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Lawn feed & weed safe for birds and pets?

(6 Posts)
Willow500 Sun 24-May-20 07:00:43

Does anyone know the best thing to use on lawns full of daisies and dandelions which isn't harmful to wildlife and pets? We have 2 cats (one who loves to eat grass) and at the moment a lot of birds (cats don't bother them smile ) picking food up as well as a hedgehog who visits. The lawns front and back are badly in need of maintenance but I don't know what to use and can't afford to get a professional in. Has anyone solved the problem?

vegansrock Sun 24-May-20 07:26:39

Well if you mow your lawn it’s not a problem is it? However, its good to leave part of a lawn unmowed( I’m quoting Monty here) as the wild flowers attract bees and insects and is therefore much better for the environment.

Davidhs Sun 24-May-20 07:45:32

The weed killer in the Weed and Feed is potentially harmful to animals. The strong chemical smell of the weed killer is unattractive to animals and should deter them, but to be safe keep your cats indoors for a couple of days.

If you still don’t feel animals are safe you will have to enjoy the lawn in its natural state because the only other choice is to reseed or returf, both are a lot of work.

Willow500 Sun 24-May-20 07:53:35

I guess leaving it is the only answer really. I do try to pull the bigger weeds out with my trusty weed remover but it's a never ending battle and leaves large holes in the process. The grass isn't growing at the moment but it's covered in daisies which the mower doesn't remove plus the garden waste hasn't been collected since before lockdown so we can't cut it too often.

Au naturale is is then grin

vegansrock Sun 24-May-20 08:11:21

Call it a wildflower meadow not a lawn.

rubysong Sun 24-May-20 09:24:05

We have used weed and feed (no pets). Then we (DH) used the scarifier and from one bit of lawn we got 15 large bags of moss etc. There is too much for our garden waste bin and our local to is still closed. We have two more areas to scarify and will soon run out of bags. Once it has had rain it will be good.