Cats can be wonderful companions, but they can also cause problems for gardens and flower beds. Cats will use flowers as their personal litter box while eating or digging up any plant they can reach – creating havoc in gardens and flowerbeds alike!
There are various strategies available to you for keeping cats out of your garden without harming or harming the cats themselves or harming your plants. Some methods work better than others, but each technique will help safeguard your flowers.
Spraying
Gardeners understand the danger of cats being an asset to their gardens; they can dig holes that they use as litter boxes while simultaneously damaging delicate plants with their claws.
Spraying flowers is an effective way to deter cats from nibbling them, but only use non-toxic sprays. If unsure, consult an expert at your local garden center.
One great tip for making the best use of your flower bed space is placing citrus peels around it. Cats do not like citrus scent, which may deter them from visiting your garden.
Try covering your flower garden in mesh to keep cats away. They will find it hard to maneuver through this difficult mesh covering and won’t have access to the flowers beneath.
Motion-Activated Sprinklers
Many gardeners have found that motion-activated sprinklers are an effective way to keep cats away from their flowers. When motion is detected, they activate and spray cold streams of water onto any cat that enters the flower bed – this effectively scares it off while not harming any plants in its path.
Another option for creating an enjoyable environment for your cat is creating a separate cat garden featuring plants like cat grass or pansies that won’t interfere with flower beds or cause them to get dirty. This will give them somewhere fun to play while not taking away space from other areas in your yard.
Some gardeners have reported success using scarecrows to deter cats in their flower garden. A scarecrow can serve as a visual reminder that this area is not suitable for cats, working in tandem with moth balls or citrus peels as deterrents. You could even fill your scarecrow with items that smell offensive to cats such as herbs or spices that will further repel them from coming back.
Moth Balls
Cats can be an endless source of curiosity and adventure, but protecting your flowers from them doesn’t need to be an all-out battle. Employing nontoxic measures such as fences and motion activated sprinklers that deter unwanted visitors can keep your plants safe from feline incursion.
Orange peels, tea leaves and coffee grounds possess strong scents that can deter cats from entering your flower garden. You can use these natural cat repellents to cover plant beds or add them to compost piles; other scented items that could work include peppercorns and chilli flakes.
Moth balls can be an effective way to deter cats from your flower garden, but their chemicals can be hazardous to the environment. An alternative approach would be planting a cat-repelling garden filled with safe plants such as cat grass or catmint. Another effective tactic for deterring cats from digging in your flowerbed would be installing prickly rough surfaces over and around it.
Electric Fence
An electric fence may sound cruel, but it’s an effective way of discouraging cats from roaming your flower garden. When they touch any part of it, this device gives a slight shock that discourages further visits.
Motion-activated sprinklers may also help. When they detect movement in an area, these sprinklers activate and spray cold water on cats if they detect movement – dissuading them from accessing your flowers quickly! Furthermore, this water won’t harm any plants either!
Plants with natural cat repellent properties may help your garden remain cat-free. Herbs like lavender, lemon thyme, rue and pennyroyal can be effective. You can plant these along the perimeter or container-grown in flower beds; peppermint, fennel and dill also serve to deter cats.