Friendly fertiliser: Is fertiliser safe for pets?

Here at The Grass People, we are not only grass lovers but also pet lovers. We often get people asking whether fertiliser is safe for pets, and you’ll be glad to know we would never want to see any harm to your canine companions, so we’ve created our three fertiliser aftercare tips to keep your pets safe and sound. On a side note, there are times of the year better suited to using garden fertiliser, so take that into account before applying fertiliser!

How to make sure using fertiliser is safe for pets:

1. Time out

We know it's nearly impossible to keep your pooch from escaping through the patio doors, but it is vital before, during and after spreading a granular fertiliser.

• We recommend that you wait at least 48 hours before letting your dog out into the garden after spreading quick-release and slow-release granular fertiliser, and a few days longer when using our Feed, Weed & Moss Killer. By this time, the soil will have absorbed the fertiliser, and those ever-curious canines won’t be able to get their hands (or paws) on it.

Our liquid fertiliser, on the other hand, is pet safe! - We still recommend you take necessary precautions and keep your pets (and people) off the lawn for 48 hours to allow the fertiliser to work undisturbed, providing the best results.

• We recommend keeping pets (and people) off your lawn for 24 hours after using the liquid feed to ensure it feeds your grass evenly and undisturbed.

2. Water it in

Watering is required after you apply granular fertiliser to help the granules dissolve more quickly. And it will also speed up the process of delivering your lawn the nutrients it needs. If you don’t water in your fertiliser, the granules will sit on top of the soil, and should a pet escape – they could accidentally chow them down.

Liquid fertiliser does not need watering after application. It’s also best to plan to ensure no heavy rainfall forecast on the day of use to ensure the liquid fertiliser can seep into the soil uninterrupted.

3. Follow the instructions to ensure fertiliser is safe for pets

You must follow the instructions on the back of your fertiliser product, as this will help you to avoid using too much of it on your lawn – therefore putting your pet at greater risk if all of the fertiliser does not absorb into the ground after 48 hours. As a quick point of reference, our recommended spreading rate for our granular fertilisers is 35g per m2 – no more, no less. Our liquid fertilisers have mixing/diluting instructions on the back of the packaging; follow these instructions to get the best results.

It is up to you as your pooches human to decide the best fertiliser option for you, them and your lawn, but like most things – prevention is the best cure. These steps are what we recommend to ensure not only a great green lawn but also a healthy hound!

For further reading, we also have a detailed guide for fertiliser use and a resource to help you choose the best fertiliser for your garden.