It is essential to guarantee that your Orlando rental property is as safe for animals as it is for humans if you are to permit your tenants to have pets. Setting up a pet-friendly garden should not have to be costly or complex. In any case, it will call for some form of outlining and designing. A garden adds to the charm of your single-family rental property, making it especially attractive for tenants with pets. Creating a safe and durable garden space in your rental property is not at all impossible, even when you have pets that are determined diggers. It may not be fully pet-proof, but it will be your garden, nonetheless.
When designing your pet-friendly garden, consider one important feature: plants. Some plants work well in gardens that are accessible to pets. Various plants are poisonous for dogs, cats, and other pets, so choosing safe plants is a good idea in case your tenant’s pet decides to take a bite. Does your property already have existing plants? Go through them carefully and list them down to see which ones might be toxic. If there are any, remove the entire plant and root structure. Do not use chemicals or poisons on the plants, as these can harm pets as well.
Before mapping out your garden space, start with determining which plants you want to include. Pet-friendly gardens often use features like sturdy border plants, planting containers, raised beds, and fences to control which parts of the yard the pet will be able to access. Using large, sturdy plants as a barrier around more delicate plants can help keep pets from trampling and urinating in places you don’t want them to. Container gardening, especially hanging baskets and railing planters can help place garden plants out of reach. At last, a couple of inexpensive or decorative fencing can encourage pets to use certain areas of the yard while keeping them away from others.
Alternative types of deterrents include adding specific varieties of spices and pungent plants with smells that pets don’t like. As an example, rosemary, sage, and bitter orange plants may keep a curious dog away due to their strong odor. Some experts recommend planting Coleus Canina, sometimes called Dogbane, in areas where pets aren’t wanted. This plant has an overpowering smell that most cats and dogs can’t stand. However, the scent is barely noticeable to humans.
Finally, it is a serious matter to bear in mind what type of fertilizer you are using on your plants. Many varieties of fertilizer and even mulch can be harmful to household pets. Better to err on the side of caution, especially when your tenant’s pets have unsupervised access to the garden. In selecting non-toxic varieties of both fertilizer and mulch, you can contribute to creating a pet-safe garden that your tenant will love.
A bit of organizing and planning can go a long way in designing a beautiful garden that is as alluring as it is safe to withstand the ordinary activities of household pets.
With our team of Orlando property managers at Real Property Management South Orlando, you can rest easy knowing that tenants will be happy with a pet-friendly garden in their homes. Please contact us online or call us at 407-982-2000 to learn more about how we can serve you.
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