Cats killed my crop!

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CABeerMaker

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Modesto, CA
I planted my hops the first week of April, and had started to grow nicely. I went out to water them yesterday as here in Ca we are only allowed to water every other day. All four of my palnts had been dug up and there was cat s*** in my mounds. :( All four rhizomes are now dry and brittle as the temps have been hovering near 100. :mad: My question is for next year. What can I do to keep the cats out of my garden. My shepard didn't seem to stop them, but am guessing they did it in the middle of the night when the dog is snoring in the house on the bed.
 
Really sorry man!
If there's any hope, it might be worth a try to stick them back in the ground.
 
I would have tried to soak them for an hour in lukewarm water, reuse rooting compound and try replant them.

Chicken wire will stop anyone digging them up, but so will planting some of your shepherds poo next to them. Cat wont go close to that.
 
Cayenne pepper will help keep cats out. Sprinkle it on the ground every few weeks. When the come sniffing around looking for a good place to do their thing, a good whiff of Cayenne will send their furry butts packing.
 
I've also used chicken wire.
I built a small frame from scrap 2x4 12-15" square, staple chicken wire to the frame.
The bines grow right out through the wire.
This was to keep the puppy off of them-he's two now and loves to dig soft dirt-so these frames are now semi-permanent.
 
I've heard that mothball crystals work.

We have the same problem with cats in our planter boxes, just put the crystals in last night, so I don't know if they really work.
 
Arent cat feet good luck?? I would put 2 on my key chain and see if it doesnt bring you luck next year :p
 
Thanks for the input. I am currently making a frame for some chicken wire and will see if I can salvage them. But as it's still over 100 here and will be for the next few days I don't think I'll have much luck. Although the idea of planting cats head first has some genuine merit........nope SWMBO would probably end up burying me instead.
 
I've tried the cayanne pepper, and it doesn't work. I also wouldn't use mothballs anywhere near something that I plan on consuming.
Every year, SWMBO and I surround all of our baby plants (veggies) with a short piece of rolled up 1 x 1 chicken wire cages, with the pointy ends up. Keeps birds, rabbits, cats, etc. out of our gardens.
After the cages come off, I use a spray called Liquid Fence. It's all natural, and allegedly "trains" the critters away. It has a NASTY smell at first, but that wears away (to our noses at least) within an hour.
 
Dude. You have some pretty vindictive cats in your neighborhood!
They ripped out your hops, and S**t down the hole. You can't make that up.

Good luck.



That's like the squirrels in my neighborhood. Ripped up my first rhizome, chewed it to bits, and left the shredded stick on my front porch!
 
+1 on the chicken wire, it works! I used it to keep my SWMBO's cat out of some of my plantings--worked like a charm. The bines are small enough to grow right thru it too.
 
small mammal trap. catch the little moosecocks and drive them way the hell out of town and drop them off. if they're feral, no big deal. if they were someone's pets, then those idiots just learned a good lesson in keeping their ******* cats in check.
 
I'm appalled at all the cat hate. I'm sure you wouldn't feel the same way if your neighbor did the same thing to your doggies, Evan! Actually, if your dogs (or anyone's for that matter) dug up my garden I wouldn't think twice about wreaking horrible violence to it. Most likely wouldn't ever walk again.
 
Send PICS please!
I'm appalled at all the cat hate. I'm sure you wouldn't feel the same way if your neighbor did the same thing to your doggies, Evan! Actually, if your dogs (or anyone's for that matter) dug up my garden I wouldn't think twice about wreaking horrible violence to it. Most likely wouldn't ever walk again.
 
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