The neighbours damned cat keeps leaving very nasty deposits at the base of my young lemon tree so bought a weed mat and some stones which I have put round the base to stop him. My neighbour has said it wasn't a good idea to do put down the mat and stones as the citrus food would not get through to the roots. I thought it would go through the mat and would appreciate any thought or advice. No good taking the stones off, have trawled the internet and tried every cat deterrent known to man, nothing works. Advice please.
fantail8,
Nov 1, 7:31am
perhaps the stones without the mat. waterpistol the cat every time you see it on your place. The stones would allow the fertilser to filter through slowly, but cats tend to like soft spots so may go else where.
samanya,
Nov 1, 7:37am
Is it so bad that a cat pees/shites on a lemon tree? They love manure of any kind (& water). even Bert Munroe peed on his lemon tree & it flourished . in Invercargill.
grouch,
Nov 1, 8:47am
If you dont like the cat doing its business around your tree try putting little skewers poked into the ground and deep enough so the cat cant scratch them out and then it cant get enough room to put its bum down or they get a stick up the rear. I tried this and it does work.
russell.s.c,
Nov 1, 9:35am
If it's the neighbour who owns the cat that told you this load of rubbish then I can only say that they want the cat to do it under your lemon tree rather than at home. The mat won't stop the food getting through but I suggest you sprinkle around a generous amount of pepper and repeat if the cat comes back when it's worn off.
groovie1,
Nov 1, 9:51am
After two years of trial and error trying to keep blackbirds and cats from enjoying themselves in my freshly dug up dirt, the simplest and least harmful solution to these little critters I found, though not the prettiest look, is to use discarded tree branches with a wide but reasonably thick fan spread but not too light they can be moved (blackbirds are particularly resourceful). First though, clean out the cat toilet. Part the branch at its center so it wraps round the trunk forming that all important barrier then water (I do this for days afterwards) to dilute any lingering scent. Lemon trees love water so you??
lythande1,
Nov 1, 5:16pm
Cats like crumbly, plant-less fresh soil. Any plants or other stuff and they will look for a new spot. Won't hurt the tree though. it's all fertiliser.
Weedmat will block off the soil, why not just let the grass grow, or use the stones on their own?
franny8,
Nov 1, 7:49pm
Thanks for the answers. Yes lythande1, I would prefer to just have the bottom grassed but I live in a Retirement Lifestyle village and we are required to have mowing rings around trees so, therefore, have to keep the base clean. It is not the pee which worries me as someone said earlier it is the No. 2's left on top of the soil and the flies if I don't see it immediately and remove it. And no it wasn't the neighbour who owns the cat who said it wasn't a good idea. Think I will remove the mat and just have the stones, thought the mat would save me some work as I am no longer a youngster.
summersunnz,
Nov 2, 9:55am
If the no. 2's are left on top of the soil, is it from a cat? They usually are fastidious about leaving everything buried. Could it be a dog?
eljayv,
Nov 3, 12:20am
Our lemon is laden and has been ever since we started putting our lawn clippings around the base some years ago.
pericles,
Nov 3, 3:37am
I have lemons all year round, never do anything for it
smoky80,
Nov 3, 9:04am
"waterpistol the cat every time you see it on your place" lol
thistle4,
Nov 4, 1:06am
It may not be a cat (unless you have seen it of course), it may well be a Hedgehog. They do leave their feaces on top of the ground and they are as large as a cats droppings.
I was always told not to plant around a lemon tree as its shallow roots hate the competition. But then I came here and found a very sickly neglected lemon in a mowing ring, so I started beefing up first the soil around it with discarded potting mix and compost, and then adding plants - herbs mainly with the odd pretty chucked in. And I fed and watered the lot. The lemon has doubled in size, as have its companions, has heaps of new growth, flowers and will fruit soon. Just goes to show, not all helpful advice is that helpful. And my cat can't get anywhere near.
franny8,
Nov 4, 8:18am
It is a cat, I have seen it but am just never quick enough with the water spray as lemon tree is at the side of house and by the time I get round there the cat has gone. She knows too as she runs when she seen me with the spray. I have a dog but the dog is fenced round the back so doesn't deter the cat. The water spray is a great tool though as my other neighbour has a cat who is best mates with my dog but I have really deterred him from the vegie garden, never goes near it he has been water sprayed so many times.
slimdog,
Nov 4, 8:29am
Try used coffee grinds(grounds?) From an espresso machine. Good for garden too.
taurus2005,
Nov 4, 8:30am
Sprinkle chilly powder wherever the cats are coming. Cheap and easy cure.
franny8,
Nov 4, 8:36am
Chilly powder is cruel as the cats get if on their paws and then wash their face and it gets into their eyes. Really couldn't/wouldn't do that.
sqidlie,
Nov 4, 11:58am
Then using the stones in a slingshot will be out of the question then
taurus2005,
Nov 6, 12:36am
Give the cats some credit, once they smell the chilly they are off, they won't be rolling around in it and they won't be back. Anyway, was only trying to help.
oh_hunnihunni,
Nov 6, 2:46am
If you can get strong oily foliage and mulch with that it works a treat. I've just pruned my rosemary and boy does my cat hate me for scattering the chopped prunings around one of her 'nests'.
rojill,
Aug 5, 4:06am
1) Most coffee shops are happy to let you have for free their used coffee grinds - just spread around the tree or 2) Cover the ground with pea straw to a depth of 75 to 100mm. Cats won't use the area covered in pea straw which is also a good fertilizer as it rots down.
Since the public registrations are closed, you must have an invite from a current member to be able to register and post in this thread.
Have an account? Login here.