This Forum will close on Wednesday 27 March, 2024. Please refer to the announcement on the Discussions page for further detail.
Cat Poo on my raised veg beds
Dahlia Lover
Posts: 25
in Fruit & veg
Hi, Some advice please. The local cats keep using my veg beds as litter trays, I've tried everything to try to dissuade them - bamboo sticks, bottles of water I have even covered them with membrane, they just do their business on the top. What I really want to know is it safe to eat the veg that I will be growing it the beds this year, or do I have to remove all the soil.
0
Posts
I feel for you. Berry netting is about the only surefire option. Make sure it's taunt to keep the little birds from getting stuck though! I've seen some good options on pinterest, with a chicken wire sort of cage built and hinged on top. I'd also say change the top layer. Put the removed soil in the bottom of a new raised bed or use it around non-edibles.
Thanks 1Runnybeak1. I have tried the taught netting, unfortunately a Thrush got caught in it, so don't use it anymore.
Has anyone tried the wire along the top of the fence trick to try to keep the cats out, I'm keen to know if it actually works.
Sorry Blue Onion our msgs crossed, thanks anyway.
Wire along the top of the fence, doesn't work. Half filled bottles of water, don't work. Lines of CDs strung up, don't work...
These DO work:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Contech-ScareCrow-Motion-Activated-Deterrent/dp/B005MW9VOM/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426868983&sr=8-1&keywords=contech+scarecrow
I recommend them so often on here I'm thinking of buying shares in the company.
I make a cover of wire netting to protect seedlings etc in my raised beds - it keeps the cats off and the birds safe and lifts off easily when needed.
Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.
I have 2 ft wide plastic netting with canes threaded in each side. I can lay them where i need and move them off as the plants mature. Does work quite well. It's that rigid plastic net about 2 inch square holes and 4 ft + canes threaded through each side so they are like panels
Beds are 8ft x 4 ft and I lay 4 across from wood edge to wood edge. Sometimes I use an extra piece to have an overlap
Had the same problem but I scattered holly leaves on the top, seems to work fine
Thank you everyone for your ideas. I have looked at the scarecrow motion detector you recommended GemmaJF, but my veg plot is at the bottom of my very long garden and I do not have water installed there, which would mean having to run my hosepipe to the veg plot and leave it there with the water tap turned on - not a good idea. If only they would make one with a water reservoir that you could top up when needed.
Hello I had a problem with cats using my garden as a tiolet , somebody suggested putting cut teasel flowers down and I am pleased to say it worked , fortunately they grow in abundance on our stream bank , I would have thought holly would be just as effective and looks nicer than netting
I did suggest to the O/H be get our own cat but that was vetoed
best of luck
It looks a bit penal but I ended up just building cages with chicken wire (metal wire mesh) which keeps the cats off, and any vandalistic kids that break into my garden. As my veggies get bigger I can lift the cage off and then 'mulch' with twigs, including as much bramble as I can - that seems to stop them using the beds, but obviously it's no use whilst you are waiting for seeds to come up, hence the cages. The peas are going in planters this year so I should be able to keep the cage on over everything else.
I used some plastic bird netting last year and no birds got caught up in it, but metal netting is much better.
I wouldn't harm one but if cats became extinct overnight, I wouldn't miss them!