Help... I might have planted everything too soon😅

[Melmel]

Hello everyone!
as a true novice.. I was too excited and started a few plants early (3 aubergines and chillies) as I read they take very long to germinate..then February arrived and I planted pumpkins in trays,and lettuce,rocket,carrots,parsnips undercover, then March arrived and I planted tomatoes, herbs, flowers etc.. I had to pot up a few times as they grew.. now my kitchen has a designated area for them and it looks like this:

The neighbour's cats came and dug out some seedlings I had outside and they started to use my beds as their toilets... we're still trying to figure out how to keep them away, so far I just covered the planted beds but it won't last very long... have I done a mistake and was it way too early to plant seeds? I feel my house is invaded by plants now! 😅


take care 🌷
Mel

[Nicos]

Te he…That’s part of the pleasure of it!
Wont be long before you’ll be playing the hokey cocky with them…out during the day and in at night.
I bet you still have some windowsills you can use?

They look lovely and healthy.

[Snoop Puss]

Looking lovely there, Melmel.

Do you know when your last frost is?

[Melmel]

Thank you! I'm trying to harden them off already but not sure if it's too soon?

My last frost is supposed to be at the beginning of April, another website said at the end of April, Which websites do you guys trust for these things?

p.s. some are getting yellowing leaves, I've potted them up today in the recycled bottle you see in the picture with a mix of manure, seedling mix and worm compost, hopefully they're not too far gone

[Snoop Puss]

If you get on with your neighbours, or if you want an excuse to introduce yourself to them (if I remember rightly, you've recently moved into a new home), they'd be the best people to ask. Our last frost is five weeks after the usual date given by online sites.

If you've got some yellowing leaves, that's most likely a nutrient deficiency. Potting compost will keep seedlings going for a few weeks but after a bit the plants will have used up what's available. Potting them like you've done is a good idea.

As for the cats, that's a shame. What I do is put down crisscrossing twiggy branches and that usually deters them.

[Melmel]

If you get on with your neighbours, or if you want an excuse to introduce yourself to them (if I remember rightly, you've recently moved into a new home), they'd be the best people to ask. Our last frost is five weeks after the usual date given by online sites.

If you've got some yellowing leaves, that's most likely a nutrient deficiency. Potting compost will keep seedlings going for a few weeks but after a bit the plants will have used up what's available. Potting them like you've done is a good idea.

As for the cats, that's a shame. What I do is put down crisscrossing twiggy branches and that usually deters them.

That's some great advice thank you!

[rary]

To keep the cats away without doing them any harm, try surrounding your area with some bleach, evidently you can only do this if you have a gravel path or similar around you beds if you have wooden boards around your beds try painting some bleach on the outside, not sure if it will work for you but it did seem to do ok when I tried it.

[Nicos]

Hardening them off during the day - so long as it’s not too cold - will help slow down their growth and therefore reduce the risk of them getting too leggy.
This will help the adult plant become more robust
Good call

[Melmel]

To keep the cats away without doing them any harm, try surrounding your area with some bleach, evidently you can only do this if you have a gravel path or similar around you beds if you have wooden boards around your beds try painting some bleach on the outside, not sure if it will work for you but it did seem to do ok when I tried it.

Great I'll definitely do this! thank you!

[Melmel]

Hardening them off during the day - so long as it’s not too cold - will help slow down their growth and therefore reduce the risk of them getting too leggy.
This will help the adult plant become more robust
Good call

I didn't know hardening off serves this function too! great!

[MelanieSW]

To keep the cats away without doing them any harm, try surrounding your area with some bleach, evidently you can only do this if you have a gravel path or similar around you beds if you have wooden boards around your beds try painting some bleach on the outside, not sure if it will work for you but it did seem to do ok when I tried it.

A warning - In the cat and fox world, bleach supposedly smells like their pee and can encourage them to add their own signature on top... (Of course my cat is an angel and would never do that)

[rary]

As I said Melanie it seemed to work for me, you could always try the likes of a garlic spray, as when I use that in my back garden especially near my hut my OH stays well away😁😁

[bramble]

Melanie, to keep cats away from your plants, I use upturned hanging baskets...the wire ones, over my plants.
Also the prunings from my rose bushes....I have had two cats and it has worked for me.

[Nicos]

***mod note…
Just a reminder that any form of cat repellent must be both safe for the cat’s health and humane *****

Not that you need reminding

[Mark Rand]

Does that rule out Labradors? No harm yet over 4 years, but assorted hissing and barking.