On Mon, 21 Apr 2003 05:29:20 -0500, (Pat Kiewicz)
wrote:

Polar said:
story of strong-willed cat

To the point: Would coffee grounds be (a) a deterrent
and (b) not harmful to the veggies? Not a huge coffee drinker,
moi, but I could ask at a coffee shop (has anybody done this?
what success?)

What seems to help keep the neighborhood cats away from the
flowere beds (the veggie garden has more rigorous protection):

cocoashell mulch (straight)

cocoashell mulch mixed with leaves and coffeegrounds

OK, I was into cocoa mulch for quite a while, but somebody on this NG
turned me off it (my inference, not their instructions!) by suggesting
that it got clumpy over time & lost its beauty.

Sigh! I always believe what the last person tells me about anything.
Eternal naive.

any kind of mulch topped with ground-up citrus peels (needs to be topped off
more often than the cocoashell mulch mixes)

Aha! That sounds better than what I was trying, namely, scattering
bits of orange peel over the area. Will try the ground-up technique;
thanks a bunch. Seems like the grinding process (Cuisinart OK?) would
release more of the pungent oils.

fencing in a very low arch over the plants (particularly useful over winter,
close to the house)

Thought of that; may still try it, though Pericles is endlessly
resourceful. He would (might?) jump up on the wall backing the veg
garden and then jump down. OTOH, he might decide it's too much
trouble. Worth looking into. PITA to remove fenceeach time one needs
to weed or harvest, but beats "harvesting" an indescribable squishy
lump..g

I already have wide-mesh netting draped completely over the middle
bed containing 50 strawberry plants, to keep the birds off. Draped it
over tall stakes pounded in around the area

Pure coffeegrounds tend to clump and stink.

Hmm...maybe if scattered thinly?

I can see this is going to be trial & error g

Thanks for all suggestions.

--

Zone 24/8
So. Calif Coastal

Polar