawn
2. Green Landscaping Adds Green Value
3. Feeding Your Lawn With Fertilizer