Pet Safe Lawn Fertilizer
Complete Organic Lawn
Fertilization Program
Chemical fertilizers can make
your pet very ill
Pets can pick up fertilizer
chemicals in their hair and on their
feet, and when they clean their coat
or feet, they can ingest them. When
pets chew on grass, they may ingest
fertilizer. By rolling in the
grass, pets can absorb chemicals
right through their skin. To
avoid all of these problems, it is
best to use a pet safe lawn
fertilizer. Besides, organic
fertilizers improve the natural
resistance of the grass towards
pests and insects.
Common items for pet safe lawn
fertilizer
The following are harmless for your
pet, and help grow grass naturally.
Composted manure (available at
Lowe’s or Home Depot), peat compost,
fish emulsion, kelp, blood and bone
meal and worm castings.
If
you prefer, you can make your own
compost. A container for
making compost, along with
instructions, may be purchased at a
garden supply store, or you may just
make a compost pile. Items
that can be composted are garden
greens, weeds, left over food,
Gypsum or Lime, fruit and vegetable
peels, egg shells, straw, dried
leaves, and wood chips. Mix in
a little dirt to introduce soil
bacteria, and let compost.
Once your biodegradable material is
fully composted, it will look like
black dirt. (Gypson and Lime
aid in the composting process by
reducing nitrogen losses, which
reduces unpleasant odors.
Blend 1 pound with each wheel barrow
load.) Where
pets are concerned, the following
items are toxic for your pet and
should not be added to your
compost:: Coffee,
moldy food, coffee grounds, avocado,
macadamia nuts, grapes, raisins,
yeast dough, onions, garlic, and
chives.
The following four
items are excellent for
pet safe
lawn fertilizer
· Grass
recycling is
a great way to return nutrients to
your lawn. Just mow regularly,
preferably with a mulching blade on
your mower, and grass clippings will
quickly decompose and release
nutrients to fertilize the lawn.
Studies done by the University of
Florida show that grass clippings
contain around 3% nitrogen. One
hundred pounds of dry grass
clippings contain about the same
amount of nitrogen as a 50-pound bag
of 6-6-6 fertilizer. Grass
clippings return nitrogen,
phosphorus, potassium, iron and
manganese to the soil. Not
only do grass clippings not
contribute to thatch buildup, they
contain sugars which stimulate
microbes to decompose thatch.
· Calcium is
the single most important mineral
needed for plant and soil nutrition.
When calcium is flowing in your
soil, everything is flowing.
If your soil pH is low (as found in
the Southeast USA), then apply
Calcium Carbonate. Good
sources are egg shells (dry, then
pulverize in a blender), oyster
shell powder, or limestone (also
known as “lime”). Hard clay soils
generally contain
too much magnesium. If your
soil is low in pH and is clay, you
will want to request "High Cal.
Lime", as it is lower in magnesium,
and will help to loosen up your
soil.
If your soil pH is high (as found in
the Midwest), apply calcium sulfate,
also known as Gypsum. Calcium
Carbonate and Calcium Sulfate are
both natural products and considered
safe for pets. A typical
application of calcium is three to
six 50 lb. bags per 2,400 sq. ft.
each spring and fall. You can
have your soil tested to find out
the actual amount of calcium your
soil needs. Once you spread
Calcium on your lawn it is best to
water it in (or apply it before a
rain). This will begin to
dissolve it and make the nutrients
available to your grass.