Pet-Friendly Lawn Maintenance Tips

Everyone has different goals for their yard–and everyone has different members of their family (sometimes, they’re even four-legged). But many people get stuck when they want to grow a pristine yard while also keeping it accessible for their pets. Luckily, it’s not as hard as you think–all it takes is pet-safe lawn maintenance products and techniques. Let’s dive in.

Pet Safe Lawn Maintenance Products

Pet-safe lawn maintenance products are a given, but you may be wondering what that looks like. Essentially, it just means going as organic as possible. Organic fertilizers, non-toxic weed control, and alternatives to your typical chemical pest control are three major ways to accomplish this.

Organic Fertilizers

Chemical fertilizers can harm pets if ingested, inhaled, or absorbed through their skin, so it’s best to avoid using them. It can cause lots of major problems, such as abdominal pain, excessive drooling, bowel obstruction, difficulty breathing, cardiac arrest, and inflammation of the liver and pancreas. Overall, it’s not pretty, and it’s certainly not safe.

There are three main benefits to using organic fertilizer: soil improvement, sustainability, and safety. Organic fertilizers are not only better for your pets and the environment, but they tend to work better anyway. You can buy them from the store or make your own.

If you choose to make your own, it’s a great way to dispose of organic waste like broken branches, leaves, and other things you would’ve had to throw away anyway. That way, you can more directly control which ingredients will be around your pets.

Non-Toxic Weed Control

You want to follow the same rule of thumb with weed control methods: go as non-toxic as possible. Eight weed control methods don’t use toxic chemicals: boiling water, mulch, vinegar, smothering, corn gluten meal, organic weed killers, alternate groundcovers, and barriers.

Boiling Water

Pouring boiling water over your weeds will kill them instantly–though be careful. Boiling water will kill almost any plant, so if you use this method, ensure you’re only pouring it on weeds.

Mulch

Mulching has many benefits, and regarding weed control, it blocks sunlight and discourages weed growth when spread over exposed soil. A technique that kills weeds while providing other nutritional benefits is killing two birds with one stone.

Vinegar

Vinegar solutions are a great method because vinegar contains higher levels of acetic acid, which breaks down the cellular structure of weed foliage, causing it to wilt and desiccate.

Smothering

Smothering will take longer than the other methods, but it’s simple: Cover the soil surface for an extended period with heat or lack of sunlight to kill the weeds underneath.

Corn Gluten Meal

Corn gluten meal is an organic, natural suppressant that prevents weeds from germinating without harming healthy grass. This method is great if you’ve just planted grass seed.

Organic Weed Killers

Organic weed killers are given; they use natural ingredients instead of harmful, toxic chemicals. Plus, you can easily get it from the store.

Alternate Groundcovers

Planting clover, wildflowers, native perennials, herbs, shrubs, and trees instead of turfgrass can help discourage weeds simply by acting as a barrier and crowding them out.

Barriers

Using netted or plastic barriers in unplanted areas will discourage weed growth and keep the space ready for new plants or weed-free. Landscape fabric is another effective barrier material.

Safe Pest Control

Pesticides follow the same rule–no chemicals. Neem oil, diatomaceous earth, and beneficial nematodes are great pet-friendly pest control products.

Neem Oil

Neem oil is a naturally occurring pesticide found in the neem tree. It suffocates pests from the inside out, disrupts insect hormone systems to control insect growth and reproduction, repels insects, and reduces their feeding.

Diatomaceous Earth

Diatomaceous earth is a naturally occurring powder made from diatom fossils. It works by absorbing oils and fats from insects’ exoskeletons, eventually killing them.

Beneficial Nematodes

Beneficial nematodes are microscopic roundworms used as natural biological pest control agents. They move through moist soil, enter a host, and kill the host within a few days.

Pet-Friendly Lawn Maintenance Techniques

In addition to the products you use on your lawn, it’s important not to neglect proper lawn maintenance methods. Regular mowing, proper watering, and soil health all contribute to a healthy lawn for pets.

Regular Mowing

Regular mowing, ideally once per week, keeps your grass at optimal height, which prevents pests and disease. This benefits both your lawn and your pets. Some animals, like dogs, enjoy running outside on the grass, and if the grass is too long, that hinders their enjoyment–plus, they could come home with ticks. Dogs will sometimes eat grass as well, as it’s a good source of fiber and can help with their digestion, so you want to ensure your grass is healthy.

Proper Watering

Proper watering not only inhibits the growth of moldy grass that dogs could eat and get sick from, but it also keeps your lawn from getting muddy. If you want your animals to avoid playing in the muck and getting dirty, it’s best to water appropriately. Plus, it helps with healthy grass growth, which we’ve just established is great for pet health.

Aeration and Soil Health

Soil health should be addressed when trying to care for both your pets and your lawn. Because your pets enjoy romping around on the grass, it’s common to see some soil compaction. A little bit is okay, but if it gets to a point where it’s inhibiting plant growth, you want to consider aeration and other lawn maintenance practices that will support your soil.

Lawn Maintenance to Address Pet Damage

While you want your pets to enjoy their time outside, sometimes it means your grass needs a little TLC. Here are some tips for treating urine spots, digging, and bare patches left behind by our furry friends.

Urine Spots

Lawns that are already dry or weak are more susceptible to urine damage, but neutralizing urine spots benefits every type of grass. The biggest recommendation is to flush the area with water to remove the urine salts from the soil.

You can also apply a few tablespoons of gypsum to the soil and water it gently. Make sure to cover the space to keep your dog from urinating over it, scratch up the soil, and apply some grass seed a few days afterward.

Digging Solutions

Digging wreaks havoc on your lawn. You can cover the dig spots with natural deterrents like cayenne pepper, citrus peels, or vinegar. Some homeowners have succeeded with specific dig deterrent solutions from the store–you just want to ensure they’re organic.

You could also plant thorny or spiky plants to protect other plants and trees. That said, it doesn’t hurt to create a designated digging area for your pet so they can still have that experience without disturbing your landscaping.