When you have both a green thumb and a four-legged friend, it can seem impossible for the two to live in harmony. However, you don’t have to sacrifice one for the other, or create an elaborate separated area for your furry companion. Take advantage of the 12% increase in property value that landscaping can generate and make it perfectly suited for your dog with these tips.
Know Dog-Safe Plants
Even the smartest dogs tend to eat anything that looks particularly tasty. They can still get sick without munching on the actual plants if they drink the runoff water or snap up fallen pods or seeds of poisonous plants. Common plants that are harmful to dogs are wisteria, tulips, hyacinths, hydrangeas, carnations, and geraniums. In general, avoid any shrubs or bushes that are thorny as well. Instead of these harmful varieties, choose snapdragons, daylilies, spider ivy, tiger lilies, thyme, blue-eyed daisies, and African violets. If you have any doubts about the safety of a certain plant, do a quick Internet search before you stick it in your garden.
Make A Dog Path
You can make your garden serve a dual purpose as an exercise area for your dog by creating a dog path around the perimeter of the garden. The dog will enjoy patrolling the border of your yard and you’ll keep them off of the areas they shouldn’t be tromping in. Along the fence of the garden, define a path of about three feet in width. You can install a screen to hide the dog run from the general view of the garden, giving your dog a defined space. If you have a dog who likes to make escape attempts, install an underground barrier of rebar, chicken wire, or poured concrete to prevent them from tunneling under the fence.
Utilize Raised Beds And Containers
When your dog just can’t resist digging into your garden, opt for container gardening. This is done by planting in a variety of pots rather than in the earth’s soil. You can then elevate these pots or strategically place them out of the dog’s way. Raised beds are also very effective, and still create a garden-like feel. They’re especially good for vegetable gardens and can be protected from curious paws by chicken wire around the borders.
Designate And Deter Digging
If container gardening isn’t your style, create a spot in the yard that is a doggy sandbox of sorts. This will give them a spot of their own to dig up far from your plants. You can also bury spices such as dried mustard or crushed dried pepper to deter your digging dog. Around a newly planted tree, utilize its needed three to four foot circle of mulch as a planting bed for digging deterrents. Coffee grounds also tend to repel dogs, and they even make for a great fertilizer.
Dogs and gardens can live in harmony as long as you do some strategic planning and research ahead of time. With the perfectly designed garden, you’ll be spending quality time with man’s best friend in the comfort of your backyard.
