Want to keep unwanted plants in check without harming your furry family members?
Check out these pet-safe methods.
You may be tempted to resort topotent productswhen weeds become a losing battle.
Credit: Rachel McGinn
Unfortunately, many substances sold to combat pesky plants aren’t pet-friendly weed killers.
Even “eco-friendly” or natural herbicides are capable of causing injury when misused.
Those substances transfer to their paws and fur, which they may inadvertently ingest while grooming themselves.
Credit: Jacob Fox
So, are you doomed to a weedy yard if you have pets?
Some pet-friendly weed killers andlawn-carestrategies can cut down on leafy invaders without threatening the health of your animals.
Here’s what you gotta know to keep your pets safe whilewarding off weeds.
Credit: Brie Passano
Can you live with a light smattering of them?
Also,mulching garden bedsregularly willkeep weeds from taking overornamental plantings.
Weeding by Hand
The most effective way to eradicate lawn and garden weeds is by removing them by hand.
Credit: Kate Sears
(Both harmful andnon-harmful weed killerscan leave roots behind to regenerate; for example,dandelionshave long roots.)
Hand-weeding is best thought of as an ongoing practice, and it’s most effective when begun in spring.
In garden beds, you’re able to eradicateweed seedlings by hoeing.
Smothering Weeds
Like any plant, weeds need sunlight to thrive.
So if you block their access to light, they’ll die.
(Avoid cocoa mulch, which is toxic to dogs if eaten.).
The mulch allows water and air through but keeps sunlight out.
Applying Horticultural Vinegar
In its concentrated form, vinegar can kill young, tender plants.
Keep in mind that horticultural vinegar is a non-selective killer, meaning it will damage any plant it touches.
(see to it to weargardening gloves!)
Read and follow label directions carefully, and keep your pets off of treated areas until the vinegar dries.
This method is especially effective for cracks in sidewalks or driveways.
Using horticultural vinegar may sound like a money-saving idea, but it isn’t.
Concentrated vinegar is a pet-friendly weed killer that can be as expensive as standard commercial herbicides.
Try burning them with a welding torch or scalding them with boiling water.
Just be careful not to injure yourself in the process!
Corn gluten meal showed initial promise as a pre-emergent herbicide.
The upshot is that it’s a pet-safe weed killer.
Some products work but take days to show results, and many require repeated applications.
For example, borax will inhibit the growth of desirable plants.
Salt can likewise cause a severe imbalance insoil chemistry.
You may want to consider options for your garden’s design to reduce the need for weeding.
Anaturalistic planwill camouflage weeds since it presents a less regimented look than a more planned layout.
Keep them away from vegetable gardens and other plants, though.
They’ll eat those too.
“Cocoa Bean Mulch Can Poison Dogs.”
National Capital Poison Center
Weed-Eating Biomachines.
University of California (Agriculture and Natural Resources), 2015
What Weeds are Poisonous to Dogs?
Pet Poison Helpline
“Milkweed Plant Can Cause Serious Poisoning.”
