What can I plant that is safe, but Sulcata won't want to eat it? Need shade.

[Danielle4440]

Hi All,

Have a roughly 12-year-old Sulcata and of course he likes to eat anything green, Trying to plant for some shade, interest, and beauty in his backyard world. What will he not want to eat, but if he did, it would not hurt him?

Thanks so much!

 

[Markw84]

Where are you located? that will control a lot of your choices.

I use rosemary. They all leave it alone, and we have a constant supply for cooking as well. If you get a large enough one he can't trample and push over, it will grow fairly fast and provide a good hide and shade. That is a favorite spot to rest under. I also use Rose of Sharon. At this point with yours probably at least 50 lbs, I would start with one at least 3 ft tall, and keep it in a large pot in the enclosure. I run a drip line up through a hole in the bottom of the pot so the sulcatas cannot constantly pull the line out of the plant as they push by. Once it grows to about 5 ft or so, you can plant it. At first put in a few sturdy stakes around the base so there is no way to push the plant over. In another year it will have a strong enough base to be secure. He will eat up as high as he can reach, but it will provide great shade in summer. I also use a Mallow in this manner.

 

[Danielle4440]

Thank you so much. We are on the west coast of Florida - Sarasota area. Hot, wet and humid!

 

[Yvonne G]

Mulberry trees provide great shade, but you'd have to protect the tree while it's young. I have a very large pineapple guava bush in Dudley's yard. He doesn't eat it, but spends most of his days under it.






The plant on the left in the last picture is a lilac that's struggling to survive. It's not happy with my watering schedule.

 

[Markw84]

Thank you so much. We are on the west coast of Florida - Sarasota area. Hot, wet and humid!

You have better choices than I do, as you are in Florida. I would use some hibiscus as I suggested above with the Rose of Sharon and Mallow.

Mulberry, as Yvonne suggests above are great and great food, but I cannot use them as I have too many things their terrible root system would totally destroy.

 

[Danielle4440]

Mulberry trees provide great shade, but you'd have to protect the tree while it's young. I have a very large pineapple guava bush in Dudley's yard. He doesn't eat it, but spends most of his days under it.

View attachment 209793

View attachment 209794


The plant on the left in the last picture is a lilac that's struggling to survive. It's not happy with my watering schedule.

Thanks - I will try those!

 

[Tom]

I plant edible plants and then build a little three block high wall around it to protect it. This is a mulberry tree that I planted last year. I also planted doe rosemary and wild garlic in there because the guy at the nursery said it would repel gophers. I only went two block high on this one, but I have other plants that are protected with higher walls in other enclosures. You could also make something out of wood and posts instead of block, if you prefer.

 

[Danielle4440]

I plant edible plants and then build a little three block high wall around it to protect it. This is a mulberry tree that I planted last year. I also planted doe rosemary and wild garlic in there because the guy at the nursery said it would repel gophers. I only went two block high on this one, but I have other plants that are protected with higher walls in other enclosures. You could also make something out of wood and posts instead of block, if you prefer.
View attachment 209799

Thank you - good idea for keeping him off until they are at least established.

 

[Cowboy_Ken]

Another fine low growing bushy plant is the common "Lavender". They smell nice, look nice, and provide an important food source for honey bees which can use all the help they can get. Also jump over to the gardening section of the forum for ideas.
If you have an old automobile tire that doesn't have a rim on it, take that and plant some squash plants in it. The tire keeps the plant safe, the plants vines grow out, and then your tortoise can eat on it. All of the plant is tortoise safe. Leaves, flowers, stems and fruit, all edible.

 

[Danielle4440]

Another fine low growing bushy plant is the common "Lavender". They smell nice, look nice, and provide an important food source for honey bees which can use all the help they can get. Also jump over to the gardening section of the forum for ideas.
If you have an old automobile tire that doesn't have a rim on it, take that and plant some squash plants in it. The tire keeps the plant safe, the plants vines grow out, and then your tortoise can eat on it. All of the plant is tortoise safe. Leaves, flowers, stems and fruit, all edible.

Thanks so much - the tire trick is great!

 

[teresaf]

Tree hibiscus and elephant ears.... Elephant ears grow so fast that even if they got hold of a leaf it'll grow two more tomorrow