Safe ice melt for our family pets.

With the winter season finally arriving here in St. Louis, a lot of homeowners will be out removing the snow and ice from their walkways and driveways. After that an application of salt or a deicer will probably be spread out on the areas that we just shoveled. Keep your four legged friend in mind when spreading salt as they can cause an animal to get sick. Even the products that claim to be pet friendly can harm a pet if it is ingested. 

Always try to wipe down your dog’s paws with a damp towel after coming in from the snowy weather to remove anything from being tracked in.  Trim the hair between the dog’s paws to help in the prevention of mineral collections from salt, or you can invest in a pair of dog booties for their 4 paws to provide extra protection. 

Consider using a salt free ice melt, such as "Safe Paws" or "Morton Safe-T-Pet" when choosing a product for your home to control the ice. These products still contain a chemical called urea (carbonyl diamide) which is considered to be safe. This chemical can cause vomiting in the animal if it is ingested. Try to pick a deicer with colored pellets or granules to help identify it better in the weather.

Photo Credit:media.mnn.com 

How to winter proof your plants

Winters coming soon many of my Lawn care customers are asking me "How do I winterize my plants?" Here are a few ways to prepare your garden before old man winter hits. Of course with fall comes all the leaves from the trees for all to clean up. Try and remove all leaves from your landscape before any snowfall is expected. Leaves can harbor fungus and diseases from all the moisture they retain, which in turn can be harmful to your lawn and plants. Dig up all of you tender bulbs, summer blooming bulbs have a hard time surviving winter months. Pulling weeds in the fall will give you a head start in the spring. This is the time when weeds try to germinate and spread. This is also a key thing when it comes to bed maintenance too. Weeds can take nutrients vital to your lawn & plants. Cut back perennials to ground level as the foliage becomes unsightly. A small layer of mulch added too can help protect plants during a hard ground freeze. This can be done with pine needles, straw, & shredded leaves. Be sure to remove the mulch in the spring. Water small trees and shrubs when there is a dry spell in the fall months. Watering helps the foliage to stay plump for protection from the dry winds. Broad leaved evergreens can also be sprayed with an anti-desiccant spray to help add protection too. After the first frost, pull up any annuals that were affected from it. Many potted plants can be brought in doors during the winter. Keep them by a window where the sunlight comes through. Keep the soil moist too. Avoid placing them near heating vents as this can dry out the plant.

photo credit: [Duncan] via photopin cc