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Whether you’re an avid gardener or are just getting into growing your own herbs and vegetables, you know there are a multitude of things to think about when it comes to keeping your garden safe and healthy. Thinking about how to keep cats out of the garden, or how to keep dogs out of the garden can seem like an afterthought. From pests to weeds, maintaining plant life is an ongoing struggle. But if you have pets, or there are free-roaming animals in your neighborhood, it adds a whole new set of complications. Cats and dogs might like to sleep on the cool earth under your leafy greens or dig (or worse!) in the soft soil. Some might even like to chew on your plants. But, apart from channeling your green thumb into indoor plants, how do you keep those cute critters out of your garden? We spoke to gardening and pet experts and identified some gentle but effective solutions to keep cats and dogs out of your garden.
If your pet loves to chew on leaves, make sure not to keep any ivy, philodendron, or chrysanthemum growing in your yard either, as these are toxic to both dogs and cats. Veterinarian Georgina Ushi Phillips from Better With Cats notes that both cats and dogs tend to hate the smell of citrus, so many gardeners recommend adding orange or grapefruit peels to the garden to keep them away. “The problem here is that this will only last for the short term as the smell will quickly weaken out in the garden,” she adds. “You’re also going to need a lot of oranges if you’ve got a garden of any significant size.”
Some people may take this as their cue to get out the essential oils, but Dr. Phillips says it’s a no-no. “Essential oils are extremely toxic to both dogs and cats and should be avoided. Even diluted in water, I still can’t safely recommend essential oils as a deterrent for pets,” she says. Dr. Sarah-Jane Molier, veterinarian at Miss Cats adds that many people use chopped onion for a similar effect, but that “onions should never be used as a deterrent, as it is poisonous to cats and dogs.” So no onions, no essential oils. Doctor’s orders!
However, Greg Birch, gardening blogger at Gardens of Bacchus, has an alternative and easy way to get that critter-deterring citrus effect in your garden. “You might try mixing up some lemon juice with water in a spray bottle,” he says. “Roughly one tablespoon of lemon to each cup of water. Make sure you’re not using more lemon juice than this in your mixture; too much can kill your plants.”
If your cat or the neighborhood kitties love to hang out in your garden, it’s worth investing in some deterrents to keep them out. Dr. Molier, notes that it’s important to keep cats from using your garden as a litter box because it can be a health hazard. “Cats are carnivores, so their poo can contain parasites and pathogens, which none of us want in our veg patches!” she says. Here are some other ways to keep cats out of your garden.
RELATED: Plants That Are Toxic to Cats
Although it probably wouldn’t work to keep cats out of the garden, many of our experts emphasized the importance of training and redirection when it comes to keeping your own dog out of the garden. Dr. Phillips suggested a neat solution for dogs who love to nap in your soil. “Give them a better spot to lay that’s near the garden and give them plenty of praise and treats when they use it,” she says. Equally, if your dog loves to dig in the garden, you can try “adding a small fence and give them somewhere else that’s appropriate to dig.”
RELATED: Plants That Are Toxic to Dogs
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