There are similar benefits derived from gardening and from owning a dog. When it comes to dogs, I’m no specialist, but a question arises: How compatible are gardeners and dogs? I’ll leave responses to you, our Grainews family of readers.
I see a lot of folks walking with their dog, and sometimes with more than one. Dog owners tell me, “there’s nothing like having a loyal companion. It’s a big responsibility, but the benefits are worth the work. Dogs give you companionship, unconditional love, exercise and better health.”
That’s not to take anything away from gardeners. Once you’re hooked, gardening becomes an enjoyable lifelong companion. Working in and walking throughout the garden also promotes better health, provides plenty of exercise and puts fresh, homegrown food on the table.
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Having a garden and owning a dog may be a balancing act at times, but people with both do have a way of making it work. If you’re a seasoned gardener, an older adult or a senior looking to get a four-legged furry friend, it’s important to choose the right dog for your lifestyle.
I heard from a pet owner called Ron, who is also a gardener. He writes: “Lots of pet owners deal with the yellow spots on grass for sure and big dogs like my German shepherd can really tear a yard up by springtime with their power and weight.
“Two years ago, I put a lot of effort into my previous yard and now I’m set up in Winnipeg and I get to do it all over again at a new location. I have a couple of planter boxes that I plan to use this year. Ted, I think the information you’ve already provided me would make a great column.”
I’ll share my tips on how to repair lawn areas damaged by dogs, but first let me remind readers that Canada Day will have come and gone before we meet again on the next Singing Gardener page. No Canada Day celebration is complete without plenty of Canadian flags, and there are endless ways to express our pride in red and white as Canadians.
You can whip up Canadian delicacies too. Celebrate Canada Day with traditional poutine that includes fries, cottage cheese curds and gravy. Baklava is a layered filo pastry dessert filled with chopped nuts and sweetened with maple syrup or honey.
Then there’s chocolatey Nanaimo bars. Beaver tails are deep-fried bread dough dusted with cinnamon and icing sugar. Yukon is home to authentic sourdough originals such as flapjacks and fry bread.
Here’s a tip o’ the hat to my fellow Canadians as we look back to 1867 with a few lyrics from one of my songs.
Happy first, July first,
Let’s shout it out with joy and mirth,
Happy first, July first,
It’s Canada’s day of birth.
Reclaiming a damaged lawn
Let’s talk now about Ron’s yard dilemma. After picking up dog waste, here’s how you can repair yellow spots in the lawn caused by canine urine, which contains high amounts of nitrogen and salts that burn grass.
Try this first, as it may work wonders. Lightly sprinkle powdered gypsum over and around each spot. Gypsum is known to quickly dissolve accumulated urine salts. Next, prepare a lawn saver scrub and apply it on the affected lawn/yard area using a watering can.
To make the lawn saver scrub, stir one cup of baby shampoo or one cup of pure liquid soap (not dishwashing detergent) into 20 gallons of water. Some folks use a four-litre plastic jug for measuring, as it is close to a gallon size. When done, you’ll have enough solution to cover a large area.
After applying the lawn saver scrub, let it sit for a week. After that, prepare a lawn saver tonic and apply it with a watering can over the same area.
To make the lawn saver tonic, combine 1/2 can of regular-sized cola soft drink (with sugar, not artificially sweetened), 1/2 can of regular strength beer and 1/2 cup of household laundry ammonia and stir into 20 gallons of water.
After applying the lawn saver scrub, wait a week and then reseed the affected lawn/yard area.
I suggested that Ron consider buying a reclamation grass seed mix from Early’s Farm and Garden Centre in Saskatoon. According to Early’s, this is an improved mixture formulated to perform well under less-than-ideal conditions. You can find it in Early’s Grass Seed Guide at https://www.earlysgarden.com/.
Source of gypsum
The community of Gypsumville, Man., was named after a post office with the same name that opened in 1905 after the discovery of gypsum deposits in the area. Records indicate many local farmers worked at the gypsum quarry during the day and farmed in the evening.
Gypsum is a water-soluble mineral that has other uses besides helping to dissolve yellow spots from dog urine in lawns. Will it do the same for cat’s urine? Who’s to know until you try it.
Gypsum is used primarily to produce drywall board, but it is also an additive in cement, plaster and blackboard chalk. It is an ingredient in soil conditioners and fertilizers for agriculture and is used in the brewing industry as well.
If you know a carpenter or someone who installs drywall and they have leftover pieces, you can usually get them for free, just for the asking. Of course, you’ll need to get the gypsum into a powder before using it as a lawn remedy.
Meet Kevin Bloski
Kevin Bloski is a grass seed specialist at Early’s, with 28 years of experience dealing with turf grass seed mixtures ranging from professional turf and special purpose grasses to cool season turf grasses for Western Canada. He has lots of experience related to reseeding yards and lawns due to dog-related damage, whether the area is all grass, partly grassed or has no grass at all.
Bloski says climate changes mean we can no longer go by the calendar regarding when to seed. Spring is late this year in many parts of the Prairies, so don’t be in a rush to scatter grass seed. Ideal temperatures for seeding grasses are in the 6 to 10 C range at night and close to 18 C during the day.
Depending on the situation, especially where pets are involved, be prepared to reseed each year. Applying up to 50 per cent more grass seed than the recommended rate is OK over heavy traffic and trouble spots, but avoid applying double or triple amounts of seed because there will be too many tiny seedlings to compete well for nutrients. Germination will take place within three or four weeks.
My special thanks to Bloski, grass seed expert extraordinaire. He loves his job at Early’s, and it shows. He can be reached at 306-931-1982 or 1-800-667-1159 if you want to discuss your turf grass needs.
