Gardening while owning a pet is sometimes more complicated than you might expect. Curious noses and paws might find themselves in the plants you’ve worked so hard to grow. If this describes your recent experiences, use these 10 tips for growing a pet-friendly herb garden without any extra stress.
1. Adjust Their Potty Training
The first thing dog owners can do is adjust their potty training plans. Take your pup to a different part of your yard to do their business, so they aren’t near your garden. They won’t confuse the various smells and textures with the perfect place to relieve themselves later on.
2. Consider Your Yard
Many factors go into choosing the best spot for your garden. You’ll have to consider where there’s direct sunlight and where there’s too much shade. Don’t plant anything where water can’t drain efficiently. And your pets will appreciate it if you don’t start your garden where they’re already used to playing or going to the bathroom.
3. Plant Away From Play Areas
Some dogs and cats spend their time in specific parts of the yard. They might like a cool spot on open soil or the grass beneath your shadiest tree. If you plant herbs away from those areas, it’ll be easier to keep your pets and garden areas separated.
4. Research Poisonous Plants
You might picture a thriving garden in your backyard, but are the plants safe for pets? At some point, they’ll likely nibble curiously on some leaves here or there. Prevent a trip to the emergency vet by researching various poisonous plants that people assume are safe, like aloe vera.
5. Create a Calendar
Growing a pet-friendly garden is easy if you begin during the right season. It’s smart to wait until after the last frost, but you can plan your garden month-by-month to keep things growing all year ‘round. The best calendar takes weather and pests into account so you know what your herbs need and when.
6. Build a Fence
If your Homeowner’s Association (HOA) rules allow it, build a small fence to keep pets out of your herbs. A physical barrier is sometimes the best option to protect your plants if your pets are a little too curious to respect your rules.
7. Supervise Outdoor Time
Supervising your pets while they’re outdoors is also a good idea. You’ll catch them when they get too close to your herbs and reinforce their new training. Make sure to watch them near harvest time, when your herbs will have especially enticing smells.
8. Indicate Dig Areas
Laying mulch in your garden nourishes and protects the soil, but it also indicates off-limits areas. If your dog can’t resist tunneling into fresh dirt, leave a plot open for them across the yard and cover exposed garden soil with mulch.
9. Install Water Features Safely
You might want to use a sprinkler for your garden if you live in a hot climate. The installation could scare your outdoor pets, so keep them inside while setting it up. They can sniff the sprinkler heads while they’re off and watch them from a distance, so they aren’t scared of the strange new sources of water.
10. Grow Pet Plants Separately
Some herbs are safe for pets, like catnip. Grow any herbs your pets are allowed to eat in a separate area. They’ll wander towards the plants that are okay to eat and avoid the boring ones that are off-limits.
Maintain a Careful Watch
Use these tips for growing a pet-friendly herb garden to keep your plants and pets safe. Watch your four-legged friends carefully while they’re outside and learn what your herbs need to live your best gardening life.
Bio:
Jane is an environmental writer and the founder and editor-in-chief of Environment.co where she covers sustainability and eco-friendly living.