Pets in the Garden

[becke_davis]

Use this thread to post pictures (or links to pictures) of your pets in the garden, pictures of other wildlife, anecdotes about pets and wildlife, or questions about how to deal with pet and/or wildlife issues in the garden.

[Choisya]

I have some advice about keeping cats when you are a gardener Becke. Cleo is my 14th cat: 

People often complain about cats fouling the garden, even though soil is probably made up of poo of all kinds - from birds, mice, rats, slugs, snails, beetles etc.- but I find the best way of keeping cats from soiling is:-

1  Always have a cat litter tray indoors for your own cat.

2  Spread some cat litter, or some clean soil, in a place outdoors, away from the house, where cats can defecate - they prefer clean places.  Keep this area clean by removing the faeces and digging it over frequently.

3   Grow catmint and lavender near to the above area, to attract them to it and to mask any smell. 

To prevent cats from scratching around young plants,  place unobtrusive cocktail/kebab sticks around them or leaves of holly, sprigs of pyracantha (watch your own fingers!).

To discourage cats from catching birds say 'No' firmly to them from when they are kittens and they first make hunting noises and crouch down. When you feed birds, keep your cat(s) in for a while so that the birds can eat freely.  I call this the 'happy hour' and my cats and I  sit together in the morning to watch birds feeding.  When they make hunting noises I say 'No, they are my birds' !  My cats have never caught birds although Cleo was a bit of a mouser when she was young, until I discouraged her by making loud, alarmed noises when she brought them in at 3am!

I cannot speak for dogs but my experience is that cats love their gardens and they love to supervise you when you are at work in the garden.  (They will always find the warmest spot so plant accordingly.)  There is something wonderful about seeing a cat lying at peace in the middle of a lawn,without a care in the world.  You know then that your garden is peaceful place.    

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becke_davis wrote:
Use this thread to post pictures (or links to pictures) of your pets in the garden, pictures of other wildlife, anecdotes about pets and wildlife, or questions about how to deal with pet and/or wildlife issues in the garden.

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[becke_davis]

Thanks for those suggestions, Choisya!  In my area, the deer are the biggest threat to gardens, but I try to coexist with them and not worry about it.  They love to eat sumacs, and since I planted those for them, they've been leaving my hostas alone.  Go figure.

My one remaining cat (and I've had about as many as you have, over the years) likes his catnip.  But when I planted catmint, he ignored it completely.  On the other hand, he went nuts over my lemon balm.  He would sit right in the middle of the plant, until it was completely flattened.  Sometimes he'd munch on it, but more often he'd just rub against it and lay on it.

My dog was never a problem in the garden.  Unless you count her favorite game: stealing the plastic trays and pots from me as I was planting annuals every year! 

[Choisya]

LOL.  I can imagine a dog doing that!  Some people seem to encourage their dogs to poo on the lawn and then they get into the habit of scratching it up.  Can you train them to go in a particular place?

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becke_davis wrote:

Thanks for those suggestions, Choisya!  In my area, the deer are the biggest threat to gardens, but I try to coexist with them and not worry about it.  They love to eat sumacs, and since I planted those for them, they've been leaving my hostas alone.  Go figure.

My one remaining cat (and I've had about as many as you have, over the years) likes his catnip.  But when I planted catmint, he ignored it completely.  On the other hand, he went nuts over my lemon balm.  He would sit right in the middle of the plant, until it was completely flattened.  Sometimes he'd munch on it, but more often he'd just rub against it and lay on it.

My dog was never a problem in the garden.  Unless you count her favorite game: stealing the plastic trays and pots from me as I was planting annuals every year! 

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[becke_davis]

I'm probably not the best person to ask, Choisya.  I only ever had the one dog and I don't think I trained her that well!

[TiggerBear]

The best advice I have for rabbits is plant borders of hot peppers on the outsides of your garden. I like growing and eating them. They hartedly discourge bunnies from wandering in. Oh I see them, but they stick to the compost pile.

[becke_davis]

I've heard that, too.  I know what NOT to plant: those tiny alpine strawberries.  Love the foliage, but the fruits were devoured before they ever got a chance to ripen.  Mice, birds, rabbits -- they ate those strawberries like they were dessert!

[Choisya]

Large decorative thistles are quite good too, as both rabbit and deer deterrents. They are also good for attracting butterflies to the garden. 

I plant an edible hanging basket using alpine strawberries, tumbling tomatoes, perpetual spinach and nasturtiums, Becke.  My grandkids love it and no animal can get at it.   

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becke_davis wrote:
I've heard that, too.  I know what NOT to plant: those tiny alpine strawberries.  Love the foliage, but the fruits were devoured before they ever got a chance to ripen.  Mice, birds, rabbits -- they ate those strawberries like they were dessert!

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Message Edited by Choisya on 03-14-2009 07:03 AM

[becke_davis]

That's a great idea!  Nasturtiums are one of the easiest flowers to grow from seed, which is a wonderful way to get kids interested in gardening.  Others include morning glories, cosmos, nigella, hyacinth bean, scarlet runner bean, zinnias, marigolds, and one of my kids' favorites, small ornamental gourds!

[TiggerBear]

Ok so I've got a question. Does anyone have a method other than netting, to keep birds out of the tomatoes? I don't mind the loss of a few, but last year 50% went to birds. They tear a bite out then go to the next. Ruins whole bushes and draws bugs. I'd love a solution.

[becke_davis]

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TiggerBear wrote:
Ok so I've got a question. Does anyone have a method other than netting, to keep birds out of the tomatoes? I don't mind the loss of a few, but last year 50% went to birds. They tear a bite out then go to the next. Ruins whole bushes and draws bugs. I'd love a solution.

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I haven't had this problem, mainly because my yard doesn't get enough sun for vegetables.  But friends of mine say the netting works well.

[Choisya]

You could try bamboo canes which are slightly taller than the tomato plants. linked by threads of black cotton.  This is a larger version of what you do when trying to deter carrot fly.  The birds may be attracted by bugs so keep those down. Spraying the plants with a mild soap solution will deter birds and bugs but remember to wash the tomatoes before eating them!   

The other things that deter birds are shiny objects like old CD discs and noises, like wind chimes or bells.  

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TiggerBear wrote:
Ok so I've got a question. Does anyone have a method other than netting, to keep birds out of the tomatoes? I don't mind the loss of a few, but last year 50% went to birds. They tear a bite out then go to the next. Ruins whole bushes and draws bugs. I'd love a solution.

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[TiggerBear]

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Choisya wrote:

You could try bamboo canes which are slightly taller than the tomato plants. linked by threads of black cotton.  This is a larger version of what you do when trying to deter carrot fly.  The birds may be attracted by bugs so keep those down. Spraying the plants with a mild soap solution will deter birds and bugs but remember to wash the tomatoes before eating them!   

The other things that deter birds are shiny objects like old CD discs and noises, like wind chimes or bells.  

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TiggerBear wrote:
Ok so I've got a question. Does anyone have a method other than netting, to keep birds out of the tomatoes? I don't mind the loss of a few, but last year 50% went to birds. They tear a bite out then go to the next. Ruins whole bushes and draws bugs. I'd love a solution.

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No problem with bugs, till the birds get to the fruit. It's not the bugs they are going after. It the tomatoes them selves. I don't know if it's a moisture issue. I'd give them a bird bath, but we are under a mostito law, no unclorinated standing water. It might be that ruby red color. It may just be the fantastic tomatoes we grow. Not sure. 

I'm trying to avoid netting, a pain in the butt for the amount of square area I'm talking about. You'd think if noise worked, my wind chimes would take care of it. We tried the shinny metal bit last year. Good for black birds and doves, doesn't deter tomato pecking finches.

[TiggerBear]

Ok you guys will get a chuckle out of this. Had to mow for the first time this weekend. And ran into an interesting consequence from feeding the squirrels all winter. We had a lean year before and didn't think the few hickory nuts they had would be enough. We were feeding the birds anyway, it wasn't hard to supplement the feed. I got to see a chipmunk on the back deck because of it.

Anyway so those squirrels apparently were too content with the free vittles. So what do I find when I go out to check the grass. Over 200 2" high hickory trees, here there and everywhere my furry inhabitants buried them. Didn't see them at first threw the heavy clover cover I've had this spring. But the mower isn't set for scrub. Hubby mows, grass and clover goes, little trees spring right back up. I bust a gut laughing. He comes up "what so funny about me mowing?". I point. To say he was irritated is slight. Furry freeloaders was the nicest comment he used. He's off the lawn and trackter place for detreeing advice.

But I just had to share the laugh.

[KathyS]

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TiggerBear wrote:

Ok you guys will get a chuckle out of this. Had to mow for the first time this weekend. And ran into an interesting consequence from feeding the squirrels all winter. We had a lean year before and didn't think the few hickory nuts they had would be enough. We were feeding the birds anyway, it wasn't hard to supplement the feed. I got to see a chipmunk on the back deck because of it.

Anyway so those squirrels apparently were too content with the free vittles. So what do I find when I go out to check the grass. Over 200 2" high hickory trees, here there and everywhere my furry inhabitants buried them. Didn't see them at first threw the heavy clover cover I've had this spring. But the mower isn't set for scrub. Hubby mows, grass and clover goes, little trees spring right back up. I bust a gut laughing. He comes up "what so funny about me mowing?". I point. To say he was irritated is slight. Furry freeloaders was the nicest comment he used. He's off the lawn and trackter place for detreeing advice.

But I just had to share the laugh.

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Oh, My!  Sounds like a Hickory tree grove in the making!  Maybe you could just let them grow, and you won't have to worry about feeding the little guys in the future! LOL 

It sounds like a lot, but can you yank the sprouts out of the ground, before they get too big?

[becke_davis]

This is too funny!  From all the honeylocust blossoms covering my yard, I think I'll have a grove of those popping up soon.

[TiggerBear]

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KathyS wrote:

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TiggerBear wrote:

Ok you guys will get a chuckle out of this. Had to mow for the first time this weekend. And ran into an interesting consequence from feeding the squirrels all winter. We had a lean year before and didn't think the few hickory nuts they had would be enough. We were feeding the birds anyway, it wasn't hard to supplement the feed. I got to see a chipmunk on the back deck because of it.

Anyway so those squirrels apparently were too content with the free vittles. So what do I find when I go out to check the grass. Over 200 2" high hickory trees, here there and everywhere my furry inhabitants buried them. Didn't see them at first threw the heavy clover cover I've had this spring. But the mower isn't set for scrub. Hubby mows, grass and clover goes, little trees spring right back up. I bust a gut laughing. He comes up "what so funny about me mowing?". I point. To say he was irritated is slight. Furry freeloaders was the nicest comment he used. He's off the lawn and trackter place for detreeing advice.

But I just had to share the laugh.

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Oh, My!  Sounds like a Hickory tree grove in the making!  Maybe you could just let them grow, and you won't have to worry about feeding the little guys in the future! LOL 

It sounds like a lot, but can you yank the sprouts out of the ground, before they get too big?

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Hmm were talking every 2 to 3 inchs apart. Too close even if I did want more than the 12 full blown I already have. He came home with a odd looking metal (shrug) looks like a cross between a throwing star and a spider with sharp legs, on a pole atachment. He says it concents to a powerdrill.. I'll tell you if it works when he tests it out. It's supposed to rip out tough stems and their root systems.

In the past it was just a few and I did let them get to a foot high before digging them up an giving/transplanting them. But I wasn't exagerating when I said 200. Transplanting an entire forest is beyond even my save the trees spirit.

[becke_davis]

Tigger - Saving the trees is all well and good but, you're right, they don't have to be in your back yard!  Several years ago I had to take out sixty some trees from the wild area in our back yard.  Many were diseased and all were broken and/or weedy, and they were stealing the light from the "good" trees - ashes, oaks, maples.

[KathyS]

TiggerBear wrote:

Hmm were talking every 2 to 3 inchs apart. Too close even if I did want more than the 12 full blown I already have. He came home with a odd looking metal (shrug) looks like a cross between a throwing star and a spider with sharp legs, on a pole atachment. He says it concents to a powerdrill.. I'll tell you if it works when he tests it out. It's supposed to rip out tough stems and their root systems.

In the past it was just a few and I did let them get to a foot high before digging them up an giving/transplanting them. But I wasn't exagerating when I said 200. Transplanting an entire forest is beyond even my save the trees spirit.

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TB,

Taking out these 'little trees' sounds like a big project.  I hope it works out for you!  I "only" have palm trees to worry about.  If you don't get these stupid things out when they're small, you've got a tough job on your hands.  Which reminds me, I've got two more I need to deal with! They don't transplant well.

I wish you and your husband well!

K.

[becke_davis]

But the palm trees sound so romantic!