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Post by tonib on May 6, 2013 22:24:44 GMT
Our lawn is a more weed than lawn. How to people control weeds/moss in their lawn when their cats have access to the outside. Every product I've seen in the garden centre says keep pets (& children) away until the product is watered in. Whilst I could possibly (with protest) keep ours in there are other local cats that cross the lawn. Unfortunately we get a lot of weeds, especially dandelions, due to the fact that we live next to council owned verges which are a mass of dandelions & other weeds! I know one answer would be to dig out all the weeds but that is a bit onerous! Any (practical) suggestions gratefully received!  |
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Post by cazypops on May 6, 2013 22:34:41 GMT
When I had a lawn I used to use evergreen weed and feed. I too had neighbourhood cats but none came to any harm, in fact I ended up adopting two of them, lol. Then every time the grass was mowed it got a good raking to get all the clippings up,( even though we had a grass collector on the mower,)and rake out any moss. It's hard work, but a good workout for you too.  |
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Post by cia on May 7, 2013 7:03:24 GMT
I tend to rake the moss - very theraputic. As for the weeds - well i get my garden knee pad and a palete knife and dig each and everyone of them out. I use no chemicals as its no good for the insect life in your garden. Bees are on the decline and one of the reasons is harsh chemicals and fertilizers in our garden confuse them and dont pollinate the flowers.
I do let the dailys have free rein. When i cut the grass i cut around a cluster of daisies so the insects may enjoy them.
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Post by SarahHound on May 7, 2013 9:00:52 GMT
Guinea pigs are the BEST weed control...  Weedkilling by Niseag, on Flickr  Weedkilling by Niseag, on Flickr They will sit there and eat until they hit the bottom, then move on to another patch OK, so not very practical, but its a good excuse to get some piggies! |
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Post by puddycats on May 7, 2013 15:32:50 GMT
Guinea pigs are the BEST weed control... Weedkilling by Niseag, on Flickr Weedkilling by Niseag, on Flickr They will sit there and eat until they hit the bottom, then move on to another patch OK, so not very practical, but its a good excuse to get some piggies! Love it Love it Love it!!! They are gorgeous and do a good job too. |
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Post by puddycats on May 7, 2013 15:33:07 GMT
Guinea pigs are the BEST weed control... Weedkilling by Niseag, on Flickr Weedkilling by Niseag, on Flickr They will sit there and eat until they hit the bottom, then move on to another patch OK, so not very practical, but its a good excuse to get some piggies! Love it Love it Love it!!! They are gorgeous and do a good job too. |
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Post by bectil on May 15, 2013 9:46:45 GMT
I can only suggest digging the weeds out. You can also cut off the dandelion flower heads to stop them forming into a seed head As for the moss, rake the moss with a lawn rake in the autumn and then re-seed. Where abouts is the moss in your garden? shaded area? in the middle of the lawn? bectil |
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Post by migsy on May 15, 2013 10:02:06 GMT
We don't use any products on our gardens,never have with having pets.We just cut the grass as normal,so good job we don't mind the fact it's not like a bowling green.
We cut the verge too,as the council seem to leave grass cutting for far too long,and there are masses of dandelions,only thing is they don't get cut before going to seed.The cutting by the council is often done after rain,leaving an almighty mess which we would get fined for if we did the same thing.I don't find daisies a problem,I like them,and many weeds are just flowers growing in the wrong place after all.
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Post by bectil on May 15, 2013 10:22:42 GMT
We cut the verge too,as the council seem to leave grass cutting for far too long,and there are masses of dandelions,only thing is they don't get cut before going to seed.The cutting by the council is often done after rain,leaving an almighty mess which we would get fined for if we did the same thing. We have some no mans land at the side of our house, which has some tall growing shrubs next to our wall. We tell the person who is cutting the hedges, not to cut them, as it makes a right mess in the front and back garden. We usually cut the sides that are coming over our wall, and the top of the hedge so there is minimal mess. Well last year, the council cut the top of the hedge and their usual side - various sizes of twigs came shooting into our garden, hitting the conservatorie. It was a real mess! I don't understand why the council cut the grass right after it has rained. Last year, they hardly cut it (assuming to do with saving money). The poor JRT X pup on the field, had to jump through the grass, as it couldn't see! One time, they cut the grass when it rained and made an awful job. As the grass dried out, it was all different lengths, so the council ended up coming back shortly after to cut it again. bectil |
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Post by lotsofcats on May 15, 2013 15:02:55 GMT
My husband has just bought some Roundup, which is a new weed killer gel which you only have to dab onto one leaf and it will kill the whole weed, roots and all. However, it does state that it has to be kept away from pets and children until it has dried.
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Post by tonib on May 15, 2013 22:43:47 GMT
Thanks for all the advice. Sounds like the only answer is to - Use a weedkiller/feed protect & keep the cats in until its watered in
- Deadhead the dandelions (which we do) & dig them & other weeds up
- Live with it!
We do rake the lawn for the moss but it gets quite bad as the drainage isn't as good as it should be at the front (we've had drainage put in at the back). Like bectil we have council owned land next to us - the person who lives in the next close adjacent to ours mows that stretch of land as its alongside a path between the closes. The council cut the shrubs but don't make too much mess. There is also a piece of no-man's land - no grass to mow but plenty of weeds, some shrubs & a couple of trees. The trouble is the dandelions, there's plenty of council owned green space around us including a country park only a close away, so the dandelions spread easily from garden to garden. Historically we've used something rather like Roundup but it was for weeds in beds not grassed areas. It was used on persistent weeds & we covered the coated plant leaves with a plastic plant pot held in place with a cane (or 2) through the holes into the flowerbed. Perhaps we could do that on the lawn with the dandelions but using the correct weedkiller. |
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Post by migsy on May 16, 2013 18:12:44 GMT
Is there any danger to cats and dogs chewing grass or weeds painted with weed killing gel? I hate it when the council men spray with weed killer,it just leaves the weeds,which just turn a nasty orange colour instead of green.I also wonder about animals and children coming in contact with the sprayed areas as there is no warning to say areas have been sprayed.
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Post by bectil on May 16, 2013 19:41:14 GMT
We do rake the lawn for the moss but it gets quite bad as the drainage isn't as good as it should be at the front (we've had drainage put in at the back). Have you tried top dressing your lawn to improve the drainage? Top dressing improves the soil structure for healthier grass and more growth bectil |
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Post by tonib on May 16, 2013 21:48:32 GMT
Is there any danger to cats and dogs chewing grass or weeds painted with weed killing gel? I hate it when the council men spray with weed killer,it just leaves the weeds,which just turn a nasty orange colour instead of green.I also wonder about animals and children coming in contact with the sprayed areas as there is no warning to say areas have been sprayed. If the packaging says keep away from pets then I would suggest that it's not good for them but it may be a case of only when wet or on the surface but can be watered in. However I asked the council workmen when they were spraying the area next to our house & they say the stuff they use isn't dangerous to wildlife so presumably not to pets. However it doesn't change the colour of the weeds so not sure its the same stuff. The gel weedkiller (gypsophate based) which you paint on is only really an issue when wet as it wouldn't be on anything the pets eat, although herbivores (rabits etc) would be a different issue & I don't know the answer. However I'm not an expert so I would read any packaging of anything you use & perhaps contact your council to find out what they use & any impact it has. We do rake the lawn for the moss but it gets quite bad as the drainage isn't as good as it should be at the front (we've had drainage put in at the back). Have you tried top dressing your lawn to improve the drainage? Top dressing improves the soil structure for healthier grass and more growth bectilAgree about the top dressing unfortunately our problem is that we have top soil (mixed with builders rubble from 22 years ago!) but with a layer of clay underneath & that stops the water draining away easily. |
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