‘You need to put orange peels in your garden this month’ gardening expert says – and it’s not to make it smell nice
THERE are plenty of gardening jobs to get done in July, from keeping the lawn trim to pruning your plants.
But one job you need to get on top of this month is sprinkling orange peel around the garden and no, it’s not because of the smell.
Of course, gardens have a whole host of pests making themselves at home during the summer – and one of them tends to be cats.
Cats can be unpredictable and territorial, so it can make keeping them out of you garden extremely tricky.
Often these four-legged pets head into the garden to nibble on plants and dig them up before using it as a toilet.
Not only do they ruin your plants, they often mark their territory by spreading pheromones from fouling and urinating and will constantly visit while their scent remains.
To make sure they stay out and can no longer smell their own scent, gardening experts recommend using oranges.
As oranges don’t grow in the UK, the pros suggest using orange peel to sprinkle around the garden.
According to the pros at Primrose, cats “hate citrus scents”, so take your leftover orange peel and scatter it where you’d like to deter the offending felines.
The idea behind this is simple – the cat smells the fruit, dislikes it and wanders off.
Alternatively, lemon peels can be used in their place as they too give off a citrus odour.
What’s more is that it keeps them away from your garden without causing any harm.
Make sure to replace the peels once they get old and lose their smell to keep cats away.
Once done, you can use the orange peels in your compost as they have high vitamin content.
Instead, you could also plant a Coleus Canina that will not only add colour and interest to your garden but also repels cats.
This unusual plant, which is also known as the ‘Scaredy Cat’ plant and costs £1.50 from B&Q, is said to “help deter cats and other unwanted pests from entering and fouling your garden”.
Laws around deterring cats from your garden
According to the RSPCA, cats are protected by law and are free to roam meaning they might go into other people's gardens or allotments.
For many homeowners or gardeners who don’t own a cat or dog, having someone else’s furry friend use your outdoor space as a toilet can be extremely annoying.
But there are strict rules when it comes to trying to deter cats.
The RSPCA said: “In attempting to prevent cats from entering a garden or an allotment it is important to make sure that any deterrent methods used are non-harmful and don’t cause pain, suffering, injury or distress.
“Causing unnecessary suffering to a cat is an offence under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 (AWA).
“It may also be an offence to put down snares, poison or an unlicensed
deterrent. The AWA also prohibits poisoning protected animals.
“The maximum penalty for anyone found guilty of an offence under the AWA is up to six months imprisonment and/or a £20,000 fine.”
As for how it works, B&Q experts explained: “It emits an odour that cats in particular find incredibly offensive and therefore disappear back out of your gate or over the fence!
“It will be at its most effective when planted in a sunny spot, because the odour gets stronger the hotter the leaves become – fortunately the odour is barely obvious to humans!”