Dogs are the most loyal pets. Above all, I have one pet dog for more than 3 years. I know dogs are loving caring and faithful to us. Actually, a dog is the best friend a man can have. However, besides all these goods, they have a very bad habit. Yes, you are right- I am talking about their nature of littering here and there. Today I will discuss my experience for questions like- Is dog poop good fertilizer-How to compost it?
Is dog poop good fertilizer? – No, dog poop is not a very good fertilizer. Dog food contains high protein content. High protein makes the poop acidic. Therefore, The acidic nature of dog poop is harmful to the plants. It can even burn the grass if used directly in the lawn.
Can we use dog poop in the garden? – Being highly acidic, it is not good for your garden. You can only use dog poop after composting properly. Basically, The proteins in the diet make dog poop highly acidic. Therefore, It can burn the grasses in the lawn. In nature, it can take more than 6 months to balance the acidity.
Can dog poop kill plants? – Yes, dog poop can kill your plants. If used directly, it will burn the roots. It can even kill a small tree if you pile dog poop under it. The reason for this condition is the high acidic nature of dog poop.
What to do with the dog poop?
Dog poop is really great trouble. If you have a pet dog, then you know this better. No matter what measure you take, it always ends up with a lawn full of dog poop.
Truly speaking I don’t like this job but I have to do this anyway. I know it’s nasty but to keep my lawn and garden clean- I have to do it.
Usually, I prefer to dump the dog poop in a hole or pit. I especially dig those for this purpose. In my opinion, this is the best way to get rid of dog poop. If you leave it untreated your lawn will become the poop land.
Ok jokes apart, removing dog poop is very important. It is necessary not only for the looks but also to keep your grass safe. It seems pretty easy but you should be careful. The dog feces contain several harmful microbes that can cause serious infections.
So How to remove dog poop safely? –
You should be careful will treating dog poop. It is a routine job for pet & garden lovers but you can’t be careless. Follow the steps to safely remove Dog poop from your lawn or garden.
- You hand gloves. It is the first and most important trick for treating dog poop. Any quality gloves will do the job. It is only required to prevent direct contact.
- Use any garden tool fit to lift the poop. You can also use a dustpan to remove the dog poop.
- For cleaning multiple spots, Use paper bags instead of plastic bags. Use of plastic is harmful to nature. It will stop the poop from degrading and has no use in nature. If you use paper bags to collect the dog poop from your lawn, it will degrade naturally after some time.
- If you put the dog poop in digs then make sure you make those away from your garden plants. These pits should be far away from playgrounds and water sources.
- Always remember dog poop contains bacteria and several harmful parasites. Never dispose of it near open water sources or even places you visit regularly. Keep it in an isolated location for decomposing.
Can You Compost dog poop?
Dog poop is biodegradable. Everything that is biodegradable will degrade naturally. So you can compost dog poop. It will degrade very slowly it left untreated.
In fact, dog poop can take more than a year to decompose completely. It mostly contains composite proteins and calcium concentration. Both calcium and protein dissolve slowly in water. So in nature dog poop can take over a year to decompose completely.
To decompose dog poop effectively in time, you have to be a little tricky. In fact, you have to make some changes in the decomposition process by some promoters. Certain factors like warmth and moisture should be controlled efficiently to faster the decomposition process.
You can use Dog manure to support plants needing acidic soil. It is a tricky job and you should be precise with the concentration to avoid root rot.
How to compost dog poop above ground?
Dog poop needs a very long time to decompose. If you leave it open, you may have to wait for more than 12 months for the manure. Instead, you can make some changes to compost dog poop above ground.
There are certain factors that make it difficult to decompose above the grounds. Factors like direct heat, light and sudden change in temperature are mainly responsible for slowing down the decomposition.
To compost dog poop above ground, you should make certain changes to the environment.
- First, collect the dog poop away from any tree in the semi-shaded region. Place where sunlight is falling sparingly is good for this job.
- Adding dry leaves to the pile will increase the decomposition.
- You can also add sawdust to make composite manure.
- If possible cover the place with a plastic sheet. It will increase temperature and maintain moisture together for faster decomposition.
- It’s nasty, but you should rotate the mixture completely in every 15 days.
- After 3-4 months you can use this manure in the garden.
How to compost dog poop in a pit?
Composting dog poop in a pit or a hole is quite different from what we have discussed earlier.
I prefer this method because it keeps my lawn free from bad odor. Faull smell is an indication for proper decomposition. No one likes this smell, not even the weird garden guys- If you do then you are the only one.
Composting dog poop in a pit or deep dig is very easy. You don’t need any extra resources like plastic sheets or shed for that. Just dig a deep hole in the corner of your garden and leave the dog poop there.
Precautions should be taken while composting dog poop underground.
Follow these steps for safe composting.
- Dig a deep hole away from your plants. You should make a hole of at least 2-3 feet below the surface.
- The place should be out of reach for children. Dog feces can be harmful and infectious, so keep your children away from that.
- Put the dog poop in the hole and put some sawdust and soil over it. Don’t fill it completely.
- Repeat this process until the dig is completely full. So you can say that this method is reusable.
- When full cover the hole with soil and leave it for 3 months.
- You will see grasses growing over the place after 2 months. It means the compost is nearly ready for use.
- You can either plant a seedling after 4-5 months at the same spot. You can also dig it back and use the soil mixture as quality manure.
There is a special advantage of composting dog poop in a hole. In fact, it has helped me in reducing the complete process. One day I find dog poop over the completely filled dig. After that, I found it several times. Now my lawn is nearly free from dog poop as my Scooby find his best place for relaxing. I actually don’t know how it happens?
How to compost dog poop using worms?
Dog poop is highly acidic, so you can’t use worms to decompose it directly. In fact, you have to treat it a bit before putting in a worm-bin.
Generally, you are not advised to put meat in the worm bin. Worms especially earthworms don’t like meat. The decomposition of meat or any protein releases a high amount of heat energy. This Extra heat can kill the worms. So dog poop contains mainly proteins, it can’t be used directly in a worm bin.
Composting dog poop using worms require certain care and precautions.
Follow these steps for proper decomposition of dog poop using garden worms.
- Eisenia fetida is the best worm for this purpose. You can collect these from your nearest nursery or seed store.
- Treat the dog poop with a very dilute solution of baking soda. Actually, you should add a teaspoon of baking soda in one liter of water. Then put the dog poops in a container and pour the liquid in it.
- Leave the mixture like that for a few days. You can also add more dog poop to it.
- After 4-8 days put the mixture in the vermicomposting bin with 15-20 worms and eggs in it.
- Let the worms do their job. You will get best quality manure within 30 days.
- Special tips: – don’t starve the worms. Feed them regularly. Don’t add baking soda directly to the worm bin. Maintain the moisture in the bin, worms love heat and moisture.
- When the manure is ready, let it dry for two days. The worms will settle down so pick the manure from the above portion and leave the worms for reuse.
Can I use dog poop manure in flower beds? – Yes, you can use dog poop manure in flower beds. There are a few things you should consider before using dog poop manure.
- Dog poop manure is highly acidic in nature.
- Only use with plants that require acidic soil.
- Don’t use too much of it with your plants. It lacks other nutrients so, not good for most fruit-bearing plants.
Can I use dog poop in vegetable gardens? – Yes, you can use dog poop manure in a vegetable garden. Actually, use it for only for those vegetables that require acidic soil. Dog poop manure is best for supplying nitrogen and slow phosphate to your vegetables.
You should use this manure with proper care as an excess of it may cause harm to your plants.
Some Plants that are good with Dog Poop manure.
Some plants that work great with dog poop manure are: – Not sure about- is dog poop good fertilizer, then try using it in these plants.
- Hibiscus (Flower)
- Chilies (Bell Pepper)
- Rose (Flower)
- Pomegranate (fruit)
- Cactus (foliage Bushes & Succulents)
Related Questions: –
Use of Dog poop vs Cow manure in your garden.
Are you a hobby gardener or a full-time gardener? – On both cases, cow dung manure is mostly recommended.
Cows are herbivores whereas Dogs are mainly protein feeders. So cow manure contains a high concentration of organic nitrates, phosphates and low amount of potassium. It is a complete nutrient for any plant.
On the other hand, Dog poop manure mainly contains proteins and calcium. It is not very nutritious. It lacks essential nutrients like soluble nitrates, phosphates, and potassium. The shortage of these nutrients makes it a second choice for any plant. is dog poop good fertilizer? Certainly not.
Cow Dung Manure vs Dog poop manure
| Cow dung manure | Dog poop manure | |
| Nutrients | Nitrogen, Potassium, Phosphorus | Very low amount of soluble nutrients |
| Decomposition Time | Faster than dog poop manure | Very slow in decomposition |
| Uses | Highly useful with every type of crop, vegetables, fruits, and flowers. | Can be used only with plant requiring acidic soil. |
| Recommendation | Highly Recommended Commercially | Not Recommended for Commercial gardening |
Can I burn dog poop? –
You can try, but it will not burn completely. Dog poop doesn’t contain any combustible compound. Actually, it is not good for burning even if dried completely. The main reason is that after digestion in dogs there is nothing left for burning. Neither is dog poop good fertilizer, not good fuel.
Is dog poop biodegradable? –
Yes, 100% biodegradable. It will degrade by itself but may take a very long time. The calcium and proteins restrict the decomposition.
How to get rid of dog poop effectively? –
Pick it up and dump it inside a hole. Ok, I have explained the complete procedure earlier. In short, you have to either dig a hole in the ground or leave it as it is for a few months to get rid of it effectively.
You can also mow over it to separate the concentration of acids. You can either mow it directly or you can wash it off with water jet.
Is dog poop infectious to humans? –
Yes, Sometimes dog poop is infectious. It may contain some harmful bacteria like – e-Coli or some parasites like tapeworm and roundworms. The eggs of tapeworm, e-Coli, and roundworms can stay alive in the soil for a long period. If contact can infect you easily.
Mainly children and old peoples are vulnerable to such infections due to low immunity. You should always be careful with composting dog poop in your lawn and garden.
Can dog poop increase rodents in the garden? –
Yes, this is another big Problem. First of all, Dog poop contains some undigested matter that is food for rodents. It can attract rodents like rats and mice.
Rats and mice are nocturnal. It means they feed at night. In other words, they are active at night. Therefore, You will not see these creatures even though they are there in your garden.
Rats can highly damage your plants. Even your kitchen can become a new playground for them. Most importantly, these creatures are the carrier of deadly disease like plague and typhoid. Therefore, you should clean your lawn and garden regularly if you have any pets.
Did I miss something? If yes then please let me know. Also, tell me how you manage your garden and lawn with Dogs. What would you do to get rid of the dog poop? Which methods will you choose for composting dog poop? is dog poop good fertilizer? Please let me know.
