[hubballi]

What is the point of doing anything at all. Yesterday I planted out my carefully grown young spring onions, kale, chard and beetroots and covered the whole bed with enviromesh with canes with pots on the tops to hold it up. Took me most of afternoon to set up so I won't get onion and cabbage fly as well as beet leaf minor. Also, it's a hard job keeping my cat from messing in it all the time (despite giving him clear patches of earth in other areas)
Well I got up this morning and found next door's cat using it as a bed and the whole thing had absolutely flattened and broken just about everything. Italian kale, beetroot, curly kale, spring onions, sweetcorn. Then all my tiny spring onions had been dug up and messed in adding insult. It's like I am not allowed to have anything growing successfully because there is ALWAYS something that has to spoil it. So far it's been leaf minor, onion fly, blight, cabbage fly, pigeons, slugs and snails, damping off, stunted growth and now cats. Because next door keeps their cat out all night (even in winter) it decides to use my netting as a bed and breaks everything. Now I won't have any winter greens AGAIN because I am foiled. I know folk kind of laugh at me here but it really is soul destroying.

[sunshineband]

How disappointing after all your hard work Hubbali - I feel for you

Have you tried creating a tunnel cloche with water pipes, and putting the environmesh over it, held down tight with bricks along the edges and at the ends?

I have done this at my plot to keep rabbits out (as well as the flying pests you mention of course  ) and it works a treat.

Just a thought, as this might also deter next door's cat

[hubballi]

I really am beginning to think there are forces beyond my control working against me. Of course now I won't have time to grow the kales etc for big plants in winter. I haven't got any pipe. Never seen any for sale. I was using heavy stones to keep it weighed down. It doesn't matter what I use, that cat will decide to climb on it and collapse it all.

[sunshineband]

I really am beginning to think there are forces beyond my control working against me. Of course I won't have time to grow the kales etc for big plants in winter. I haven't got any pipe. Never seen any for sale.

You can buy pipe at DIY stores quite easily, and some sell smaller rolls so you don't need to buy 50m 

and there are trays of small kale plants in garden centres now. If you sow seeds yourself there is time to get decent plants still though, especially in the shelter of your garden

[surbie100]

Oh that is heartbreaking after all the time and trouble to get seedlings ready to go out.

Sunny's suggestions are good ones though - if you cross lengths of pipe to make domes and both tie them at the top and put a strong cane or two over the top to link the domes that should be stable enough to take a bit of climbing. I peg mine down with lots of £land tent pegs and the foxes & squirrels (which take out quite a few things on our site) don't get in.

Have you tried putting prickly branches down round the edges? My cat would keep away from things that hurt his soft paws.

I hope you can start again - either with seeds or garden centre plantlets.

[New shoot]

All the main seed companies offer plants via their web sites as well if you find the local garden centre does not have what you want.

We have a supplier that does big veg packs later on in the season.  They weren't ready with them yet, but may be worth you dropping them an email to ask if they supply anywhere near you and when the jumbo veg packs are coming out,  They are a lovely lot and supply a lot of northern centres 

http://www.colourgro.co.uk/about.shtml

[hubballi]

Thanks for all the suggestions. I have calmed down a bit but I never envisaged this happening. I love cats but sometimes they can be frustrating when it comes to your garden.

Sadly, money is tight so for me it's too expensive. The cat will still climb on it and probably tear it if it is taught.

http://www.diy.com/nav/fix/plumbing/plumbing-supplies/pipe_fittings/-specificproducttype-pipe/20MM-X-25M-MDPE-Pipe-11478226?skuId=11988933

[New shoot]

Cadalot did a lot of research on this earlier in the year and there are deals if you shop around.  You should have a look at his recent diary entries.  Nice pictures of blue water pipe cloches that look very sturdy 

http://chat.allotment-garden.org/index.php?topic=102426.msg1145256#msg1145256

The blue pipe lasts forever, so its a worthwhile investment buy.

[New shoot]

Sorry 

In your post originally you were asking if this was a good price, but by the time I found Cadalot's post and replied, you have amended your post to say its too expensive anyway.

I find netting doesn't tear if taut and cats keep off if it doesn't give and make a nice hammock for them btw 

[Beetroot queen]

I had an issue with a badger a few days ago he had flattened a whole bed of beetroot and taken off my net completely. I decided i had nothing to loose so re netted and yesterday when i was on the plit i was amazed to see it all back upright and looking fine. Some may pull back you never know.

[hubballi]

I found some small holes in the netting where his claws had got through. Pretty much ruined as I can't afford to get another one. They are not cheap. 

[Beetroot queen]

I found some small holes in the netting where his claws had got through. Pretty much ruined as I can't afford to get another one. They are not cheap. 

You can sew the net, even my hubby can manage to stitch net and it doesnt have to be the neatest. Are you sure its a cat as claw holes sound a bit bigger than the average puss cat.

[A Reyt Tayty]

I feel for you. I'm surrounded by cat people who think it's hilarious when their furry, purry, little friends dig up your garden and pee on your plants and lawns. There should be a law brought out top make cat owners more responsible. Owners of other types of pets are responsible for keeping them under control.

[Beetroot queen]

I feel for you. I'm surrounded by cat people who think it's hilarious when their furry, purry, little friends dig up your garden and pee on your plants and lawns. There should be a law brought out top make cat owners more responsible. Owners of other types of pets are responsible for keeping them under control.

I do completely understand why people dislike cats but these threads often end up very heated so best not go down that path. I do have a cat and she is a law unto herself but apart from putting her on a lead and carrying a poop bag around i actually cant do much more.  we love cat posts really 

[J_B]

feel for you so heres my story...sowed corn which did not germinate so finally picke dup some from the nirsrey and kept it overnight at home as i planne don planting on the plot, sunday morning go to out it in the car and find its all been munched away by slugs