This is the journal of my endeavours to grow a range of fruit, veg and flowers from seed, grow organically, and my attempts to create a personal paradise with 1/2 acre of maintained gardens and 1/2 acre wild meadows. Northern Ireland's average daily high temperatures are 18 °C (64 °F) in July and 6 °C (43 °F) in January. Soil type: Clay

Wednesday 20 April 2011

Things that Smell

Slugs & snails are generally my number 1 garden pest. However, my neighbour's cat....

This cute little cat came walking up to me one sunny day when I was out working in the garden. He was meowing as if to say hello and seemed very friendly. Came right up to me. I thought maybe he was lost. So I spoke to him and squat down to pet him. He purred lovingly and rubbed up against me. Then... he turned his backside to me and sprayed his scent (luckily just covering my jeans)! Cheeky cat! I couldn't believe it. Needless to say we haven't been on speaking terms. Cheeky cat still comes around but we keep our distance.
On the topic of smell... pictured is 9 days into my homemade nettle-weed fertiliser. (12 April post) I've stirred it once - boy does it smell (phew)! I think this weekend I'll use some. Nettle fertiliser is apparently rich in nitrogen and acts as a good all-round fertiliser. It's said to benefit dark green, leafy plants such as brassicas. Not so good for flowers/fruit plants as it encourages leaf growth rather than flowers.

My sweet little kitty (the cheeky cat has a crush on her) has developed a bad habit of getting up into my plant pots and sleeping on my plants.

So I've had to add some creative barriers to keep her from getting into my pots...

Above taken 16 Oct 2010.













Remember the red Dogwood stems from the Winter? I kept the stems I'd cut and have used them to make a colourful cat detterant.

12 comments:

  1. I love the straight sticks...looks like a sculpture, I have used river pebbles on the top of the soil in pots to deter our cats. Works well and looks good too.

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  2. Urghh that is one of the worst smells I am also doing the dandelion tea thanks for telling me it pongs.I love your idea for keeping cats off your plants my cay dug the seedlings up this year.

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  3. Those scarlet stems are gorgeous and look fabulous as a cage for your strawberries!
    Chook poo fertiliser makes me gag...the smell...

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  4. Love the idea of re-purposing DOGwood to deter CATs...
    Re smells: you should smell my "Fish tree" - I don't know its real name - but when it flowers it has a very strong fishy scent, and I hate fish!

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  5. Obviously, the cat really likes you! He's marked you as his and his alone. :) Like your red stemmed deterrent! I have a planter my cat likes to sleep in, too. I've just given up planting anything in it.

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  6. Cheeky cat is still coming around, huh? I guess he does like your sweet little cat, but Cheeky cat is rather sneaky. He probably just wants a meal. I like your red stems in the pots; not only a cat deterrent, but very attractive!

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  7. I hope those kitties are not using your garden as a litter box, that's the worst!

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  8. Interesting comments from everyone! I never thought that maybe cheeky cat has a 'crush' on me. He has nipped me a few times with his teeth so I don't bother with him. I just let him hang about the property & he gets a meal now and again.

    Alot of people have issues with cats using their garden as a litter box. I always wear gloves but I don't find it an issue. If I plant seeds straight into the ground I put twigs over the area so the cats don't hoke around it.

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  9. You are very creative with the cat barriers. Cheeky cat.

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  10. I have a big bucket of nettle brew at the end of my garden. Phew! all this warm weather has really got it going! What a pong - but wonderful stuff!

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  11. If you have Comfrey growing put it in with the nettles, perfectly balanced fertiliser then as Comfrey has lots of trace elements.

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  12. The Dog wood stems are colourful and creative,a very original idea.

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