Extreme Dog Makeover
The kids want a new puppy and you want a beautiful yard to play in. There’s nothing more infuriating than seeing your beautiful lawn go through an extreme dog makeover. Don’t fret there is hope in reviving a dog destroyed backyard and ensuring you maintain a flourishing yard with a happy canine.
Larger bred dogs are known to wreak more havoc on backyards. For this, try using a combination of Bermuda grass and St. Augustine grass. The St. Augustine grass is a wide bladed, crawling type of grass that is very durable. The Bermuda is a much finer type of grass blade that also crawls across the yard but also has rhizomes that will creep underground and expand the reach of the grass. Bermuda grass is very durable and mixes well with St. Augustine. But note, Bermuda is a highly invasive grass and is very difficult to keep out of any flower beds that are close by. The Bermuda grass can be applied with seed, but the St. Augustine grass must be purchased either in 16×16 inch flats or in the form of sods since seeds for the St. Augustine grass is not available. St. Augustine grass will spread nicely into surrounding areas so it is not necessary to fill the whole yard with St. Augustine grass. Place four inch wide plugs about a foot apart in the spring. Both grasses will go dormant in the winter time and little care is needed except for fall fertilization and a spring pre-emergent to keep weeds at bay.
A fescue is also a choice for grass but it does not hold up well when dogs urinate on the lawn. Always consult with a landscape professional, such as The Grounds Guys® on which grass works better in your climate, before planting. A professional will also be able to offer helpful tips in reviving your lawn and maintaining its lush beauty year round.
Before adding new grass, prepare the soil. Depending on the size of the lawn area, you have the option of using a rototiller or just turning the soil over by hand. Once you have planted the new lawn, water it frequently. The ground should always be damp around your newly planted grass for the next two weeks at least. This will allow the seeds or seedling grass a chance to grow and establish a healthy root system. Use a starter fertilizer when planting a new lawn to help the grass roots develop more quickly. However, allow the grass three to four months to grow before letting your dogs start to romp around on it.
