We just moved into our house last year we built a dog run over the garden area because there were no plants in it. But this year we got a second dog that hates the dog run. So now we were thinking of turning the dog run into a vegetable garden because it’s fenced, gated and protected. It would be a perfect spot but I did some research and dog feces can contaminate your garden with pathogens and be potentially harmful to humans. If we thoroughly cleaned the garden and put in new soil would it be safe? Or should we just scratch the idea?
Converting dog run to vegetable garden?
- Thread starter Livy1988
- Start date
- Joined
- Mar 27, 2012
- Messages
- 4,180
- Reaction score
- 2,718
- Hardiness Zone
- 9a
- Country
Welcome to the forum @Livy1988 
You're right to be careful, but it's also worth bearing in mind that the soil won't be contaminated forever, and (like any manure) dog feces contains some good stuff as well as bad. If I were you I'd collect all the dog doo-doo you can, and if you do start a vegetable garden then make sure you thoroughly wash everything before eating. I'd tread extra careful if your dog has had worms - I believe the eggs can linger for a long while, so you definitely don't want to eat those!
You're right to be careful, but it's also worth bearing in mind that the soil won't be contaminated forever, and (like any manure) dog feces contains some good stuff as well as bad. If I were you I'd collect all the dog doo-doo you can, and if you do start a vegetable garden then make sure you thoroughly wash everything before eating. I'd tread extra careful if your dog has had worms - I believe the eggs can linger for a long while, so you definitely don't want to eat those!
MaryMary
Quite Contrary
- Joined
- May 17, 2016
- Messages
- 2,241
- Reaction score
- 3,251
- Location
- Southwestern Ohio
- Hardiness Zone
- 6
- Country
Welcome to the forum!!
I wouldn't bother putting in new soil. It might be better, (at the least, cheaper and easier,) to just wait a year before you plant in it.
I would pick up all the poop you can, and then till it. Let the sun bake it, let the winter freeze it. That has the added bonus of giving you a year to amend the soil, which can only make your garden better next year!!
I wouldn't bother putting in new soil. It might be better, (at the least, cheaper and easier,) to just wait a year before you plant in it.
I would pick up all the poop you can, and then till it. Let the sun bake it, let the winter freeze it. That has the added bonus of giving you a year to amend the soil, which can only make your garden better next year!!