Wild creatures do not eat poisonous plants. Our hens wandered our garden and sometimes the fields around us and we never lost one to them eating things they should not have done. Lettuce is more harmful to rabbits than anything else. Again these creatures would not have survived if they ate things which killed them.
The only thing I know of where a bird eats deadly poison is the pigeons which eat Rape seed, which does eventually poison them.
Rape seed is the ubiquitous yellow flowering plant ones sees in the country side. It is processed to make Rape seed oil which is a better cooking oil than Olive oil as it contains less harmful fats.
Pigeons may just want their lunch, but if you had seen the flock of a 1,000 or so which has just come up from the newly sown Winter wheat field from next to us, and it was your field I think you would be a little less generous. also they defecate over everything in sight. They are classed as vermin.
I've never worried about poisonous plants when the grandkids come to stay, but I have said to them never to put anything in their mouths unless I've told them it's OK, as some plants could make them sick. I think in most cases that's what would happen, rather than the child just dropping dead. They seem fine about this, but I let them eat raspberries, strawberries and tomatoes straight from the plants, which is fun for them. The age at which they just just put everything in their mouths (from crawling stage up to about 18 months or two years) is not an age when you'd leave them unsupervised to crawl around your flower beds, and by the time they are old enough to run off behind your back, they're also old enough to follow simple rules.
The one plant I would be wary of is yew, which is not commonly found in gardens. The berries look really pretty and appealing but the seeds inside them are very poisonous. My nephew had to be admitted to hospital after eating some in a park, and at one stage they were not sure they would be able to save him. He did make a complete recovery.
I have two young grand-children who love both to play and 'help' in the garden. They enjoy eating fruit straight from the bush or tree and veggies straight from the veggy patch. Both are repeatedly reminded only to eat what is given to them by us or their parents. But accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. My grand daughter once picked a juicy looking 'red berry' from an Arum Italicum (Lords and Ladies, Cuckoo pint) in a wild part of the garden. It was removed from her mouth in record time and NHS direct said there was nothing to worry about, although she might have slight irritation in her mouth; although The Poison Garden website states that it is the most common cause of accidental plant poisoning based on attendence at hospital A & E. I think she suffered more from Grandmas finger being poked into her mouth. There was no sore mouth or upset tummy, fortunately. The spent flowerheads of the arum are now removed before berries form. We also get Deadly Nightshade in our garden. It forms a quite large attractive plant with pretty bell shaped flowers, The berries are large,black, shiny and very juicy looking - but deadly - and a definite No! No! in a garden with children about. I don't worry about my hellebores.
Hi we have just bought a Labrador puppy who is now 14 weeks. When we brought him home at 8 weeks the first thing he did was pull out and chew my Aquileia plants. He trampled my Aubrietia and has ruined the lawn with his urine. Can anyone please suggest what plants would be suitable for partial shade to plant in pots that are not poisonous to dogs ? I should add he has now started to dig in the pots that have compost in to bury bones etc. Should I get him a patch of dirt that could be his ? Thanks for your help, kind regards Maggie
Labrador puppies need things to chew - get him a puppy sized Kong toy and whenever he starts to chew something he shouldn't, give him the Kong. He'll need bigger ones as he grows - all 'retriever type' dogs need things to chew on until their around two and a half years old.
If you allow your dog to dig and chew plants in the garden you'll never have a garden, so until you've got the hang of the clicker training, distract him when he's going to do something you don't want him to. Don't leave him in the garden unsupervised, and enrol yourselves on your local puppy-training course.
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Wild creatures do not eat poisonous plants. Our hens wandered our garden and sometimes the fields around us and we never lost one to them eating things they should not have done. Lettuce is more harmful to rabbits than anything else. Again these creatures would not have survived if they ate things which killed them.
The only thing I know of where a bird eats deadly poison is the pigeons which eat Rape seed, which does eventually poison them.
I learn so much from this site.Whats Rape seed?
Tim rats with wings - ahh i look at them and think - they just want thier dinner, like the rest of us.
Rape seed is the ubiquitous yellow flowering plant ones sees in the country side. It is processed to make Rape seed oil which is a better cooking oil than Olive oil as it contains less harmful fats.
Pigeons may just want their lunch, but if you had seen the flock of a 1,000 or so which has just come up from the newly sown Winter wheat field from next to us, and it was your field I think you would be a little less generous. also they defecate over everything in sight. They are classed as vermin.
Fair point Berghill.
I've never worried about poisonous plants when the grandkids come to stay, but I have said to them never to put anything in their mouths unless I've told them it's OK, as some plants could make them sick. I think in most cases that's what would happen, rather than the child just dropping dead. They seem fine about this, but I let them eat raspberries, strawberries and tomatoes straight from the plants, which is fun for them. The age at which they just just put everything in their mouths (from crawling stage up to about 18 months or two years) is not an age when you'd leave them unsupervised to crawl around your flower beds, and by the time they are old enough to run off behind your back, they're also old enough to follow simple rules.
The one plant I would be wary of is yew, which is not commonly found in gardens. The berries look really pretty and appealing but the seeds inside them are very poisonous. My nephew had to be admitted to hospital after eating some in a park, and at one stage they were not sure they would be able to save him. He did make a complete recovery.
Your words were heard and understood. Im glad your nephew made a full recovery.
I have two young grand-children who love both to play and 'help' in the garden. They enjoy eating fruit straight from the bush or tree and veggies straight from the veggy patch. Both are repeatedly reminded only to eat what is given to them by us or their parents. But accidents can happen in the blink of an eye. My grand daughter once picked a juicy looking 'red berry' from an Arum Italicum (Lords and Ladies, Cuckoo pint) in a wild part of the garden. It was removed from her mouth in record time and NHS direct said there was nothing to worry about, although she might have slight irritation in her mouth; although The Poison Garden website states that it is the most common cause of accidental plant poisoning based on attendence at hospital A & E. I think she suffered more from Grandmas finger being poked into her mouth. There was no sore mouth or upset tummy, fortunately. The spent flowerheads of the arum are now removed before berries form. We also get Deadly Nightshade in our garden. It forms a quite large attractive plant with pretty bell shaped flowers, The berries are large,black, shiny and very juicy looking - but deadly - and a definite No! No! in a garden with children about. I don't worry about my hellebores.
Hi we have just bought a Labrador puppy who is now 14 weeks. When we brought him home at 8 weeks the first thing he did was pull out and chew my Aquileia plants. He trampled my Aubrietia and has ruined the lawn with his urine. Can anyone please suggest what plants would be suitable for partial shade to plant in pots that are not poisonous to dogs ? I should add he has now started to dig in the pots that have compost in to bury bones etc. Should I get him a patch of dirt that could be his ? Thanks for your help, kind regards Maggie
I've had several labradors in my time. Super dogs and very easy to train as they want human attention (and food).
Have a look at this http://www.wikihow.com/Clicker-Train-Your-Dog. It's a very useful way to train your dog, reinforcing good behaviours rather than punishing bad ones.
Labrador puppies need things to chew - get him a puppy sized Kong toy and whenever he starts to chew something he shouldn't, give him the Kong. He'll need bigger ones as he grows - all 'retriever type' dogs need things to chew on until their around two and a half years old.
If you allow your dog to dig and chew plants in the garden you'll never have a garden, so until you've got the hang of the clicker training, distract him when he's going to do something you don't want him to. Don't leave him in the garden unsupervised, and enrol yourselves on your local puppy-training course.
Good luck and enjoy him.
PS. You might find this site interesting http://www.thelabradorsite.com/
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.