Flowers need the ideal conditions in terms of soil type, temperature, water availability and sunshine to thrive; however, there are various threats that could harm them.
Coleus canina, an herb said to smell similar to urine and repel cats, can also be grown easily as an effective deterrent against cat attacks. Lemon thyme or rosemary also makes great natural deterrents against felines.
Tape
Cats do not like walking on rough surfaces, and chicken wire, when embedded under mulch or placed directly into top layer soil (with cut outs for planter boxes), will make your flower garden uninviting for them. Plus it acts as an effective barrier against them using outside planters as litter boxes!
An easy and effective way to deter cats from visiting a flower garden is spraying it with an animal repellent containing smells that cats find unpleasant, such as lavender, peppermint or cinnamon. You can either spray this from a bottle directly onto the area where cats enter, or soak cotton wool and place it at entry points into your garden.
Plant your flower garden with cat-repelling plants such as thyme, rue and Russian sage to help deter cats. Coleus canina (known as “scaredy cat plant”) is another option known to repel cats as it emits urine-smelling scent that will quickly scare any who come near.
Electric Fence
An electric fence set at low voltage can be an effective deterrent against cats that roam into your flower bed, quickly and inexpensively installed and run. A kit from any garden supply store typically contains an energizer, ground wire, posts specifically designed to hold it in place as well as posts designed to hold it secure against cats or any other potential intruders. An energizer also converts voltage down by one third so as to remain safe around children, pets and people alike.
Sprinklers that respond to motion can also help deter cats from accessing your flower beds. Cats tend to dislike the sound of these devices and often leave as soon as they’ve been startled by them.
Other ways of making flowerbeds less inviting for cats include creating uncomfortable surfaces like pine cones, egg shells, or thorny bramble bushes that prick or cause discomfort for cats. If you have a compost pile in your yard, keep it closed away from flowerbeds; grow plants that deter cats such as rosemary and lavender instead.
Physical Barriers
If your flowers have been invaded by felines, there are simple and humane techniques you can employ to keep them away. Pepper spray can help deter these feline visitors with its spicy aroma and taste; spraying near their faces or ears deters them with its peppery fragrance and taste – easy and inexpensive ways of doing it yourself with ingredients like chili powder and red pepper!
Physical barriers can also help keep cats out of your flower garden. Plastic chicken wire or fruit cage netting is an effective means of doing just this, designed specifically to prevent cats and other common garden pests from climbing it and accessing planting areas like seedbeds, window boxes and more.
Planting thorny or spikey-leaved plants like holly bushes, roses or perennial geraniums with sharp thorns or foliage, such as holly bushes, roses or perennial geraniums can deter cats from trampling your soil and ruining your flowers. Ground cover plants like ivy or blackberry bushes may also work effectively.
Oscillate Fence
Cats make wonderful companions, but they can quickly destroy flower gardens through digging and leaving unauthorised deposits, using beds as soft sleeping spots, and eating plants. However, there are simple solutions available to deter their activities in your garden such as physical barriers and scent deterrents that may help.
Chicken wire can be an effective means of deterring cats from digging holes in your flower beds as it makes it hard for them to crawl or walk through it. Another popular technique involves motion-activated sprinklers which spray water when they detect movement in your garden.
Natural deterrents also work, including Coleus caninus which has a smell similar to urine and is said to drive cats away. Other effective scented deterrents include orange and lemon peels, garlic, peppermint, rue, thyme and lavender as well as rough surfaces like pine cones around your garden beds or spreading coarse sand or pebbles over the ground as effective deterrents.