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WITH the weather finally heating up, if you plan on sitting in your garden with friends this summer, then we’ve got just the thing for you.
There’s nothing worse than relaxing outside on a sunny day, only to be hit in the face with the nasty stench of cat poo.
If your next door neighbours’ cat has been pooing in your garden, then don’t worry, we’ve got you covered[/caption]
There’s nothing more annoying than a neighbourhood feline doing the dirty in your garden, but thanks to an expert, here’s some simple tips and tricks that you won’t want to miss[/caption]
Using lime peel will irritate a cat’s sensitive nose and will ensure they leave your outside haven[/caption]
Not only can it be frustrating to find neighbourhood cats using your garden as their own personal litter box, but it’s less than ideal if you’ve spent ages tending to plants, only for cats to climb all over them.
However, luckily for you, a gardening expert has shared a simple way to keep these pesky felines at bay.
And if you’re on a budget as a result of the cost of living crisis, then you’ll be pleased to know that you won’t need to break the bank on pricey products.
In fact, you may already have these three kitchen scraps at home already.
Jordan Ardoin, a gardening expert from Lawn Love has shared how you can naturally keep cats away using food waste you would otherwise throw in the bin.
He explained: “Cats have extra sensitive noses, so even scents that are barely noticeable to us can be overbearing to them.
“Some scents are pungent enough to make cats want to stay away.”
According to Jordan, one of the most effective ways to keep cats away is to use the peels from oranges, limes or lemons, as they cannot stand the strong citrus scent.
All you need to do is place the citrus peels around your garden in places cats tend to enter or lounge near.
Jordan advised: “Scatter fresh citrus peels or liberally spray a citrus-scented spray.”
Alternatively, you can make a homemade spray by steeping citrus peels in boiling water, filling up an empty spray bottle and then spraying it near plants.
If you haven’t got any limes, you can nab one for just 24p from Sainsbury’s or Tesco.
Common garden pests
Common pests in the garden don’t need to be a cause for alarm. If you can identify them, you can work on getting rid of them and preventing them from returning.
Aphids (Greenfly, Blackfly)
Aphids are extremely common and can impact plant growth. They have tiny soft pear-shaped bodies, and are usually green or black. You may spot them clustered on the stem of soft shoots – look under leaves in particular – or may find a sticky substance on your plants that gives away aphids have been there sucking at the sap.
Whitefly
These small white-winged insects are related to aphids, at just 1 or 2 mm in length, and look very much like white moths as adults. They can be found on the underside of leaves, preferring younger, fresher leaves. They fly in clusters when you disturb them. Their lifecycle is only three weeks long, which means an infestation can occur very rapidly.
Slugs
An unmissable, squashy-looking body plus small sensory tentacles on its head. Slugs move along on one muscular foot. They range in scale from surprisingly small to terrifyingly large; limax cinereoniger species can grow comfortably beyond 20 cm in length.
Cabbage Moth Caterpillar
Cabbage moth caterpillars happily make their way into the heart of the vegetables, The caterpillars are distinguished in shades of yellow or browny green with no hair.
Mealy Bug
Mealybugs are tiny oval-shaped insects that have a white, powdery wax coating. There are several different species, many of which have what looks like legs coming from their sides and back end. In their earliest stage of life, it’s entirely possible to mistake them for fungus and not recognise them as insects at all.
Meanwhile, single oranges and lemons are just 30p from Sainsbury’s or Tesco.
In addition to this, coffee can also be used, as it is another scent that can irritate cats.
You can simply mix coffee grounds, which you can nab for as little as 99p from Tesco, in the soil around your garden plants to repel any curious felines.
Jordan continued: “After making coffee, spread the used grounds in a perimeter around the area where you don’t want the cat to go.”
Tips for keeping pests from your garden
- Plant companion plants such as peppermint to repel rats.
- Place Garden Netting Pest Barrier, over your flowerbeds.
- Fill open-top containers with beer and place in soil to repel slugs.
- Spray plants with Neem Oil, to repel ants, flies, and spiders.
- Dust your flowerbeds with Diatomaceous Earth.
- Mix 1 tablespoon dish soap, 10 drops peppermint oil, and 4 cups water and spray on flowerbeds.
- Place eggshells around your plants to protect from slugs and snails.
Coffee grounds will not only keep cats away but are known to be one of the best natural deterrents against slugs as well.
Finally, if you have any spare vinegar in your kitchen, this can also be used to keep cats away from fences and gates as cats hate the pungent smell.
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Jordan recommended: “Apply watered-down or straight vinegar with a spray bottle.”
But the expert advised: “Don’t spray near your grass or garden, as vinegar kills plants.”
If you’ve run out of vinegar, you’ll find it for just 35p from Tesco and Sainsbury’s.
Alternatively, you can also combine vinegar, coffee grounds and citrus peels together to make a homemade cat repellent.
Jordan revealed: “Scent repellents can be hit-or-miss. One cat might hate a certain smell, while the same smell doesn’t bother another cat at all.
“Try different scent repellents around your yard to figure out which one is most effective for the cats in your neighbourhood.“
