If you want a dog and a lush lawn, you're not out of luck.

Dog urine can damage grass, but highly rated experts in lawn care, landscaping and dog training tell our team that there are several ways your pet and your property can coexist pee-cefully:

Change your habits

The cheapest and easiest way to reduce doggie damage is to hose down and dilute urine right after the dog relieves itself. Then, commit to re-seeding damaged areas of grass as needed.

Change your yard

A top dog trainer says his grass is better able to withstand the effects of multiple dogs when he maintains a 4-inch height and applies organic fertilizer.

Another option, if your dog uses a specific area of the yard, is to cover the grass with pea gravel or artificial turf.

Artificial grass costs about $1.50 to $5 a square foot. Pick a higher density option with a nonporous backing. Choose polypropylene or polyethylene over nylon because poly products won't absorb moisture and will drain better. Using crushed granite as a base material under the turf will also help with drainage. For infill, use silica sand or another product that won't absorb odor.

Change your dog

Many dogs can be trained to urinate and defecate in a designated spot. It may take four to six weeks of effort. Flag off a sizeable portion of lawn to create a large target zone to start. Leash your pet and take it to that area every time it has to go. Always clean up after the dog. Over time, as the pet responds, gradually shrink the flagged-off area to your preferred size. Eventually, you won't need the flags; the dog will know the boundaries.

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Living Smart: Can a lush lawn and your dog co-exist?

BACA COUNTY Topsoil blew into a dark cloud that swept across the flat landscape of southeast Colorado once again Monday afternoon. Footsteps leave dust in loose pockets and grit in the teeth of those who speak. The land pays a bigger price. After nearly four years of deep drought, wind-churned dust has become a slow-moving natural disaster. Comparisons to the Dust Bowl are no longer hyperbole they're accurate.

"The dust storms we had here a week or so ago are just about as bad as I've ever seen," Joe Rosengrants said. The 79-year-old farmer and rancher is part of a family that has worked the land in Baca County since 1910.

Precipitation and drought conditions in Colorado. Click to enlarge. (The Denver Post)

His son Mike and others in the family here still tend thousands of acres of farm and ranchland and thousands of head of cattle. They also mind the skies for any glint of rain. "We can go a long way on just a little bit of rain down here," Mike Rosengrants, 56, said as he delivered hay to cattle spread across 8 arid miles. "But we haven't even been getting that."

The devastation of this drought comes in three forms: pastures that have dried up or are choked by drifts of sand; tumbleweeds that blow into tall hills against fences, homes and barns; and massive dust storms that steal topsoil and could make it harder to grow grain, wheat and sunflowers for years.

The region hasn't seen normal amounts of rain since the blizzards of 2007. Southeast Colorado averages 12 to 16 inches of rain annually, but many areas have gotten fewer than 8 inches each year since 2010, according to National Weather Service data.

Since the latest drought officially set in late in the summer of 2010, the Arkansas Valley has been drier for a longer sustained period of time than during the Dust Bowl, said Nolan Doesken, the state climatologist at Colorado State University.

A.J. Bolin, working on the sprinkler system at the Eads baseball field, hurries to turn off a water valve on Monday. High winds had blown a torrent of tumbleweeds up against the backstop and fence. (RJ Sangosti, The Denver Post)

"We have not seen consecutive years this dry," he said.

MAP: Precipitation and drought conditions in Colorado.

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For southeast Colorado, a new dust bowl is blowing in

If you want a dog and a lush lawn, you're not out of luck.

Dog urine can damage grass, but highly rated experts in lawn care, landscaping and dog training tell our team that there are several ways your pet and your property can coexist pee-cefully:

The cheapest and easiest way to reduce doggie damage is to hose down and dilute urine right after the dog relieves itself. Then, commit to re-seeding damaged areas of grass as needed.

A top dog trainer says his grass is better able to withstand the effects of multiple dogs when he maintains a 4-inch height and applies organic fertilizer.

Another option, if your dog uses a specific area of the yard, is to cover the grass with pea gravel or artificial turf.

Artificial grass costs about $1.50 to $5 a square foot. Pick a higher density option with a nonporous backing. Choose polypropylene or polyethylene over nylon because poly products won't absorb moisture and will drain better. Using crushed granite as a base material under the turf will also help with drainage. For infill, use silica sand or another product that won't absorb odor.

Many dogs can be trained to urinate and defecate in a designated spot. It may take four to six weeks of effort. Flag off a sizable portion of lawn to create a large target zone to start. Leash your pet and take it to that area every time it has to go. Always clean up after the dog. Over time, as the pet responds, gradually shrink the flagged-off area to your preferred size. Eventually, you won't need the flags; the dog will know the boundaries.

If solid waste in the yard is your concern, consider outsourcing cleanup duty. Besides garnering positive online recommendations, a reliable "pooper scooper" business should be able to provide you with a cost estimate, often based on the size of your yard, the size of your dog(s) and frequency of service.

Hicks is the founder of Angie's List, a website with consumer reviews on everything from home repair to health care.

McClatchy-Tribune

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Dogs, lush lawns can co-exist

Published: Friday, April 4, 2014, 7:32p.m. Updated 2 hours ago

Tips to keep a healthy lawn with dogs

If you want a dog and a lush lawn, you're not out of luck.

Dog urine can damage grass, but highly rated experts in lawn care, landscaping and dog training tell Angie's List that there are several ways your pet and your property can coexist pee-cefully.

The cheapest and easiest way to reduce doggie damage is to hose down and dilute urine right after the dog relieves itself. Then, commit to re-seeding damaged areas of grass as needed.

A top dog trainer says his grass is better able to withstand the effects of multiple dogs when he maintains a 4-inch height and applies organic fertilizer.

Another option, if your dog uses a specific area of the yard, is to cover the grass with pea gravel or artificial turf.

Many dogs can be trained to urinate and defecate in a designated spot. It may take four to six weeks of effort. Flag off a sizeable portion of lawn to create a large target zone to start. Leash your pet and take it to that area every time it has to go. Always clean up after the dog. Over time, as the pet responds, gradually shrink the flagged-off area to your preferred size.

Free home show

Nearly 100 exhibitors will take part in the Butler County Home Show from April 11 to 13 at the Family Sports Center on Route 68 in Connoquenessing.

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Homework: Keeping dogs and lawns happy; Zelienople garden talk

Published: Thursday, April 3, 2014 at 8:34 p.m. Last Modified: Thursday, April 3, 2014 at 8:37 p.m.

The Volusia County Council adopted a countywide fertilizer ordinance on Thursday to protect water quality in the countys springs, lakes and rivers, including the Indian River Lagoon. The council also voted to notify state officials it intends to make the ordinance even stronger.

A county surrounded by water on three sides has an obligation to do the right thing, County Councilwoman Pat Northey said.

The council voted to adopt the states model fertilizer ordinance, and seek comments from the Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services and Department of Environmental Protection regarding four additional measures.

The model ordinance includes such measures as prohibiting applying nitrogen or phosphorus before seeding or sodding a lawn or within 30 days, banning fertilizer application within 10 feet of waterways and states that fertilizer should not be washed off or blown off sidewalks or streets into storm drains or waterways. It exempts agriculture operations, home gardens and golf courses, athletic fields and turf managed for active recreation as long as the turf grass managers are following state guidelines for best practices.

The four stronger measures would govern fertilizer use on lawns and turf. They would ban phosphorus, using fertilizer with nitrogen between June 1 and Sept. 30 and using fertilizer within 15 feet of a waterway. The fourth measure would require that at least 50 percent of the nitrogen in fertilizer be in a slow release form.

It would be shameful of us not to adopt the strongest protections we can do, Northey said.

The motion passed on 4-2 vote, with council members Josh Wagner and Deb Denys voting no. After the meeting, Wagner said he voted no because he didnt expect it to pass and hoped to add an exception for homeowners to get around the ban if they could prove their lawns needed nitrogen.

However, Wagner, who represents the county on a multi-county Indian River Lagoon collaborative, said he would support the four additional measures when the measures come back for a final vote.

If the measures are ultimately adopted, Volusia would join cities and counties along the Indian River Lagoon that have adopted fertilizer ordinances since last year, prompted by a looming crisis along the lagoon system. Since 2011, the lagoon system has been plagued by algae blooms that have killed more than 47,000 acres of sea grass and are suspected to be a factor in the deaths of hundreds of manatees, dolphins and pelicans.

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Fertilizer rules adopted

The Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation is a nonprofit wildlife conservation organization dedicated to protecting wild elk and other wildlife and the land they inhabit. This organization was started around 1984 and has around 1,000 members in the Gorge and 200,000 members nationwide.

The group has four main areas of focus: land protection, habitat stewardship, elk restoration and hunting heritage.

The Charity Navigator (Americas largest charity evaluator) has given the foundation six consecutive four-star ratings, its highest rating. Only 3 percent of other charities in America have had this achievement.

Recently, the RMEF has had its hand in local wildlife preservation agreements. On Dec. 30, 2013, more than 13,000 acres of land in the John Day area that adjoins the Malheur National Forest became permanently protected wildlife habitat.

The RMEF also joined public and private organizations last year to improve 100 acres of wildlife habitat in the Gorge. It has since received prescribed burn, herbicide spray and grass re-seeding.

Hood River will be the site for the North Central Oregon Chapters 25th anniversary banquet, to be held at the armory on April 26 at 4:30 p.m. This event will be limited to 250 people.

Last year, this fundraiser raised $50,000. The group hopes to hit $60,000 this year. Raffles, live auctions, and silent auctions will all be at the event courtesy of local business donations. ODFW is planning to auction off its statewide antelope tag as well.

The original co-founders of the RMEF, Charlie Decker and Bob Munson, will also be in attendance. Old-time country-western singer Joni Harms will perform after the banquet.

Tickets are available at http://bit.ly/1liXizu. For more information contact Randy Klantchnek at 541-490-1382.

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RMEF celebrating 25th anniversary in Hood River

Charlie's Plant to Ponder: Aztec Grass

A variegated form of "Evergreen Giant" Liriope, Aztec grass is a knee-high, evergreen perennial that's suitable for sun or moderate shade on well-drained sites. Propagate by dividing clumps.

Zephyr lilies, also called fairy lilies and rain lilies, are small perennial bulb plants that display pink, white or yellow flowers off-and-on. Although their star-shaped blossoms are most common in the warm season especially after a heavy summer rain flowers can appear at any time. Three species, of which the lovely white-flowered atamasco lily is the most cultivated, are native to Florida, while others of these grassy-leaved plants come from South and Central America. They thrive on moist sites in sun or light shade but adapt well to our seasonal wet/dry cycle.

Zephyr lilies, which perform admirably in containers, are self-seeding when conditions are favorable. Individual flowers last only two or three days, but since fresh blossoms soon pop up to take their place, it's not a significant concern. Bulbs of five Zephyranthes species are available by visiting http://www.BrentandBeckysBulbs.com or calling 877-661-2852 toll-free.

TURF TIPS

Turf grasses have numerous problems, including chinch bugs and fungal diseases, but the biggest problem lawns face is poor maintenance. Homeowners, for example, are often guilty of mowing with dull blades that tear rather than cut the grass, resulting in jagged, slow-healing wounds that are vulnerable to fungi. And misguided gardeners often "scalp" lawns by cutting too low, a mistake that exposes rhizomes to the sun, stresses the grass and allows weeds to grow freely. The outcome of this mistreatment is tattered-looking lawns. Unfortunately, most folks respond by applying pesticides, fungicides and extra fertilizer while continuing to mow too low with dull blades.

Here are a few tips regarding turf maintenance: Mow regularly with very sharp blades set high, never cutting off more than one-third of the grass' height. Allow clippings to remain on the lawn so they can return nutrients to the turf while improving the soil's ability to hold moisture and nutrients. This means less fertilizer will be required and that the lawn will tolerate dry conditions longer. Finally, it's a good idea to vary the mowing pattern instead of adhering to a fixed route.

COLORFUL GROUNDCOVER

Wandering Jew, a low-growing, shade-loving groundcover, has been used in the Deep South for generations. Also popular as a houseplant, wandering Jew (Tradescantia zebrina) thrives in moderate-to-deep shade and spreads rapidly on average sites, where it forms mat-like carpets of foliage. The attractively variegated leaves of this Tropical American species range from silver-and-green to a mix of purple shades.

Wandering Jew is ideal for landscaping difficult areas where few plants survive: Among the tangle of roots at the base of old trees; on steep, shady slopes; and in very deep shade. Though it's not perfect wandering Jew won't tolerate foot traffic, and it's temporarily damaged by frosts and freezes no plant is propagated more easily. Stems stuck into suitable sites during the rainy season quickly take root and begin to spread.

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Weekend Plantings: Zephyr Lilies, Turf Tips, Colorful Groundcover

Grass seed | GreenLeaf | 918-640-6405
Grass seed, applied to your lawn just prior to aeration, will germinate more readily and create a thicker, hardier lawn that is easier to manage. This proces...

By: josh mathias

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Grass seed | GreenLeaf | 918-640-6405 - Video

At the first sign of green grass growing in pastures, farmers will be tempted to turn in livestock for grazing.

Hold back, said Rob Kallenbach, University of Missouri Extension forage specialist. Wait for grass to reach a minimum 4 inches of new growth. More is better.

After a long hard winter, I am as sick of feeding hay as anyone, Kallenbach said. But Ill try to hold back.

A delayed start on grazing becomes more important than usual this spring. Pastures will be weak and thin, he said. Give grasses a chance to gain strength.

Pastures were hurt two ways. Dry weather last fall left grasses weak going into winter. The fall of 2013 was drier than the fall of the drought year of 2012, when hurricane rains revived fall pastures.

Secondly, extreme cold killed or set back grass this year.

You think grass doesnt grow in winter. But it is alive and growing. Any new growth was frozen repeatedly.

Extreme variations in temperatures made winterkill worse. There would be 60 degrees one day. Three days later it would fall below zero again.

The plant would react to the spring-like temperaturesand then get zapped, he said. The cure for weak stands is rest and regrowth to restore depleted sugar reserves.

Grazing too early could cause need for pasture reseeding later, or the weak stands could become crowded out with weeds.

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No Grass for Cows Just Yet

MASON CITY | There's still some seeding and landscaping to be done, but beyond that, Mother Nature will play a big part on when the new Mason City Dog Park officially opens.

"Hopefully in early June," said Tim Latham, a member of the citizens board that has been working for years to establish a dog park.

"We need to get some grass growing," he said.

Also, water hookups need to be put in, some utility poles need to be rerouted, and equipment for an agility area of the park needs to be installed, said Latham.

"Some of that can be done after the park is open, but we need to get the grass in there or it's just going to be a mudfest and people are going to be unhappy," he said.

Latham said the park will be divided into three areas: one for large dogs, one for small dogs, and one with the agility equipment -- an exercise area for the pets.

He said with the fence up and the gate unlocked, some residents have already been in the park with their dogs.

"But we're going to have to padlock it so we can get the seeding and landscaping done," said Latham. "We're probably looking at early June to open it to the public -- unless we have a monsoon spring."

The park is across from the city water plant on 13th Street Northeast, on land once occupied by homes that were demolished after the flood of June 2008.

The city donated the land and put up the fence at a cost of about $40,000. The citizens group has raised about $60,000 through various fundraisers, said Latham.

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June opening likely for new Mason City dog park