The safest strategy if you have children is to forbid them to put anything in their mouths while outside in the garden. Model the behavior yourself and never pop a strawberry or cherry tomato into your mouth while gardening with children, however tempting it may be.
The garden is full of plants that are poisonous. Most are not lethal, but a few are, so it is wise to err on the side of caution. Most animals seem to know what plants to avoid, but here are a few plants that are harmful to pets:
- All parts of lilies are toxic to cats and can cause kidney failure and death within 48 hours. So, keep flower arrangements with lilies where cats cannot reach them.
- Daffodil and tulip bulbs are also toxic and the bone meal fertilizer, often used when planting bulbs, can attract dogs, causing them to dig up newly planted bulbs and munch on them before realizing that they are toxic. This can cause severe drooling, tremors, and heart problems. Keep Fido inside during bulb planting, especially if you are using bone meal fertilizer. Once the bulbs are well covered up with soil, they will not attract the dog’s attention.
- Also. don’t keep kalanchoe or aloe as house plants if you have pets in the home.
This is Moya Andrews, and today we focused on harmful plants.
