Cats have defecated around my soft fruits, can I eat the fruits
London, United Kingdom
Hi, cats have been using my raised bed as a litter tray. At the moment I have rasps, gooseberries and other soft fruit bushes planted there and I had been about to plant out some baby salad plants: tomatoes, lettuce and other leaves, in the same bed. What should I do to make this bed safe to use for salad crops and can we eat the soft fruit that is already there?
- 15 May, 2009
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cats in the garden
Answers
Well, I wouldn't fancy eating salad that had grown in that! I wouldn't want to plant it, either, it would be a horrible job.
I think I would want to remove the top layer of soil and replace it - also make sure that the cats didn't repeat their 'doings'!!
15 May, 2009
Is there any way you could put netting up around the raised bed to keep the cats out? When I was putting netting over my pond to keep leaves out I made a frame by tying long bamboo canes together at the top and sticking their other ends into the ground. It made a triangle or wigwam shape and I kept going until I had made a frame to cover the length of the pond. The top part was quite high - I would have been able to walk under it... if I had been able to walk on water, lol. I did it this way as I wanted to raise the netting off the gound so the frogs could come and go, but with this design the netting can be pulled all the way to the ground, which in your case would keep cats out.
It is just an idea but it was fast to put up and cheap to make.
I wouldn't like to eat soft fruit in a cat toilet area! I'm not sure if it is safe or not. I hope you get it sorted as it must be very frustrating.
15 May, 2009
certainly the fruits off the bushes will be safe to eat as the cat's poo will be decomposed by soil critters over time, and add nutrients to the soil. but as some one else said i wouldnt want to eat the salad stuff if the cat was still toiletting the area. When i find 'calling cards' i trowel it off under the hedge of the cat owner. she is more than happy for me to return it as it is a source of embarrassment for her that her cats dont use her own garden. t'other neighbour says its my problem when her dog visits us. grrrr
16 May, 2009
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