I would like a calcium filter for hard water to fit on an an outside tap/hose that actually works. Or a drip hose/seeper hose that doesn’t clog up with hard water deposits after one season.
I used day-glo tape for cycle handlebars wrapped around hand tools to locate them in the garden, which worked for a while but it soon fell off and I still managed to lose them anyway. Tricky to spot any colour when you bury them in the compost heap. If you can’t find the compost heap that’s tricker still. Maybe tools fitted with a miniaturised homing device/tracker collar. Here boy!
Mountainous Northern Catalunya, Spain. Hot summers, cold winters.
I use bright red acrylic paint on wooden-handled hand tools. I ran the mower over my hand fork once, and neither it nor the mower was improved by the experience...
Since 2019 I've lived in east Clare, in the west of Ireland.
My neighbour's cat. I want to be able to grow vegetables without worrying that they're going to be pooped on and pose a health risk. So far, the only 100% effective way I've found to keep the cat off my vegetable beds is to net them, which looks ugly and means I can't enjoy the aesthetic qualities of my garden anymore. I am trialling other methods, but so far not as good at the job.
An effective, humane, visually pleasing method of keeping the cat away whilst not deterring natural wildlife would be great. A huge ask, but something that would be brilliant if it could be achieved!
And don't get me wrong, I love cats, just not when they're pooping all over my vegetables.
Also, sorry if this doesn't quite follow your brief, as it's more about an external influence rather than the growing of the plant itself, but it's the one true gripe that I've had all year. Otherwise, all the other aspects of growing things have been an interesting learning curve for me. In contrast, the whiff of cat poo as I shovel it into a bin bag is enough to make me puke.
Williowbark, not sure if this would be more aesthetically appealing but to prevent my own cat (or should I say the wife's) doing the business where I don't want her to I cut bamboo canes (or any stick, I have a lot of bamboo growing so have a regular supply of canes each year) into 3 or 4 short pieces and stick them in the ground where I dont want her to go.
Cats tend to circle and fuss over a spot before doing the business , but when there's an obstacle such as a stick in the ground they tend to move to a more open spot. I only do this in certain locations to change her behaviour, but it may not be practical on a large veg bed, but it certainly works for me on a small flower bed.
'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.
Posts
I used day-glo tape for cycle handlebars wrapped around hand tools to locate them in the garden, which worked for a while but it soon fell off and I still managed to lose them anyway. Tricky to spot any colour when you bury them in the compost heap. If you can’t find the compost heap that’s tricker still. Maybe tools fitted with a miniaturised homing device/tracker collar. Here boy!
https://theatresoundsupplies.com/products/magtape®-xtra™-coloured-matt-gaffer-tape?variant=31654317162581
Edit - trying again to see if this works better
https://theatresoundsupplies.com/products/magtape®-xtra™-matt-gaffer-tape
Cats tend to circle and fuss over a spot before doing the business , but when there's an obstacle such as a stick in the ground they tend to move to a more open spot. I only do this in certain locations to change her behaviour, but it may not be practical on a large veg bed, but it certainly works for me on a small flower bed.
'The power of accurate observation .... is commonly called cynicism by those that have not got it.
George Bernard Shaw'