Creating a Pet-Friendly Lawn: Safe Practices for Georgia Homeowners

Creating a safe place for pets to play is a concern for Georgia homeowners who also want a lush, healthy, and green lawn. To keep pets free from dangerous chemicals, lawn care experts advise using a mix of organic products and cultural methods for controlling pests and weeds to ensure a pet-friendly environment. 

Pet-safe Lawn Care Solutions

Is your lawn a safe place for your pets to play? Following a few simple lawn care solutions will protect your pets and assure gorgeous grass.  

Implementing cultural control methods are the very best option for pet-safe lawn care. This means choosing the right type of turfgrass, mowing at the right height, and watering the right amount at the right time. These basic maintenance techniques along with regular aeration and proper fertilization help avoid problems that lead to pests, weeds, and disease. 

Are weeds dangerous for dogs?

Some Georgia weeds and plants are toxic for dogs and should be pulled immediately when spotted. Foxtail, for example, is a common weed in Georgia that is toxic to dogs. Its barbed seeds can become embedded into a dog’s skin, paws, nose, mouth and ears. Foxtails can cause injury that can result in pain, infection, abscesses, and in extreme cases, perforated lungs, and even death. Long-haired dogs are especially vulnerable to foxtail infestations. 

Foxtail is a clustery clump of long grass with shoots that resemble a fox’s tail. Each tail contains hundreds of seeds, so it can spread rapidly.

Hand-pulling is the safest method of weed control for your dog because it involves zero chemicals. 

Other weeds poisonous to dogs are milkweed, giant hogweed, poison hemlock, spotted water hemlock, cow parsnip, wild parsnip and Queen Anne’s Lace.

Plants to avoid putting in your garden include Oleander, Aloe, Chrysanthemum, Hyacinth, Jade plant, Sago palm, Daffodil, Asparagus fern, and Azalea. If ingested, these plants and weeds can cause vomiting and upset gastrointestinal health. 

What Lawn Fertilizers Are Safe for Dogs?

While hand-pulling weeds is a great, pet-friendly lawn care solution, it can be time-consuming and labor intensive for homeowners. Therefore, some organic fertilizers can be used for weed control and nutrition for your lawn. Be careful, however, because some organic products contain ingredients such as blood meal, and bone meal, which can make dogs want to eat it. An all-natural, quick-drying organic fertilizer is the best option for dog-friendly lawns.

Simply Green Can Help!

Simply Green Lawn Care Plus experts help with all of your Georgia lawn care needs to ensure your yard is healthy and green all year long. 

Contact a technician today for a free consultation to determine the health of your lawn and to learn more about the most pet-safe lawn care products available.