Safe gardening with pets
Fortunately, many garden plants are non-toxic to pets because the list of common garden plants potentially harmful to plant-munching pets is long
A call from a Hamilton reader presented a challenging problem.
“Last summer, my dog (a boxer) ate the brown-eyed Susans in the garden, and got very sick, we had to take him to the vet.” Her daughter advised this pet owner to tear out the plants he’d eaten as a preventative measure. This homeowner loves her garden and her pet, “He’s such good company.” Because she can’t get to the library to research the subject because of COVID-19 restrictions, and isn’t computer savvy, she wondered, “Which plants are poisonous to dogs, and which ones are safe?”
Now there’s a question I don’t get asked every day. But with a rise in new dog owners and novice gardeners over the past year, I’m sure it’s a question I’ll be hearing more often.
A quick online search revealed a plethora of articles on the subject of plants that are toxic to pets — looks as if my reader isn’t alone in her quest to find plants that are not toxic to her plant-munching dog.
Top of the list are a surprising number of popular garden plants: autumn crocus, azalea, lilies (can be deadly for cats), lily of the valley, hosta and spring bulbs like daffodil, tulip and hyacinth — and these are but the tip of the proverbial iceberg. Ingesting toxic plants can symptoms like upset stomachs (vomiting and diarrhea), irregular heartbeats, drooling and mouth pain, depression, and in the most severe cases, organ failure. If you suspect your pet has eaten a toxic plant and is showing severe symptoms, take them to your local veterinarian immediately.
Many years ago we owned a dalmatian, Chief, a gourmet by dog standards, opting for my motherin-law’s beef and polenta, any form of pasta, and restaurant doggie bags filled with leftovers. He had no interest in snacking on leaves or chewing on stems (thank heavens!), he left that job to the local bunnies. Sadly, he is long gone, sigh …
The American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals has extensive, interactive lists of toxic and non-toxic plants to dogs (www.aspca.org). In the interest of helping my Hamilton reader and others who may be facing a similar problem, let’s take a closer look at these two categories.
Common garden plants that can be toxic to plant-munching pets include woody plants such as Canadian yew, apple, crabapple, apricot, black cherry, azalea, boxwood, privet and burning bush. Flowers in this toxic-to-dogs category include castor bean, hellebore, clematis, chrysanthemum, dahlia, foxglove, geranium, hosta, larkspur, morning glory, periwinkle, sweet William and carnation. Potentially dangerous herbs include lemon verbena, oregano and lavender, along with vegetables such as tomato (leaves, stems and green fruit), garlic, onion and leek.
In reading this list it might seem as if you might just give up gardening if you have a dog that likes to chomp on your plants but, fortunately, there are plenty of safe alternatives.
Plants that are non-toxic to dogs include African daisy, alyssum, snapdragon, bachelor’s buttons, celosia, China aster, blue echeveria, hens and chicks, marigold, hollyhock, petunia, roses, red-hot poker, plumbago and zinnia. Woody plants such as Amur maple, Russian olive, shagbark hickory, rose of Sharon, mulberry, star magnolia and red maple are also considered non-toxic. Surprisingly, poison ivy, poison oak and poison sumac are also on the non-toxic-to-dogs list. Herbs such as basil, lemon balm, dill and fennel, along with veggies including carrot and beet are also safe.
The lists of toxic and non-toxic to dogs are not exclusive — but they are a starting point. The online lists also include houseplants and tropicals in each category.
So to help my reader, who lives in a townhouse with a small garden, here are a few suggestions for her sunny garden.
If possible, raise the height of the garden so that any toxic plants are out of reach. Many home gardeners are at an age that an elevated garden bed would not only be safer for Fido, but would also be more convenient for the gardener. Large, heavy planters (less likely to be toppled over by a rambunctious dog) that can be left out on the patio would also work. The garden would be easier to maintain and the flowers would be at eye level — just a thought.
With a sunny exposure, her garden will accommodate a wide range of plants. Here are a few suggestions that would see her garden through the seasons and give her plenty of
flowers to cut and enjoy in the house: grape hyacinths, snapdragons, petunias, multi-stemmed sunflowers, marigold, zinnia, hollyhock and roses. Dill, sage and basil would be handy to have by the back door and attract butterflies and pollinators to the garden.
There’s plenty of time to plan a pretty garden that’s not only safe for
your pets but also beautiful enough to warm your heart — pull out the plant catalogues and enjoy the process.
Give the dog a good rub behind the ears and a bone to chew on from me,