It seems everyone on this street has a cat. A cat they let roam about during the day, free to use anything as a their own personal litter box, our garden included. Nothing seems to deter them.
This year is no exception. The last few days we have noticed the tell tale signs and smells of their visitations. What to do? It was all out war last year until I found something that put a quick end to it.
Egg shells. Yes, egg shells are a gardeners friend. It seems they don’t like digging their tender paws in soil with broken egg shells. Since I am home ailing (I’ll live) I thought I’d bake a bunch we have been saving.
I didn’t wash them (it is mentioned you should to keep pests from snacking the lining). I put them in the oven at 250 until they are very lightly browned on the edges. (About 10 minutes)
Crush them up by hand and scatter them where the cats are digging. Once they soften from the rain or climate, repeat. You want those edges sharp! No more cats!
That is not all the great things egg shells can be used for when gardening:
Slugs and Snails: If you put them in a bag and use a rolling pin to crush them, it is said to deter slugs and snails. They have tender underbellies.
Calcium: Put some in a coffee grinder or use a mortar and pestle. Sprinkle around plants to give them a dose. We did this with our tomatoes last year. Used coffee grinds too!
Grow Seedlings: Poke a few holes in the bottom and use them for starting your seeds.
You can just crush up the shell, put it in the hole then plant your seedling on top!
How do you deter the pests in your garden?
Julie posted about another brew we use that seemed to work great. Garlic and Cayenne. Instead of posting it here, I’ll send you over to her blog. Click here, you’ll be happy you did!
