Planting a native kind of grass and insect repelling flowers such as marigolds and amaranth and herbs can discourage weeds and pests which cuts down and/or eliminates pesticides. Eve Adamson author of “Pets Gone Green” says the right vegetation—especially native plants—can also encourage local wildlife to visit, which helps pets de-stress and get back in touch with their natural instincts.
Fight lawns weeds naturally by spreading corn meal gluten before they emerge. Tom Barthel author of “Dogscaping” recommends using ground cayenne and/or red pepper flakes on or around plants to discourage animals from chewing, while hot sauce sprinkled on leaves helps keep deer away.
Dog Waste Disposal:
Your compost heap may seem like a reasonable dog-waste disposal option. However, Barthel says you should never put poop in compost that will be spread on lawns or plants; because dogs eat meat, their feces may carry parasites that can infect humans if transferred to the soil.
Instead, Barthel suggests installing a special dog waste digester away from commonly used parts of the yard. Drill holes in the bottom of a small trash can, dig a hole and bury the can. Load it up with dog waste, sprinkle some composting enzymes (and kitty litter or pulverized lime if odor is a problem) and let it drain into the soil without harming people or the environment.
Read more about greening your yard for your pets at:http://www.energytimes.com/pages/departments/1106/earthmatters1106.html
If you have questions regarding value and “greening”your yard contact the appraisers at www.socalappraisalserv.com
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