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Cat Forum / Cat Anecdotes / July 2006Not totally OT: gardening help
I know virtually nothing about gardening and now I have a little garden and don't just want to watch it turn into a jungle (though I like it to be a little wild-looking). I would like to plant some kind of vine or creeper that could climb onto the walls of the enclosure. Can anyone suggest one that would do well in our climate (I'm in Finland)? I'd like it to be easy to plant from seed, because I want to plant it in front of the enclosure, where the space is too small for me to go in and dig holes for plants. It would definitely have to be non-toxic to the cats, because though I plan to plant it outside the enclosure, the leaves may find their way inside it. I would also love it if it stayed green in winter, but that's probably too much to ask (it goes to -20- -30 C here in winter; -5- -20 F). I know there have been web pages listing plants that are toxic to cats, but I can't find any of them now.  SignatureMarina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki. Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/ Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki > I know virtually nothing about gardening and now I have a little garden > and don't just want to watch it turn into a jungle (though I like it to [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > -- > Marina, I probably can't help you with suggestions, since our climate is so horribly hot and dry. I did plant cypress vine seed this spring, and they're growing all over the place now. Very pretty lacy, airy leaves and bright red little trumpet-shaped blooms. Sweet peas are lovely and smell heavenly. Moonflowers and morning glories grow *fast* and climb. (I don't know about morning glories; they could possibly be toxic). English Ivy stays green in the winter, but it's so invasive. That's the problem I've found with fast-growing stuff; it takes over and then I wish I hadn't planted it!! Bootsie says you can't go wrong with catnip seed. Sherry > I know virtually nothing about gardening and now I have a little garden > and don't just want to watch it turn into a jungle (though I like it to > be a little wild-looking). I would like to plant some kind of vine or > creeper that could climb onto the walls of the enclosure. Can anyone > suggest one that would do well in our climate (I'm in Finland)? I'm no expert, but one of the clematis, jackmanii, is winter hardy in my part of Canada. I've only seen it grown from small plants, and in my experience it needs a lot of sun and takes a couple years to get established. It can do quite well, and is attractive. It's hardy in zones 4 and 5 in Canada, and although it's easy to find out what zone a Canadian place is in, and what zones most garden plants grow it, it seems quite difficult to find out what Canadian plant hardiness zone Helsinki is in! The US has a similar system, and what do you know, so does Europe! http://www.uk.gardenweb.com/forums/zones/hze.html http://www.clematis.com.pl/wms/wmsg.php/321.html&plant_number=223 It's always good to get advice from people who actually run nurseries in your local area - *not* a well-meaning teenager in a mass market store that sells a few plants in the spring! SignatureCheryl > > I know virtually nothing about gardening and now I have a little garden > > and don't just want to watch it turn into a jungle (though I like it to [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > experience it needs a lot of sun and takes a couple years to get > established. It can do quite well, and is attractive. Oh! I forgot about clematis. They are *so* beautiful I think. I've had the best luck with them if they have sun, but their roots shaded. Sherry >>> I know virtually nothing about gardening and now I have a little garden >>> and don't just want to watch it turn into a jungle (though I like it to [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > Oh! I forgot about clematis. They are *so* beautiful I think. I've had > the best luck with them if they have sun, but their roots shaded. They look nice. The place I'm thinking of for them would have sun while the roots would be in shade. Do you know if they are toxic? SignatureMarina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki. Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/ Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki > >>> I know virtually nothing about gardening and now I have a little garden > >>> and don't just want to watch it turn into a jungle (though I like it to [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > -- > Marina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki. I googled around, and found out they *are* on the list of toxic plants. But weirdly enough, so is about every other perennial I've ever heard of. I suppose even the plants that only cause nausea, the ones with low levels of toxicity, are listed along with the really dangerous ones like lillies. It's a bit confusing. Sherry > I googled around, and found out they *are* on the list of toxic plants. > But weirdly enough, so is about every other perennial I've ever heard > of. I suppose even the plants that only cause nausea, the ones with low > levels of toxicity, are listed along with the really dangerous ones > like lillies. It's a bit confusing. It's very misleading if they lump together the stomach ache and invariably fatal plants together! I've never had a problem with my little plant - but I've got one or two that are very definitely poisonous, to humans as well as cats, in the yard and no one eats them. My cats do eat plants, but they limit themselves to grass and assorted indoors plants like spider plant and asparagus fern. SignatureCheryl >> Oh! I forgot about clematis. They are *so* beautiful I think. I've had >> the best luck with them if they have sun, but their roots shaded. > > They look nice. The place I'm thinking of for them would have sun while > the roots would be in shade. Do you know if they are toxic? The roots can be easily shaded with rocks. Honeysuckle vines grow like crazy and have beautiful flowers. They do well in Calgary. Susan M Otis and Chester > Honeysuckle vines grow like crazy and have beautiful flowers. They do well > in Calgary. Ooh. Look what Wikipedia says about honeysuckle: "Wood cuttings from the species Lonicera tartarica, native to Eurasia, are sold as cat toys. The wood contains nepetalactone, which is the active ingredient found in catnip. Many breeds of cats react to the scent of the wood and will paw, lick or rub against it." But then, I found another site that says they're toxic. Hmmm. Oh, it's the flowers and berries that are toxic - I don't think the cats would be interested in those. Thanks for the tip, Susan! We have similar climates, so if it does well there, it would probably do well here. SignatureMarina, Miranda and Caliban. In loving memory of Frank and Nikki. Stories and pics at http://koti.welho.com/mkurten/ Pics at http://uk.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frankiennikki/ and http://community.webshots.com/user/frankiennikki > Ooh. Look what Wikipedia says about honeysuckle: > [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] > interested in those. Thanks for the tip, Susan! We have similar climates, > so if it does well there, it would probably do well here. I'd forgotten about this. I once bought some for the boys after seeing the Cat house cat go crazy over it. Unfortunately, like catnip, its hit and miss and my boys gave it a miss. On only two single occasions have the boys ever nibbled on the catnip that I planted for them either - even though they love it dried. Honeysuckle is a funny thing - some varieties are very invasive and are considered noxious here - mainly the imports from Europe. Other varieties are just fine. The greenhouses don't sell the bad ones anymore and I did a search on invasive species before I bought any just to make sure. Once you settle on the right one, they seem to be more hardy than Clematis and can also make do with part sun rather than the full sun that Clematis prefers. Good luck! I can't make it out of a greenhouse without bringing a few extra plants home every time. Cats and plants! Susan M Otis and Chester > > Ooh. Look what Wikipedia says about honeysuckle: > > [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > plants home every time. Cats and plants!> > Susan M Cats & plants + music, and you've got the best therapy around. DH built me a greenhouse late last winter, and it is truly the best gift I ever got. I take a portable CD player, three or four cats, and spend the morning "playing." It's interesting to me to hear that about honeysuckle. My cats have never paid attention to it. I've got one old-fashioned honeysuckle and one of the newer "lemonade" varieties. I like the old-fashioned one better, although it *is* too invasive. But it smells heavenly. The other one is too woody and doesn't have much fragrance. Sherry > Otis and Chester > Honeysuckle is a funny thing - some varieties are very invasive and > are considered noxious here - mainly the imports from Europe. [quoted text clipped - 3 lines] > to be more hardy than Clematis and can also make do with part sun > rather than the full sun that Clematis prefers. I love the smell of honeysuckle. Always have, but I started particularly noticing it when I was writing a paper for English class about the role of honeysuckle in The Sound and the Fury. It seemed to have very sexual and sensual meanings. Signaturemonique, who spoils Oscar unmercifully pictures: http://www.bounceswoosh.org/rpca >> > I know virtually nothing about gardening and now I have a little garden >> > and don't just want to watch it turn into a jungle (though I like it to [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > > Sherry Sorry crew, but I checked, as I love clematis, but it is poisonous to cats. I'd check with the poisonous plant sites, then with your local plant people. We have trumpet vine all over our fence and it is gorgeous, I'd thought about planting wisteria (sorry, warm weather plant) but it takes over and gives orders. We're trying to get rid of one that some misguided person planted against the front of the house. The damn things tear buildings apart, as does ivy, if given a chance. Pam S. also wanting to plant something cool against the cat enclosure. > >> > I know virtually nothing about gardening and now I have a little garden > >> > and don't just want to watch it turn into a jungle (though I like it to [quoted text clipped - 21 lines] > > Pam S. also wanting to plant something cool against the cat enclosure. Trumpet vines! Ack! I misguidedly transplanted a teeny one once. In two years it completely ate a pole, birdhouse and windchime. It was like something out of a horror movie. Sherry > Oh! I forgot about clematis. They are *so* beautiful I think. I've had > the best luck with them if they have sun, but their roots shaded. > > Sherry/// That must be why the one I planted this year is doing so well. It's gone completely mad and will look stunning next year. I love honeysuckle too. Helen M > creeper that could climb onto the walls of the enclosure. Can anyone > suggest one that would do well in our climate (I'm in Finland)? I'd like Can't help with suggestions, but found this site that may be helpful: http://www.fmnh.helsinki.fi/english/botanicgarden/ Victor > I know virtually nothing about gardening and now I have a little garden > and don't just want to watch it turn into a jungle (though I like it to [quoted text clipped - 11 lines] > I know there have been web pages listing plants that are toxic to cats, > but I can't find any of them now. I don't have any suggestions for anything creepy... I mean any creeping plants for you, but I'd guess one of those large gardening shops (Plantagen etc.) should be able to help you. And this link should help you on the toxicity issue: http://www.catfocused.com/cat-health/cats-and-plants.php We're actually in the same situation, know nothing about gardening and suddenly have an actual yard, or at least a bit of grass around the apartment. So I'm learning too. SignatureChristine in Vantaa, Finland christal63 (at) gmail (dot) com photos: http://photos.yahoo.com/christal63 photos: http://community.webshots.com/user/chkr63 >I know virtually nothing about gardening and now I have a little garden >and don't just want to watch it turn into a jungle (though I like it to >be a little wild-looking). I would like to plant some kind of vine or >creeper that could climb onto the walls of the enclosure. That sounds like it would be a fun project. Plus, you'll be safe from that glove stealing cat, since you're on a different continent. You should ask your breeder niece what kind of plants she would like to photograph the next time she comes over. :) >> I would like to plant some kind of vine or >> creeper that could climb onto the walls of the enclosure. > That sounds like it would be a fun project. Plus, you'll be safe from > that glove stealing cat, since you're on a different continent. LOL, I'm sure Marina is very relieved, now that you've pointed that out. :) Actually, now that I think of it, perhaps being on a different continent *isn't* enough to provide complete safety from the garden-glove stealing cat. He seems a very determined sort. (For that matter, she's not really on a different continent... they're both in Burope, no? Except that Finland is on the Buropean mainland.) Joyce > > That sounds like it would be a fun project. Plus, you'll be safe from > > that glove stealing cat, since you're on a different continent. [quoted text clipped - 7 lines] >(For that matter, she's not really on a different continent... they're >both in Burope, no? Except that Finland is on the Buropean mainland.) I thought Willy was somewhere in NY state? There have been several garden glove stealing cats over the years though, so you might have been thinking of another one. From the picture, it looked to me like Caliban might be a distant relative. :) > >(For that matter, she's not really on a different continent... they're > >both in Burope, no? Except that Finland is on the Buropean mainland.) > I thought Willy was somewhere in NY state? There have been several > garden glove stealing cats over the years though, so you might have > been thinking of another one. From the picture, it looked to me like > Caliban might be a distant relative. :) Oops, you're right. That cat was in New Jersey. For some reason, I was misremembering it as coming from the UK. Maybe there was an item-stealing cat in the UK? I remember some story about a cat who liked to go into neighbors' homes, take all sorts of stuff, and bring it back to his/her own house. That cat's humans also would put the items out in front of their home with a sign that explained the situation. Apparently this is not an isolated behavior. Joyce I remember some story about a cat who liked to go into > neighbors' homes, take all sorts of stuff, and bring it back to his/her > own house. That cat's humans also would put the items out in front of > their home with a sign that explained the situation. Apparently this is > not an isolated behavior.//// Lily once managed to steal a packet of Danish Bacon from my neighbour and brought it in through the cat flap. I didn't have the guts to tell my neighbour. Sir William, when he was alive also made it his business to steal cakes and what not from my neighbours. Helen M > Lily once managed to steal a packet of Danish Bacon from my neighbour > and brought it in through the cat flap. Many years ago our d*g thing, Motley came running into the house carrying an entire still hot roast turkey! This was about Easter time and we think someone must have cooked it and put it on their window sill to cool.... It was so big that Speedy Joe (RB) could get inside it and proceeded to try and eat his way back out Another time he came in with a bag of sandwiches Lesley Slave of the Fabulous Furballs >> Lily once managed to steal a packet of Danish Bacon from my neighbour >> and brought it in through the cat flap. [quoted text clipped - 10 lines] > >Slave of the Fabulous Furballs Oh golly, that reminds me of the "dog in elk" email thread. Now I'm going to have to hunt it down. Found it (bless google) http://www.jerrypournelle.com/reports/jerryp/dogsinelk.html Tish - sitting down to read it and giggle all over again > Tish - sitting down to read it and giggle all over again Tish I've never heard of it before so what did I do?...Go and have a look of course And when I'd finished looking? Wiped the cola off my keyboard!!! You should have mentioned that it was probably not a good thing to have any liquids anywhere near you whilst reading it!!! It's reduced one of my colleagues to tears of hysterical laughter already (well she wanted to know why I was having hysterics so I showed her and now she's face down in front of her computer making strange noises...I think she's laughing so much she's forgotten how to breathe!) Thank you for brightening another dull boring day Lesley Slave of the Fabulous Furballs >>> Lily once managed to steal a packet of Danish Bacon from my neighbour >>> and brought it in through the cat flap. [quoted text clipped - 16 lines] > >Tish - sitting down to read it and giggle all over again Oh. my. goodness. This is making me VERY glad I have cats... at least their prey is smaller than they are :P >Oh golly, that reminds me of the "dog in elk" email thread. Now I'm >going to have to hunt it down. Found it (bless google) >http://www.jerrypournelle.com/reports/jerryp/dogsinelk.html > >Tish - sitting down to read it and giggle all over again The bottom part was new to me - I didn't realize that the carcass was of an elk that was shot and roughly dressed. I'm glad that it wasn't the corpse of an elk that died - that would have really been a gross story. > The bottom part was new to me - I didn't realize that the carcass was > of an elk that was shot and roughly dressed. I'm glad that it wasn't > the corpse of an elk that died - that would have really been a gross > story. I'm not sure what the difference is between "elk that was shot and roughly dressed" and "corpse of an elk that died"... Joyce > > The bottom part was new to me - I didn't realize that the carcass was > > of an elk that was shot and roughly dressed. I'm glad that it wasn't > > the corpse of an elk that died - that would have really been a gross > > story. > I'm not sure what the difference is between "elk that was shot and > roughly dressed" and "corpse of an elk that died"... The one that died might have been, ummm, more aged than that of a recently dressed carcass. Not to mention that it might still have all the bits that are removed from a dressed carcass because they go bad and stink quite quickly, assuming some animal hasn't already chewed on them. SignatureCheryl > Lily once managed to steal a packet of Danish Bacon from my neighbour > and brought it in through the cat flap. I didn't have the guts to tell > my neighbour. Sir William, when he was alive also made it his business > to steal cakes and what not from my neighbours. MISS LILY WHISKERS, THAT IS SO KEWL. DID YOUR MEOWMIE COOK IT FOR YOU? I STEAL THE STRAWS IN GRANDMEOW'S WATER GLASS. I ALSO TOOK CAT TREATS FROM QC ONCE. BUT SONYA BATTED MY FACE. SHE ACTS LIKE SHE'S MY MEOWMIE OR SOMETHING. QUI GUN KIT You stupid kit. I am your mother and I won't let you steal from other cats. Your Grandmeow is fair game, though. Momma Sonya >Lily once managed to steal a packet of Danish Bacon from my neighbour >and brought it in through the cat flap. I didn't have the guts to tell >my neighbour. Sir William, when he was alive also made it his business >to steal cakes and what not from my neighbours. That's so funny. I forgot just how inquisitive even an adult cat can be. >> I know virtually nothing about gardening and now I have a little >> garden and don't just want to watch it turn into a jungle (though I [quoted text clipped - 6 lines] > should ask your breeder niece what kind of plants she would like to > photograph the next time she comes over. :) But who knows how far a cat can teleport? ;o) SignatureAdrian (Owned by Snoopy and Bagheera) Cats leave pawprints on your heart. http://community.webshots.com/user/clowderuk >>> I know virtually nothing about gardening and now I have a little >>> garden and don't just want to watch it turn into a jungle (though I [quoted text clipped - 8 lines] > >But who knows how far a cat can teleport? ;o) Cinders' teleportation seems to be one-way. She can teleport her way into closets, but has to have assistance getting out again. SignatureJohn F. Eldredge -- john@jfeldredge.com PGP key available from http://pgp.mit.edu "Reserve your right to think, for even to think wrongly is better than not to think at all." -- Hypatia of Alexandria >>But who knows how far a cat can teleport? ;o) > >Cinders' teleportation seems to be one-way. She can teleport her way >into closets, but has to have assistance getting out again. Hehehe. This is too true. I wish that they could reverse their teleportation not just out of closets, but out of basements, garages, and sheds. |
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