April showers bring May flowers, but how can your garden grow when your pets are constantly digging in it? If you have problems keeping pets out of your garden, try these tips to keep them away.
Scent Deterrents A quick fix to keep some pets out of your garden is to take advantage of their heightened sense of smell. Many dogs and cats absolutely hate the smell of citrus. Spreading citrus peels (not the fruit as it can make your pet sick) throughout your garden every few days will deter them. However, you should keep in mind that this is not a permanent solution. Your pet can easily become accustomed to the scent and not all pets mind them. Plus, if he really wants to tear into your flowers, scents probably won’t stop him.
A word of warning: be careful of what scents you use to deter pets. Solutions like moth balls covered in citrus oil and coffee grounds are poisonous to your pet. Cayenne pepper is also a commonly used deterrent, but can burn a cat’s paws if she walks over it.
Electronic Devices The Pawz Away® Outdoor Pet Barrier makes sure your pet stays out of important areas of your yard and works great for gardens and landscapes. The system’s transmitter, disguised as a rock in your landscape, can be placed in the middle of your flower bed or anywhere else you want your pet to stay away from. The transmitter sends a signal to your pet's receiver collar when he enters the barrier area (up to 16 feet of circular wireless coverage or up to 150 feet circular wired coverage).
He'll hear audible tones from the collar followed by a safe, progressive static correction. He'll quickly associate the correction with the area you've declared off-limits. While this won't deter your neighbor's pets if they come into your garden, it's a great solution for your own pets!
Water Our pets have an interesting relationship with water. Cat owners can use the old water bottle spray technique to keep her out of the flower bed. However, since you have to be outside with your pet when this happens it isn’t a full-time deterrent. An interesting solution to keep a dog away it to leave a few clear plastic water bottles, jugs or jars throughout your garden. It may just be an old wives’ tale, but many believe that this works because dogs will not destroy a source of drinking water. Use one or a combination of these techniques to keep your garden lush this spring.
