Wacky question about grass clipping mulch!

[BigBrownDogHouse]

Hi Friends!

Kind of a goofy question but I just cannot find an answer to this online. Conflicting info back and forth and would rather hand it over to my T'Ville buddies.

Last year I used grass clippings as mulch and had the best tomato crop ever. Not saying it was because of the mulch but didn't want to change things up too much this year and change my luck.

Last year the grass clippings came from the front yard.
This year my front yard desperately needed some attention(quite honestly need it for awhile) and I have treated the lawn for weeds a couple of times and I have fertilized it. Tomatoes are not near my front lawn and are doing great. No effect from the treatments.

Of course, I don't want to put the treated grass clippings around my tomatoes.

Here is the question:
The BigBrownDogHouse has dogs, our backlawn sees plenty of dog poop and is usually picked up pretty quick. However, I am leary to put grass clippings that have been in contact with dog poop around the tomatoes if it is a no-no. My backlawn has basically never been treated with anything.

Any opinions on this?
My backlawn looks great and is super thick, plenty of clippings available. However, I realize the bad things that come from dog waste.

Any help is greatly appreciated.
Brian

[Doug9345]

My gut says it's no big deal. I assume that your tomatoes are staked. As I see it ,the tomatoes are so far from the ground that I don't see them becoming contaminated. Besides I suspect theres been lots of tomatoes eaten off plants that have had a dog lift their leg on.

[JerryL]

BBDH

It has always been my opinion that anything that comes in contact with any cat or dog fasces should not be used around eatable plants.

Here is a site to support my 2 cents opinion.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/yardand...e-dog-cat.html

[Mudman]

I do the same thing with my clippings and now have a dog. My question to you would be- are your tomatoes up off the ground? Mine are tied up and never come in contact with the ground so I am not a bit worried.

[BigBrownDogHouse]

Hi!

No, tomatoes never touch the ground. I have them staked and caged.
Was just wondering if there was anything on the clippings that transfered to the soil, I guess that would be my main concern?

As for peeing on the tomatoes, my beagle periodically wanders through the garden to inspect the crop but I have never seen him left his leg. With my gal dogs, I've never had to worry about the garden. They've never ventured in.

Brian

[Tapout]

Originally Posted by JerryL

BBDH

It has always been my opinion that anything that comes in contact with any cat or dog fasces should not be used around eatable plants.

Here is a site to support my 2 cents opinion.

http://www.extension.umn.edu/yardand...e-dog-cat.html

Interesting read, if you really wanted to use the "grass clippings" could you cook it off under say black plastic before using it?

[Mudman]

I am no expert in this, but it would be hard to convince me that I was in danger because my dog pooped in my yard, and I used some grass clippings as mulch. If you are using the feces as fertilizer or compost, then that is another story. If this was a risk, then every product that comes off about every farm in the country is in danger because they have wild cats, deer, and dogs running through their fields constantly.

[Tapout]

From what i understand it would be a physical contact transference of larva from the feces to the grass and so forth. If the grass never touches the tomato you will not have the risk of being infected. Even still I'm cringing at the thought of larva. I would suggest cooking it off under a black plastic cover before using it.

[tuk50]

No issues here over the years.... ever thought about how many wild birds poop on your lawn and garden during the summer. Google wild bird diseases...

[tam91]

What they're talking about in that link, Toxocara canis - if you give your dogs heartworm preventative (please say yes!) that should treat them for Toxacara, it shouldn't be an issue.

Also, that would only be an issue, perhaps, if the tomatoes were touching the soil.

Personally, I wouldn't worry about it.

[BigBrownDogHouse]

Originally Posted by tuk50

No issues here over the years.... ever thought about how many wild birds poop on your lawn and garden during the summer. Google wild bird diseases...

Yes, I've thought about the birds and the squirrels and chipmunks and whatever else might wander through during the night. I agree.
We have some awfully good sweet corn grown around here and I know there are plenty of foxes and coyotes and wild guess popping all around those fields.

Originally Posted by tam91

What they're talking about in that link, Toxocara canis - if you give your dogs heartworm preventative (please say yes!) that should treat them for Toxacara, it shouldn't be an issue.

Also, that would only be an issue, perhaps, if the tomatoes were touching the soil.

Personally, I wouldn't worry about it.

Yes, they are on heartworm preventative. I wouldn't take a chance with my doggers with that.

I'm starting to feel a lot more comfortable using the clippings.

Thanks folks!

[docgipe]

A few years ago when the first caveman's mate chased him on out in the woodlot to pee he went out there to pee and leaned on his favorite tree. This of course was winter and the yellow spot by the front door had an odor. The following spring the spot by the tree was noticed as the grass and weeds by that spot grew knee high. The caveman was a hunter and never noticed. Her mate did notice and found fermented millet seed in the small intestine of the coon she was fixing for the clan. Using mother's wisdom she turned all waste from the toe nails to the ring arouond that coons butt into the same pee'ed on spot. The caveman then noticed that the millet was waist high in no time and had seed approaching the size of wild rice. What they grunted out of this experience was that waste in soil good. Pee in soil good. This was the very first converted hunter to seed gatherer. From that day forward all man had to do to get better growing medium was use all animal and plant waste by putting it into or on the soil. When either method was given enough time to rot the soil became and stayed good. We need know little more than these simple truths to build better soil.

[BLTLOVER]

I've heard that concern from others over the years. All I can tell you is that I've used all the grass clippings from my large lawn on my garden for many years and it's never caused a problem.

[docgipe]

I too have used grass clippings as mulch and as an added element in my compost piles. I pick it up by the trailer loads at the township deposit center. I was never concerned about any very miner poopers residual. I did not however import any grass clippings until about the middle of June. The chemicals from weed and feed products concerned me in the early Spring months when such treatments are much more likely to be applied. I'm not a purist organic person but I think a little common sense is sometimes more important than any other factor. I have put tons and tons of grass clippings into the soil on my property. We let our babies play with our loving dogs. That was likely worse than anything they would come in contact with in our back yard.

[FIT BMX]

The problem with dog manure is not that it is diseased, but that it is to HOT, and will burn your plants. You have the same chance of getting sick from dog manure in your garden, as you would having horse or cow manure in there. You are more out to get sick from the sponge on your kitchen sink, than you are from the small amount of dog manure in your garden (even if it touched the tomato).
If the dog manure has something in it that is that bad, your most likely going to get it from your dog anyway. Don't forget about all those cats out there using your garden for a big litter box.