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Make plans now to join Melinda on her famous Garden Walks at Boerner Botanical Gardens in 2013! Download the schedule here.
Nationally renowned garden expert Melinda Myers helps everyday gardeners find success and ease in the garden through her Melinda’s Garden Moments radio segments. Melinda shares “must have” tips that hold the key to gardening success, learned through her more than 30 years of horticulture experience. Listeners from across the country find her gardener friendly, practical approach to gardening both refreshing and informative! On this page, Melinda shares some more extensive garden tips, which expand on the information provided in her one-minute radio segments.
New tips are added throughout each month, providing timely step-by-step tips on what you need to do next in your garden! Visit Melinda’s website www.melindamyers.com for more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and answers to your questions.
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Stop Cats Digging in Your Garden - The Garden Mix
by Melinda Myers
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posted May 31 2012 1:17PM
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You can stop the neighbor’s cat from wandering into your garden to harass the songbirds and use your garden for a litter box.
I’m a cat lover that keeps my cats indoors and understand your frustration. Here are a few things that may help you with this problem

Cover bare soil to discourage cats from digging. Mulching with a coarse material or growing groundcovers may be enough. If this doesn’t work, cover problem areas with a prickly mulch like sweet gum fruit or beechnuts or a mat face down and soft points facing up.
Add rue to your garden. The University of Vermont reports the smell of this garden beauty repels cats.
Or try other scare tactics like blasts of compressed air and noise, or water to send these beautiful animals back home. Citrus, grapefruit rinds and cayenne pepper may also work. Or try a natural repellent like Cat Stopper that smells good, so it repels the cats, but not your guests.
A bit more information: Here are some ideas for keeping your cat in your yard and out of the neighbors’ landscapes. Create a sandy spot in the yard for your cat to snooze. Leave some open space where they can dig and plant catnip or other favorites in an out-of-the-way location.
For more gardening tips, how-to videos, podcasts and more, visit www.melindamyers.com
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