An ultrasonic dog repelling system may be an option if you have a problem with neighborhood dogs invading your flowerbeds. The ultrasonic sounds combined with LED lights on some models are designed to startle dogs into avoiding a large area. A con to this method is that it will frighten away all animals, including the squirrels and birds you might enjoy watching in your garden. Ultrasonic deterrents also tend to break after a couple of seasons.
Many gardeners turn to dog repellents as the first line of defense, as its convenient and inexpensive to grab a box or bottle of something off the shelf at the garden center. Many of these products rely on strong aromatics that are irritating but not harmful to pets, like citrus or peppermint oils. Effectiveness can vary greatly depending on your dogs sensitivity. A downside is the need to reapply frequently, especially in times of wet weather. Look for products embedded in gel crystals, which slowly release the offending scent and can endure periods of rain.
To properly address the issue of keeping dogs out of flower gardens, you must first understand why dogs are drawn to gardens. This is about more than just twitchy paws or a bored dog. Flower gardens draw dogs like a magnet from other untended parts of the landscape for several reasons. First, there are the sights and smells of you, beloved owner, working in the soil. If you hang out there so much, leaving the comforting scent of you behind, then this must be a great place to flop down and work on that chew toy. Second, there is the matter of that wonderful loose soil youve worked so hard to amend. Not only is it supremely easy to dig, but its also filled with flavorful manure and partially decomposed compost. Yummy!
A quick homemade spray can help a garden in transition, such as the beginning of the growing season when tender new growth and germinating seeds are most vulnerable to damage. A daily spritzing with low-acidity vinegar or bitter apple product repels dogs but harms neither plants nor animals. Or, you can up your vinegar game by using horticultural-grade vinegar (20% acetic acid) to kill weeds and discourage dogs at the same time. Take care to shield ornamental plants from overspray, as this vinegar is designed to kill plants indiscriminately.
Dogs vigorously keep pace with deer as the top pest problem in flower gardens. At least deer damage stops at soil level; you dont witness deer digging moon craters in the garden. In addition to digging and gnawing on plants, dogs add insult to injury by urinating and defecating on flowers and around plants. This can result in emotions ranging from the mild consternation of replacing a few tattered petunias to the meltdown that comes from the discovery of a very slow-growing climbing hydrangea chewed down to the nub.
Detergent Solution That Is Also Good for Plants
One of the best ways to keep dogs out of anywhere is to put a small piece of their poop in the spot that you want to protect. A dog will naturally avoid digging, etc. in its own poop. Your problem is that you have several dogs visiting you and you don’t have access to their individual deposits.
You might try neutralizing all of their odors by spraying the entire area with a mixture of 1/3 dish washing detergent with 2/3 water. This is good for your plants and is used routinely by organic gardeners. Pamela
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text admin_label=”Related Inline” _builder_version=”4.19.0″ text_font=”|600|||||||” text_text_color=”#636363″ text_font_size=”26px” text_line_height=”1em” link_font=”||||||||” link_text_color=”#003366″ link_font_size=”24px” header_text_color=”#003366″ header_2_text_color=”#00704A” header_2_font_size=”30px” header_2_line_height=”1.3em” header_3_text_color=”#00704A” header_3_font_size=”25px” header_3_line_height=”1.4em” custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”||3px||false|false” header_text_color_tablet=”#003366″ header_text_color_phone=”#003366″ header_text_color_last_edited=”on|phone” header_2_text_color_tablet=”#00704A” header_2_text_color_phone=”#00704A” header_2_text_color_last_edited=”on|phone” header_3_text_color_tablet=”#00704A” header_3_text_color_phone=”#00704A” header_3_text_color_last_edited=”on|phone” header_3_font_size_tablet=”25px” header_3_font_size_phone=”25px” header_3_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” header_3_line_height_tablet=”1.4em” header_3_line_height_phone=”1.4em” header_3_line_height_last_edited=”on|phone” global_module=”1365″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]Related: Humane Ways to Cat-Proof Your Garden on the Cheap[/et_pb_text][et_pb_code admin_label=”TDS Inline Bottom (not in article)” _builder_version=”4.16″ _module_preset=”default” global_module=”45505″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”] style=”display:block” data-ad-client=”ca-pub-2777802735473428″ data-ad-slot=”3409181609″ data-ad-format=”auto” data-full-width-responsive=”true”> [/et_pb_code][et_pb_text ol_position=”outside” ol_item_indent=”20px” quote_border_weight=”2px” quote_border_color=”#00704a” ul_position_tablet=”” ul_position_phone=”” ul_position_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Article Text and Headers” _builder_version=”4.19.0″ text_font=”Pontano Sans||||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ link_text_color=”#0018f7″ ul_font=”||||||||” ul_font_size=”22px” ul_line_height=”1.8em” ol_font=”||||||||” ol_font_size=”22px” ol_line_height=”1.5em” quote_font_size=”22px” quote_line_height=”1.8em” header_font=”||||||||” header_text_color=”#003366″ header_2_font=”|600|||||||” header_2_text_color=”#00704a” header_2_font_size=”32px” header_2_line_height=”1.3em” header_3_font=”|700|||||||” header_3_text_color=”#00704a” header_3_font_size=”25px” header_3_line_height=”1.4em” z_index=”0″ width=”100%” width_tablet=”” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” max_width=”100%” height=”1″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” header_text_color_tablet=”#003366″ header_text_color_phone=”#003366″ header_text_color_last_edited=”on|phone” header_font_size_tablet=”” header_font_size_phone=”36px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” header_line_height_tablet=”” header_line_height_phone=”” header_line_height_last_edited=”on|desktop” header_2_font_size_tablet=”” header_2_font_size_phone=”30px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_3_font_size_tablet=”25px” header_3_font_size_phone=”25px” header_3_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_module=”1205″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]
Here in Australia, it’s common to see water-filled soft-drink bottles on lawns and gardens. People swear that this keeps dogs away. (Don’t ask how, but I’ve seen it work).
Just take an empty 1 1/2 liter or 2 liter soft drink bottle (clear plastic), take off any wrappers and fill it with water. Put it out on the flower bed (just lay on side) and see if it works on US dogs! Hanne
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_text ol_position=”outside” ol_item_indent=”20px” quote_border_weight=”2px” quote_border_color=”#00704a” ul_position_tablet=”” ul_position_phone=”” ul_position_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Article Text and Headers” _builder_version=”4.19.0″ text_font=”Pontano Sans||||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ link_text_color=”#0018f7″ ul_font=”||||||||” ul_font_size=”22px” ul_line_height=”1.8em” ol_font=”||||||||” ol_font_size=”22px” ol_line_height=”1.5em” quote_font_size=”22px” quote_line_height=”1.8em” header_font=”||||||||” header_text_color=”#003366″ header_2_font=”|600|||||||” header_2_text_color=”#00704a” header_2_font_size=”32px” header_2_line_height=”1.3em” header_3_font=”|700|||||||” header_3_text_color=”#00704a” header_3_font_size=”25px” header_3_line_height=”1.4em” z_index=”0″ width=”100%” width_tablet=”” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” max_width=”100%” height=”1″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” header_text_color_tablet=”#003366″ header_text_color_phone=”#003366″ header_text_color_last_edited=”on|phone” header_font_size_tablet=”” header_font_size_phone=”36px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” header_line_height_tablet=”” header_line_height_phone=”” header_line_height_last_edited=”on|desktop” header_2_font_size_tablet=”” header_2_font_size_phone=”30px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_3_font_size_tablet=”25px” header_3_font_size_phone=”25px” header_3_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_module=”1205″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]
Want to know how to keep dogs out of flower beds? All you have to do is to spray ammonia mixtures into the flower bed. The smell will keep the dogs away. James K.
[/et_pb_text][et_pb_code admin_label=”Adsense Inline Bottom” _builder_version=”4.16″ custom_margin=”15px||” global_module=”1208″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”] style=”display:block; text-align:center;” data-ad-layout=”in-article” data-ad-format=”fluid” data-ad-client=”ca-pub-2777802735473428″ data-ad-slot=”9079772070″> [/et_pb_code][et_pb_text ol_position=”outside” ol_item_indent=”20px” quote_border_weight=”2px” quote_border_color=”#00704a” ul_position_tablet=”” ul_position_phone=”” ul_position_last_edited=”on|desktop” admin_label=”Article Text and Headers” _builder_version=”4.19.0″ text_font=”Pontano Sans||||||||” text_text_color=”#000000″ link_text_color=”#0018f7″ ul_font=”||||||||” ul_font_size=”22px” ul_line_height=”1.8em” ol_font=”||||||||” ol_font_size=”22px” ol_line_height=”1.5em” quote_font_size=”22px” quote_line_height=”1.8em” header_font=”||||||||” header_text_color=”#003366″ header_2_font=”|600|||||||” header_2_text_color=”#00704a” header_2_font_size=”32px” header_2_line_height=”1.3em” header_3_font=”|700|||||||” header_3_text_color=”#00704a” header_3_font_size=”25px” header_3_line_height=”1.4em” z_index=”0″ width=”100%” width_tablet=”” width_phone=”” width_last_edited=”on|desktop” max_width=”100%” height=”1″ custom_margin=”||||false|false” custom_padding=”||||false|false” text_font_size_tablet=”” text_font_size_phone=”” text_font_size_last_edited=”on|tablet” header_text_color_tablet=”#003366″ header_text_color_phone=”#003366″ header_text_color_last_edited=”on|phone” header_font_size_tablet=”” header_font_size_phone=”36px” header_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” header_line_height_tablet=”” header_line_height_phone=”” header_line_height_last_edited=”on|desktop” header_2_font_size_tablet=”” header_2_font_size_phone=”30px” header_2_font_size_last_edited=”on|phone” header_3_font_size_tablet=”25px” header_3_font_size_phone=”25px” header_3_font_size_last_edited=”on|desktop” global_module=”1205″ saved_tabs=”all” global_colors_info=”{}”]
You Might Also Like
Co-authored by:
To keep dogs out of your flower beds, try sprinkling red pepper flakes or vinegar around the edges of them, which will make them smell unpleasant to dogs. Or, you can plant tall or thorny plants around your flower beds, like rose bushes, so dogs cant get into them. Alternatively, as a last resort, you can fence in your flower beds to keep dogs out. For more tips from our Veterinary co-author, like how to train your dog not to go in your flower beds, scroll down!