Forum home› Problem solving
This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.

Cat has been destroying a fern. How to fix?

FireFire Posts: 19,096
in Problem solving
A neighbour has a fern that a cat has been jumping on, pooing in, possibly sleep on (not in that order). It's flattened. She doesn't know the exact type of fern. Should she cut the whole back? Would it resprout happily? She has small children and is revolted that people don't have a care of duty for their cats. 


Posts

  • clarke.bruntclarke.brunt Posts: 215
    I think I'd cut all the leaves off. It looks similar to ferns I have which partly turn brown anyway over winter, and I cut all the leaves off before the new ones start to sprout. It means you get the nice effect of the unfurling new foliage without all the tatty old stuff being there. I think I can just about see the 'crown' in the photo, where the new foliage starts.
  • wild edgeswild edges Posts: 10,497
    Do you know anyone with pyracantha cuttings she could have to stack around it? The ferns will grow through it but the spines might keep the cat off.
    If you can keep your head, while those around you are losing theirs, you may not have grasped the seriousness of the situation.
  • Bright starBright star Posts: 1,153
    I would also follow clarke.brunt suggestion. I usually place pointy sticks in areas of the garden that are more open to deter cats from using them as a toilet. They soon get the message.
    Life's tragedy is that we get old too soon and wise too late.

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    @wild edges  -  I tried that and the cats just moved the garden furniture so they could arrange a long drop.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    edited March 2021
    Every year I remove all the leaves of my hardy ferns about now, ready for the new croziers to unfurl ... so yes, cut them back hard, just being sure not to cut the new baby fronds. 

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • KeenOnGreenKeenOnGreen Posts: 1,831
    I cut most of our ferns back at this time of year, so agree that would be the first thing to do.  I also would put some pointy sticks in it, you wouldn't need many, and that will stop the cat sitting in it. 

    If you have some of those bamboo skewers that you get for barbecues, just break one or two of them in half, and that will do the trick.
  • tui34tui34 Posts: 3,493
    Apparently, cats don't like the smell of oil of citronella.  Try a few drops in water and spray the area.  Pepper?  Cayenne pepper?  Rose prunings?   
    Good luck.
    A good hoeing is worth two waterings.

  • FireFire Posts: 19,096
    thanks

  • Hostafan1Hostafan1 Posts: 34,889
    that's gotta be another £1?
    Devon.
Sign In or Register to comment.