It’s summertime, and your pets want to enjoy the sun as much as you do! We know about pet-proofing our home with pet-friendly houseplants, but you can pet-proof your landscape too! Your garden will also be happier with some protective measures to prevent lawn damage and dug-up plants in your landscape.
Keep reading to learn practical pet-proof garden tips, including creating a designated doggy washroom zone to protect the lawn, pet-safe plants to border flower beds, a brief list of pet-friendly plants, and more!
Create a Play Area
Protect your landscape from getting damaged during your pet’s outdoor playtime by creating a spot your pet will associate with playtime. When you take them to this spot, they’ll know it’s playtime with their favorite toys, chew toys; keep bringing them there every day, so they learn it’s their play spot. Distraction, enrichment, and positive reinforcement for appropriate behavior are the keys to successfully training your pets to leave the plants alone.
Doggy Washroom Zone
Creating a doggy washroom zone is as simple as building a fence in the corner of your landscape! Having a clear and designated area for your dog to poop will ensure your garden is protected and makes it easier to clean up. If you want to eliminate grass in your doggy zone, consider putting some pea gravel down! It will look a little cleaner in the long run and is easy to hose down to keep it looking and smelling decent.
Pet-friendly Plants
If you’re worried about your pet getting into your garden, consider bordering the edges with pet-friendly flowers and herbs. Some popular plants for your landscape include:
- Sunflower
- Camellia
- Magnolia bushes
- Lemongrass
- Dill
- Basil
- Thyme
You can add colorful pet-proof foliage plants to your garden to simultaneously brighten the landscape and create long-lasting visual appeal for the whole season. While you don’t want your pets digging up anything or snacking on your plants, at least you won’t have to rush them to the vet if they get into it!
Border Your Flower Beds with Bitter-Smelling Scraps
You can place natural plants and citrus fruit peels that repel pets (especially dogs), including peppermint leaves and orange peels, on the border of your garden’s flower bed. These pet-repellents will not only create pet-proof flower beds but also assist in enhancing your landscape’s health! Citrus fruits and peppermint can also repel insects for a pest-free garden and landscape. Be mindful of plants sensitive to increased acidity, and you should be good to go.
Placing Sprinkler Near Garden
Every cat owner knows how much they dislike water! If your cat wants to go outside, turn your sprinkler on so they will avoid going near your garden. At the same time, your garden will get the hydration it needs to thrive without manually watering it, so you have time to play with your pet!
Sprinklers also work for dogs if they don’t like getting wet, though most dogs are quite happy to play in the sprinkler. It might not keep them away, but perhaps it’s the perfect, fun distraction they need to stay out of the garden beds!
Place Ground Coffee Beans in Your Garden
Ground coffee beans are a simple yet effective tip for pet-proofing your garden and acting as an excellent fertilizer! Pet dogs don’t like bitter-smelling or tasting things, and what’s more bitter than ground coffee beans? Coffee grounds will lower the pH of your soil, so be mindful of the nearby plants. Consider using this method for acidic-soil-loving plants, such as hydrangeas and blueberry bushes.
Visit Plant Perfect Garden Center to find plant elements to pet-proof your landscape this summer! Planting herbs or dog repellent flowers may be what you need to create harmony between your pets and your landscape.