My house came with two dogs of 4 or so years of age. After almost a year we are still debating who is alpha. I’m committed to me being the alpha and they are committed to that not happening. So they have no problems dealing my plants a hard time. And, being a plant person this is challenging to be around.
I always pay attention to the volunteer plants in my area especially when I’m not so familiar with them. The first volunteer in the new garden was acuhual which is known as the sunshine plant. It usually grows among the corn abundantly. And, it is a great ally for keeping the grasshoppers occupied so they don’t eat all the other plants. In addition to bringing that sunshine optimism into your day it seems like would be a digestive aid. So looking forward to the blooming time to learn it’s deep medicine.
Then the dogs ate the whole plant, a little bit every day till it was gone. And, it really offended me–not a dog person can you tell. Other than the plants I’m nurturing along my garden is dirt. There were no green things for the dogs to eat. Not being a dog person, I was totally ignorant about their need for live greens. So this was quite a teaching.
In addition to the acuhual, they were going for the thyme (tomillo), elderberry (sauco) and yarrow (millenrama). These are all plants I feel everyone needs to have these growing in their garden especially if they have kids.
In addition to not being a dog person, I find it almost impossible to grow things from seed. So the yarrow is a prized plant for me as I did start it from seed. So again the dogs and I are challenging one another. So they started going out each morning into the larger spaces here so they can eat whatever they want but not my plants. Growing tip, for some reason they will not bother an area if you surround the plant with used coffee grounds.
Out in the larger garden is grass which they both go for immediately. And, my feverfew (santa maria) (also from seed so major score) and my other yarrow bed. So far they’ve ignored the chaya but as it gets bigger I’m curious if they will go for it.
So the herbs my dogs are teaching me about acuahual, elderberry, thyme, feverfew, yarrow and grass. So far they are ignoring some really famous herbs like hoja santa, sida, banana, green tea, estafiate, artemesia, all growing abundantly in the garden.
Letting the dogs teach me what they will.