Yes Sir, Your Dog Did It. It’s ‘Dog Spot’.

A few years ago I received a call about small circular dead spots showing up in a home lawn.  After discussing the normal possibilities and not satisfying the homeowner, I made a visit to the yard to evaluate the situation.  The story goes that as the lawn began to green up in early spring, many small dead brown spots became evident throughout the green lawn.  As I looked over the lawn, I observed the brown spots as well as a few dark green spots and black spots. I also happened to notice the client had a dog cooped up inside the house and there was “doggie do” throughout the yard as well.  Bingo!  Literally.  It’s ‘dog spot’. No sir, I am not kidding; your dog did it.  Your dog is causing these spots.

‘Dog spot’ is not a disease but rather a term for the damage caused by dogs urinating and “doing their business” in the lawn. Technically, the real problem is the excessive nitrogen found in the urine that gets applied in large concentrations to such a small area.  A little urine will turn the grass dark green and since it is acting as a fertilizer no damage likely occurs.  But too much urine or repeated visits to the same area will kill the grass and leave ugly burned spots.    

During the winter, the damage and spots are not noticeable because the lawn is all brown.  But when the lawn greens-up in the spring, the dead brown areas soon show up and become an eye sore.  Newly damaged areas look different in early spring.  Areas that have recently been visited by a dog will turn dark green and look quite healthy.  The scattered dark green spots does make the lawn look funny but this could be the extent of the damage. It should blend in with the rest of the lawn once fertilizer has been applied to the entire lawn area. If excessive nitrogen was applied from the dog urine, the grass in these spots may change from dark green to black.  These spots will turn brown and die over time due to the excessive nitrogen, just as the case with a fertilizer burn. 

Unfortunately, there are is only one real solution to preventing “dog spot’ – keep your dog from urinating in the lawn.  Of course this may not be easy but with a little training, one should be able to get their dog do go to the bathroom in another designated area.  If you observe your dog marking the grass, dilute the spot as soon as possible with water.  This will help reduce the concentration of nitrogen in that area and may limit the damage. A lot of veterinarian research studies have been done on changing the dog’s diet to help prevent dog spot in lawns but no proven and significant results have been found.  Check with your dog’s veterinarian for the latest or if you have any questions.

Carpenter Bees

Carpenter bees, which favor bumble bees, can be seen every spring and summer buzzing around houses, porches, and barns. They are basically harmless and more of a nuisance until they decide to bore holes and lay eggs in the softwood of houses and other wooden building that are unpainted and well-weathered.   The male carpenter bees, which have a pale yellow spot between their eyes and do not sting, are seen most often hovering around flowers and near wooden structures looking for and chasing females.  The female carpenter bee, which has a solid black head and can definitely sting, is usually the one going in and out of the holes in wood.

Carpenter bees are very good pollinators but can really cause a lot of damage to wooden structures. To prevent carpenter bees from causing damage, keep all wood products treated with paint or varnish. To control them, fill and seal all new and old holes with wood putty, a length of dowel, or cork. Treating the holes with Sevin dust or boric acid in the evening when the bees are at rest will also help. Swatting them with a tennis racket can also be a fun as well as effective control method.

 Backyard Tomato Workshops

If your love growing tomatoes, then you don’t want to miss being a part of the upcoming Alabama Cooperative Extension System Backyard Tomato Growing Workshops in our area: 

• Thursday, April 27,  Ashland – Clay County – (256) 354-5976
• Thursday, May 4,  Auburn – Lee County - (334) 749-3353
• Friday, May 12,  Wetumpka – Elmore County – (334) 567-6301

All workshops begin with registration at 9 a.m. and conclude at 3 p.m. Cost is $10 per person and includes lunch and tomato plants.  Members of ACES and local growers will provide insights on growing America’s most popular garden vegetable.  Topics include: bed preparation, soil testing, staking and caging, transplant handling, variety selection, insect pests, disease problems, pesticide recommendations, heirloom varieties, organic production, container production, food safety and preservation, health and nutrition information and fresh use recipes. Call the local County Extension offices at the numbers listed above if you would like to attend and for registration information and directions. 

For more information, contact the Tallapoosa County Extension Office at 256-825-1050 or visit us online at www.aces.edu.

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