Are Lawn Fertilizers Safe for Pets?
According to veterinarians, most fertilizers are generally pretty benign in terms of pet safety. In fact, most lawn fertilizers contain natural elements, like nitrogen, potash, and phosphorus that are generally non-toxic. If your dog eats some grass that fertilizer right after fertilizer was applied, it rarely leads to serious poisoning. However, if your dog gets into the bag of fertilizer and starts to eat it directly, health problems ranging from gastrointestinal distress to tremors and seizures can result, so be sure to keep fertilizer products away from your pets. Experts recommend that when you fertilize as part of your lawn maintenance routine, be sure to water the product of the leaves. After doing this, it is safe for pets to return.
Are Lawn Pest Control Treatments Safe for Pets?
According to veterinarians, lawn chemicals can vary widely in their pet safety, with some products causing only mild stomach upset and others are potentially deadly, so it’s important to know what you’re dealing with. While fertilizers are typically harmless to pets, the problem is that for easier Lawn maintenance, many have added insecticides, which can cause problems for pets. The good news is that most insecticide manufactures have become more cognizant of pets and today we have safer pest control products than we did twenty years ago. Be sure to keep pets off the lawn until the product has been watered in or has been allowed to dry, as package directions indicate.
How Long After Lawn Treatment is it Safe for Pets?
Lawn maintenance services post warning signs after fertilizer applications asking children and pets to keep off the grass for at least 72 hours. For most lawn chemicals, it takes about 48 hours for them to be absorbed into the grass and soil. If it’s sunny during this time period, it’s easy to tell that the water used with the fertilizer has evaporated. Rainy days will help move the fertilizer even deeper into the soil, although you may need to allow more drying time.
Fertilizers labeled as organic usually require little wait time after applied for lawn maintenance. Read the package directions and wait for the lawn to dry completely before allowing pets or people back on the grass. For pet safety, water your lawn right away after the treatment and wait for it to completely dry before allowing your pets back out.
How can I keep my Pets from Damaging my Lawn?
Here are some tips to help save your yard if you have a dog with destructive tendencies:
- Build A Dog Run – Dedicate a fenced-in area of the yard where your dog can be a dog. This gives them their own space to do their business, exercise, sniff around, take naps, and enjoy unsupervised time outside. This will also make it easier to clean up after your dog.
- Provide Your Pet With A Cool Place to Relax – Dogs like to dig holes in the dirt to stay cool. Laying on the cool ground helps them to stay comfortable on hot days. Make them a bed on your concrete patio or provide them some shade to help them to stay cool without digging up your yard.
- Clean Up After Your Pets In A Timely Fashion – If you don’t clean up after your pets every day, the residue that is left behind can damage your lawn. Areas of bright green grass may appear and grow much faster than the rest of the lawn. After removing solid waste, hose down the area to dilute and wash away urine.
- Keep your Grass Short – Pets love to nibble on grass or dig up the turf, so be sure to keep it short to discourage this behavior.
Are Organic Lawn Products the Best for Pet-Owners?
Dogs and cats love to sniff, nibble, and generally explore garden foliage and lawns. If the grass and plants have been sprayed with a chemical, the residues can end up in their digestive and respiratory systems. Organic lawn maintenance products eliminate the harmful chemicals and keep everyone in the household, both pets and people, safe. When selecting an organic lawn and garden product, be sure to read the label carefully. The inclusion of the word “natural” on the packaging doesn’t necessarily mean it is, in fact, natural. If you’re in doubt about the product’s pet safety, visit the manufacturer’s website or contact them for details about the ingredients they use.
Contact Borst Landscape and Design to discuss organic lawn maintenance and pet safety today!