The first thing to do is clear your yard/garden of any material that may injure your pet. Check the fence to make sure it is secure – pets shouldn’t be able to dig their way out, catch on any loose boards or exposed nails. I no longer use toxic sprays to rid the garden of weeds, I dig ’em up. A daily walk around the garden lets me know where the offending weeds are and I go after them. If you spray, pets walking in the sprayed areas can pick up the toxins on their feet even after the spray has dried. When licking their feet the toxins are ingested. Not a good thing! There are non-toxic solutions to destroying the weeds – spraying white vinegar, Neem oil, salted water or boiling water. When using these solutions be careful to spray them only on the weeds. Some companies make “green” products to rid your garden of weeds. Two of the many online places to try are www.cleanairgardening.com and www.ohioearthfood.com. Of course pulling out the weeds by hand works best and quickest.
If your pet is a chewer, be very careful about putting the following plants in your garden as they are deadly to pets:
Any bulbs (examples – tulips, crocus, daffodils)
Azalea (Rhododendron)
Hyacinth
Oleander
Leaves of the Rhubarb
Seeds of the Sago Palm
Leaves and stems of the Tomato (tomatoes themselves are not poisonous to pets)
Mushrooms (wild)
This is just a partial list. Check with the ASPCA for further information.
