A proud, sleek, long-eared cat streaks through a local community garden plot, a squeaking mouse clenched in its jaws.
A loyal border collie chases a hungry, bounding rabbit from a suburban back yard vegetable patch.
In the early morning light, a doe and her fawn quietly step into a patch of salad greens, bending down to take a bite of the tender shoots.
Animals can be a joyful source of companionship for the vegetable gardener. On the other hand, the loss of a precious crop to hungry, pesky critters can be source of heartache when the plants have been lovingly tended from seed. However, gardeners and animals can peacefully co-exist!
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Many gardeners will agree that a vegetable or flower garden simply is not complete without a feline friend wandering its paths or basking in the sun. The scent of a cat in the yard may help to deter other pest animals such as mice and rabbits from the yard, especially if they spray within the garden or yard.
While a cat is a delightful addition to the garden, it can also become an annoyance if it begins to mistake the garden soil for a litter box. An organic, albeit not inexpensive method of deterring cats from entering the garden is installing a mass planting of Coleus canina, also known as the ‚”piss-off plant.” Alternatively, cats can be hooked onto a leash that does not reach the vegetable garden plot, allowing them to enjoy the fresh air while preventing them from contaminating the soil with their waste.
Dogs make excellent gardening companions. Many breeds will instinctively chase trespassing pest animals from the yard or garden, and will usually alert a lone gardener to the presence of human guests, as well.
Unlike cats, dogs can be trained to stay out of the vegetable patch. However, if the dog is not trained in this manner, a fence should be erected to protect tender seedlings and vegetable plants from being trampled by naïve canine friends.
Rabbits are sweet to look at, but can wreck havoc on the spring garden! A fence can be erected around an emerging vegetable patch, but since rabbits are great at digging, the fence will need to extend approximately a foot down into the soil. Another less labour-intensive option is to erect chicken wire cages over individual young plants to protect them until they are large enough that some nibbling will not kill the plant.
Some vegetable gardeners are fortunate to live near a forest or wooded area. Depending on how remote the garden’s location is, deer can become a problem when they discover the buffet that is the vegetable patch. Fencing in the vegetable patch is the best way to prevent destruction by deer. Gardeners may also consider installing a sprinkler that is activated by a motion detector, and will frighten surprised deer away.
Although most gardeners will be glad to see animals present in the vegetable patch, some are more welcome than others. Finding ways to become compatible with animals is one of the most interesting and rewarding experiences a vegetable gardener can have.
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