Gardening With Pets: Make Everyone Happy and Safe
With Spring in the air, the gardening gloves come on as we get ready to dig into the dirt with our four-legged companions by our side. But we need to ensure that both our plants AND our pets are safe.
Photo Credit: Metro Paws®
1. Prevent poison intoxication
Many plants that we think would be harmless to plant are indeed toxic to our pets. Be sure to research every one you plant ahead of time so no one ends up at the emergency vet. Some very common plants that are actually in fact toxic to dogs include Daffodil, Tulips, Eucalyptus and Lavender. You can find the full list of toxic plants for dogs, cats and even horses from the ASPA here.
2. Cats be gone!
Outdoor cats definitely like to make planters their own litter box so use herbs like rosemary and sage which are pungent enough to keep cats of planters as a natural deterrent. Laying coffee over the dirt is also a natural repellent for cats!
Photo Credit: iStock
3. Hey chicken, chicken!
Attached chicken wire to posts that can be easily rolled out around the garden to keep pets out and then rolled back up to access the garden! Chicken wire is a fairly inexpensive solution to keep both pets and unwanted wildlife from ruining the garden you put so much time and effort into. And the fact that you can roll it up whenever you'd like allows you to enjoy the garden whenever you'd like.
4. Time to dig...not
Give your dog their own sandbox filled with sand or dirt and bury their toys in it to give them a chance to dig and keep them out of your precious garden! They're entertained and your plants are spared.
Gardening with pets doesn't have to be a hassle and it doesn't have to mean having your entire garden dug up within the day of planting it! What are some of your favorite ways to keep both your garden and pets safe?