Landscaping Guide For HomeownersLandscaping Guide For Homeowners

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Landscaping Guide For Homeowners

Hello, my name is Justin Malone and on this blog you'll find a lot of useful information about landscaping. When I moved into my newly built home, I didn't even have any grass in my yard, so I had to start from scratch. Before I tackled the project of landscaping my property, I did a large amount of research first. I learned how to plant grass seed, and when the grass started to grow, I researched planting trees. As my yard started taking shape, I planted shrubs and made flower beds. My next landscape project was building a fish pond and I completed it with ease after doing the research. I'm writing this blog as a guide for others who want to do their own landscaping and I hope that it helps you learn how to create a beautiful yard.

Lawn Dog Spot Prevention Tips

29 December 2016
 Categories: , Blog

A lush, green lawn can be ruined by unsightly brown spots. Unfortunately, neighborhood dog walkers, strays, or your own dog could be the cause of these spots. The culprit is nitrogen burn, which is the result from the acidity in dog urine. Often the area around the spot will turn deep green and thick in response from the added nitrogen, while the center of the spot will die out from too much nitrogen. The following tips can help you prevent or remedy dog spots if they occur in your lawn.

Tip #1: Try elimination training

If the issue is your dog, then you may be able to change their habits. Set up an area where you want them to urinate. A sand or gravel area that provides excellent drainage works well. You can even add a fake hydrant or tree for them to mark. Then, use your preferred training method to reward them for going in the preferred area. Eventually it will become a habit and your dog won't piddle in the yard anymore.

Tip #2: Change your sprinkler pattern

One way to overcome too much nitrogen is to water well right after the dog urinates so that the urine is diluted. If the issue is dog walkers, then pay attention to when most dogs are walked in your neighborhood and then time your sprinklers to run in the affected area just after the main onslaught. If stray dogs are the problem, then install a motion detecting sprinkler in the affected area. It will go off each time the dog approaches. This will either startle it off, or at least dilute the urine if the dog isn't dissuaded by the sprinkler.

Tip #3: Add a wall

Fencing may not be possible or desirable in a front yard, but you can still use a low retaining wall to protect your lawn from neighborhood dogs. Most walkers with dogs will walk right past a low wall or fence rather than trying to get their dog to jump up on the grass. You can even leave a small apron of bare soil or mulch between the sidewalk and the wall so there is a harmless area for the dogs to relieve themselves.

If your lawn is already plagued by brown spots, thorough raking to remove the dead grass followed by reseeding or sodding is a must. You may also need to thoroughly irrigate the area to clear the acids from the soil, as well. A lawn care service like Rock Solid Services LLC can help you with the recovery.