Of Peas and Cats
They are Watkins’ WF Massey Dwarf Peas and according to the packet “a very popular dwarf variety. Early cropping with lots of sweet green peas in attractive pointed pods. Ready to harvest in 10 weeks”. Only growing to a height of 45cm they apparently don’t need staking so certainly less fuss. Can’t say I’m growing them to supply our dinner table as frozen peas aren’t that expensive but I thought they could be a good snack for the children (and hubby and I). Also it utilises this bed through winter but they will be finished in time for spring salad planting. It will be interesting to see how they grow.
Unfortunately we have a large number of neighbourhood cats that love to hang out in our garden, up to eight on a sunny day. This normally doesn’t worry me but they do have a habit of using my freshly dug over veggie patch as a personal toilet, destroying any seeds and seedlings in their way. Two in particular like my veggie patch. Hubby’s persian/tortoiseshell KittyKat and the neighbour’s jet black Salem can often be found curled up under the shade of the large rhubarb leaves or warming themselves in the hot house.
To get around this problem I have tried to grow seeds in punnets on the back door step but I kept forgetting to water them. An upturned plant tray worked well for both the carrot and weed seeds and I couldn’t tell the difference between the two when they needed to be weeded and thinned! I did find plastic fruit juice bottles great protection for new seedlings but I am still experimenting with keeping the cats off my seeds! With the peas I have decided to try a promising new technique which worked well out the front recently.
Sticks. Sharp pointy sticks. I know it sounds cruel but they are only thin kebabs sticks so shouldn’t do any damage to a moggy but hopefully deter them from digging and squatting. At first I placed them where I planted each pea seed but realised this left lovely areas in between the rows for the cats to dig so I went crazy and ‘planted’ sticks everywhere. I’m not sure how this will go as we did see a set of paw prints weaving their way through the bed the next morning but hey it’s worth a try.
New Plot Beside The Dalek
Peas Seeds With Cat Protection