Dog-friendly hedge in Southern California (Temecula)

11 years ago

Hi all,

My hubby and I just purchased a home in Temecula, CA (zone 9 according to this site). Our backyard is completely dirt right now and I'm told the soil is "sandy loam". We're hoping to put a yard in soon.

My toy poodle has recently taken to trying to fight the back neighbor's dogs through the fence. It's new, 6ft and made of sturdy wood so I don't think anything can happen, but it's annoying and embarrassing. I'm trying to train her out of it, but it's made me decide I want to put a hedge against that part of the fence.

Does anyone have recommendations for plants that can be made into dense hedges? It has to be shorter than 6ft, and it can't have thorns or anything that could hurt the dog. Spread doesn't really matter because i have a lot of fence to cover. I prefer drought-tolerant plants and it will be getting full sun. It also needs to be non-toxic to animals but if you're unsure if it is, I work for a veterinarian and can look it up.

A bit of googling has turned up various manzanitas.. are those good choices?

I've attached a photo of the back fence so you can see what it looks like. It extends about 3-5 feet on each side that you can't see in the photo. The house frame in the photo is our neighbors house... this pic is a few months old, the homes are finished now.

As a side note, if anyone lives in the Temecula area and has other suggestions on plants that grow well here, I am all ears! Thanks everyone..

This post was edited by chelbambino on Tue, Mar 26, 13 at 22:49

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Comments (7)

Suzi AKA DesertDance So CA Zone 9b
11 years ago
I'd trellis wine grapes all over that fence! Of course, they need to be pruned when dormant in winter, but they are beautiful most all year!

Suzi
socks
11 years ago
Yes, you do have a lot of fence there. I really don't know, but you could drive around your neighborhoods and look at other yards for ideas. Since your pup is small, a hedge may not be too successful at keeping him back from the fence as he will probably be able to go under anything you plant.

Maybe you should call the Dog Whisperer (just kidding, but I know how upsetting these things can be with pets).

Good luck.
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I'd think you'd want a design for the entire yard first, rather than doing things piece-meal. In the long run it will look better. And if you don't have an irrigation system installed, do you really want to get out there and hand water? Summer is on the way...

Think carefully about maintenance and how much your water bill will be. Last Pilitas recommends 'Baby Bear' manzanita as a replacement for the standard hedge Privit (Ligustrum japonicum), but check with them to see what is right for your area. They are nearby and can tell you for sure.

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janea
11 years ago
I've friends with dogs who "fence fight" with the neighbors dogs. Their solution was to put in a low wire fence inside the perimeter fence. You could do this now and then plant later, planning your landscaping to eventually hide the interior fence. That way you don't have to wait for your plants to grow and won't have to deal with your dog making paths through the shrubs to get to the exterior fence.
WinslowsMom
11 years ago
What about pyracanthia. The berries are a beautiful red in the winter, and the foliage is a good green. The thorns aren't so bad that they would hurt a pup. My brother lived in Temecula and had them mixed with grape vine. But they hedge nicely by themselves.

Here is a link that might be useful: A pyrachanta hedge
Kevin Reilly
11 years ago
"I've friends with dogs who "fence fight" with the neighbors dogs. Their solution was to put in a low wire fence inside the perimeter fence."

This is exactly what I've done for my dogs. PVC coated mesh wire roll and green t-posts. WIll solve the problem. I actually have vetch growing on the wire mesh fence. I like it :)
Central_Cali369
11 years ago
I have some experience with dogs and landscaping. I've found that my dogs (small dogs at that), will simply forge their way through any plants standing in their way. If they are determined to get through to something on the other side, they will find a way. Usually that means they break branches, and with time, end up killing or flattening the plants in their way. The only effective way I've found to keep my dogs from doing that, is to use poultry netting to block off sections of my yard that I don't want them in. After a few months, I remove the netting and they are just so accustomed to having that blocked off, that they will stay away even without the presence of the netting.

One plant I have found extremely useful as a hedge in desert areas in Sedum Praealtum. It requires absolutely no water in the summer. I started this entire hedge around the patio about a year ago from small 3-inch cuttings. In the winter, the leaf tips will blush red, and in spring, it'll bloom out the brightest yellow blooms. I will be cutting these back this next weekend so if you'd like any cuttings, I could send you a boxfull of them if you pay for postage. Just send me a private email.

Dog-friendly hedge in Southern California (Temecula)

Comments (7)

Suzi AKA DesertDance So CA Zone 9b

socks

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