Cayenne Pepper and Pond Plants

[ESeck]

Ok, I'm not entirely sure where to post this, so I put it here for now.

I am seeing up several tub ponds in my bank yard for the summer. We frequently allow our two dogs to roam the back yard. I put some of my plants in the tubs today and in no time, the dogs ate 3 of them. Obviously, this is not acceptable.

I read an article that said if you spray the plants with a water and cayenne pepper solution, it will deter the dogs from eating the plants. I found a subsequent article that points out that there is cayenne pepper in some fish foods. Does anyone think it would be a problem for the fish that will be in the ponds to spray the plants with cayenne, with the likelihood that it will eventually wash its way into the pond?

Sorry for the long story. Thanks.

 

[Delapool]

No idea on the answer here but wondering if you found out anything further?

 

[ESeck]

No idea on the answer here but wondering if you found out anything further?

Unfortunately I haven't. I am planning on trying it, but I need some plants to try it on. I am planning on taking a cutting from one of my aquarium plants and giving it a shot before I put my pond plants back out there.

 

[ESeck]

Update: I made a mixture of cayenne pepper, a little bit of tobasco I had laying around, and hot water and let it sit in a spray bottle overnight.

I sprayed some into a tank that has some angelfish culls to see if it appeared to effect them. They did not seem to be bothered and in fact, they appeared to eat some of the particles that made it through the sprayer.

I sprayed it on my plants and my dogs have not bothered them since.

I may experiment more to see if more spray effects the fish, since I will likely have a higher concentration in my tubs due to the amount of spray required to cover the plants plus reapplications.

 

[Delapool]

Sounds encouraging! Thanks for the share.

I'd be guessing but I assume maybe watch out for any bloating or it they look like they have the shakes (organ failure / poisoning).