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6 Tips for a Pet-Friendly Garden
Pets bring humor, joy and friendship to any home. But their favorite activities (running, digging and scratching) can be the end of your garden. Is there any way to co-exist?
Yes. In fact there are plenty of things you can do to keep your favorite four-legged creatures from tearing up your garden. Here are 6 quick tips.
1 GOOD FENCES, GOOD PETS — The easiest way to deal with pets in the garden is to fence off areas they shouldn’t enter, or fence an area that’s just for them. Then they can run with abandon, and your veggies won’t get flattened.
2 CITRUS-FRESH GARDEN — Cats and dogs don’t like the scent of citrus, so scatter lemon, lime and orange peels in areas you’d like your pets to avoid. Replace the peels every few days.
3 WIRED — Keep cats from scratching and digging in mulched areas by covering the mulch with hex netting (also known as chicken wire). A layer of pine cones or holly foliage often works, too.
4 HAPPY DISTRACTION — Plant a clump of catnip in an out-of-the-way corner, and your kitty may be so distracted that he forgets to disturb your seedlings.
5 GROW UP — A raised bed is often enough to stop dogs from racing through.
6 MULCHING SOLUTION — Train your dog to do her business in a mulched area away from the garden. This eliminates problems with urine on plants and turf.
