24 December 2023 , 09:30
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The last thing you want when you've spent hours toiling in the garden is for animals, namely cats, to come and use your plants as a toilet - but experts have shared a handy tip to deter them.
Plants and seedlings are precious as you want them to survive and thrive, and while cats may be cute, when they use your garden as a litter tray, it can be disheartening to see your plants expire. A gardening expert from QVC has shared that you can "keep cats off your seedlings and young plants with cheap tea bags."
According to Richard, cheap tea bags can have an overpowering smell and will keep cats and foxes away from the area you place them. Tea bags can become even more powerful when drops of eucalyptus or peppermint are added.
Another effective strategy can be to spray tea bags with deep heat-type muscle spray according to Richard who spoke to the Express. He added that the tea bags could be disguised with sprinklings of soil to keep them hidden from curious cats and other furry creatures that may enter your garden.
It's important to place the tea bags in the right areas and you should only place them in the places where cats are being a nuisance. The expert added: "These smelly oils should last at least two weeks, even if it rains."
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According to Richard a technique that has been adopted by experts is to add tea bags into a plastic bottle and then pierce holes into the sides of the empty bottle. This bottle can then be kept in the garden without being damaged. It will also act as a deterrent as the scent of the tea bags will seep out of the holes, but the teabags themselves will be out of reach.
It's not just teabags that can deter cats as plants that have strong smells can also keep them away. These plants could include lavender and rosemary, and to make things most effective you could plant both these plants close to or next to each other. Felines reportedly hate the smell of lavender and are much less likely to go to the toilet around areas with this beautiful flower.
According to the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), densely planted borders are "less appealing" as places for cats to go to the toilet, as there is no bare soil, and cats like to dig and cover after they go to the toilet.
If all else fails, the RHS also recommends using one or more of the cat deterrents on the market if you notice cats messing up the garden. They explained: "They fall into two groups: repellents that are supposed to offend the cat's sense of smell or taste, and electronic scaring devices that produce a sound that may cause cats to move on or a motion sensor to release a spray of water."