Do you fertilize your lawn? If so, what service or product do you use?

[Denise U]

Our lawn looks terrible and we are so skiddish about fertilizing our lawn.  Actually the good patches are where they pee as they are on Hills c/d for their bladder issues, and it makes the grass grow green and lush.  So, we have leopard grass, with lots of clover, weeds, etc...  We would like to fix up our lawn, but not at the expense of harming my Doodle girls.   I have read about dogs getting either brain or bladder cancer due to lawn fertilizer and I am just wondering what others do.  Maybe I am being too overcautious. Thanks for any insight

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

I am not fertilizing my back yard this year as I am trying to grow clover as it is more tolerant to dog pee. =) I seeded a micro-clover and fescue seed mixture in March and it is almost ready for its first mowing. The clover acts like a natural fertilizer for the grass. This is my spring gardening experiment so I can't say it works/doesn't work yet. But here is a link discussing micro-clover in case you are interested http://www.protimelawnseed.com/pages/micro-clover-the-lawn-clover

[F, Calla & Luca]

I am going to look at this link. I use fescue for seeding patches and overseeding. The clover and other weeds add themselves But microclover hmm...I mulch every time I mow and never collect clippings even when I mow the leaves. I try to avoid all chemicals and things like that.

[RIDOODLES]

we use anything reccomended in the book titled "Green Grass Magic" by Jerry Baker...it is a wonderful book. An all natural approach to lawn care with no harmful chemicals. We use the methods in the book.
We star out every spring by applying Lyme to the lawn, to sweeten the soil. To give it the proper ph. i bought my book used on Amazon.

[Tammy & Gracie]

I don't fertilize my backyard at all. I just let the weeds grow. The risk of dog illness is not worth it.

[Christine & Shelby]

I've been wondering about this too - I am worried about fertilizing because Shelby loves to eat the grass. My lawn is a mess, very patch and more weeds than ever. I followed the clover website but given it's mostly a pacific northwest thing - I am leary about how it would do in the intense Texas summer heat! I'll be following this discussion :o)

[Nina, Phil, Harlow & Lacey]

Hmm, looks like DFL Trifolium has just come out with a tropical grass seed and micro-clover mixture. It may work in Texas. http://www.dlf.com/News/Press%20releases%202009.aspx

We are in US zone 7 and I think we are on the very southern tip of the growing zone map for most microclover seed mixtures.

[Denise U]

Holy Cow! You have quite the set up there! I had to call my husband in the room to see it. Very impressive... it's everything a dog could want in a yard and more! Thanks for sharing your pictures!

[F, Calla & Luca]

I wonder whether this is safe. I would not use this around my dogs.
http://householdproducts.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/household/brands?tbl=b...

[Laurie, Fudge, and Vern]

I am going to copy and paste this idea to my husband. Thank you! I have two dogs and a big yard of dirt :)

[F, Calla & Luca]

I do this and have for years. I mow through fall so lots and lots  of leaves get mulched in too. By spring my lawn looks like all the neighbors who have have gardeners with leaf blowers. This year because of all the rain last year the lawn has taken a beating from lots of dog running and I will start sprinking seed around in about a month.