My mom loves dogs… she just doesn’t like what one pooch has done to her garden. He’s not a wild dog. He belongs to a neighbor and is simply not trained very well. My mom doesn’t want to “make waves” by informing the man that his four-legged friend is mauling her plants, digging up her flowers, and leaving brown “presents” in various places in her yard. I, on the other hand, feel like calling him (from 5000 miles away) and telling him that his (I’m sure lovely) canine is destroying the garden my mom has spent countless hours tenderly and meticulously caring for.
My mom loves hydrangeas. However, she lives in Hawaii, a place where the soil’s pH is not exactly ideal breeding grounds for her favorite flowers. This obstacle has not deterred my mother. Instead (no joke), she wrote to Martha Stewart to ask for advice. Much to my surprise she got a note back from someone at Martha Stewart’s magazine giving her step-by-step instructions on how to cultivate an area that will allow hydrangeas to flourish–in Hawaii. It took months, but my mom was able to accomplish a feat I never thought possible. Beautiful, fluffy, round, colorful hydrangeas now frame her home. That’s why it upsets me that this dog continues to attack my mom’s pride and joy and uses her lawn as a litter box, which of course, creates dead spots on the grass.
Since she refuses to notify the neighbor of his pet’s activities I did some research and mailed her these tips on how to keep the dog out of her garden. (If you share a similar situation I hope you can employ these ideas as well):
· Call the neighbor and tell him what the dog is doing so he can help train the dog in his own yard.
· Make a pet repellant spray (you can buy a commercial spray or make your own). A homemade solution requires mixing garlic, hot pepper and/or soapy water. Spray the commercial or homemade repellant on your prized plants. It will help teach cats and dogs to go elsewhere. Beware: some repellants may encourage a dog to urinate on the spot to mark over the strange smell.
· Cats hate the smell of rue and citronella—use these products in your garden to discourage felines from frolicking amongst your flowers. Also, some catnip planted at a distance may lure cats away from your yard.
· Erect a fence. Sturdy wire fences work best, although they may not be all that attractive. Also, if dogs are using your yard as a restroom, be diligent about watering areas where they urinate to flush salts from the soil and avoid those ugly brown spots.
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