Classic Gardening Magazine
Gardening as it ought to be
Catnep - cool for cats
I spoil that cat. I know I do. Here he is sampling a new drug stash I've been creating for him.
It's Catnep. There are 14 plants, enough for him to set himself up as a dealer if he wants to. There is a vacancy in the area. The Met just popped a leaflet through the door to say they'd closed down a crack house down the road. If shifty-looking cats start coming round at all hours we'll know he's in business.
The reason for growing such a haul is that if you give Nero one plant he chews it right down to the ground in a matter of days, and it dies. That's not what is supposed to happen. According to the experts a cat takes a quick nibble on a leaf, gets its fix and loses interested for several hours, when another small hit is required.
Not with Nero. He chews away until entirely intoxicated. So maybe I shouldn't be indulging him in his habit.
But my theory is that he keeps coming back to one plant because he can see the supply is limited, and doesn't want to share it with other feline users.
The problem is protecting the plants until they are bushy enough to stand up to his attentions. They've outgrown the greenhouse and how sit under netting on the terrace. Nero took the opportunity for a quick nibble before the protection was in place, and demolished half a plan in the process.
I spoil that cat. I know I do. Here he is sampling a new drug stash I've been creating for him.It's Catnep. There are 14 plants, enough for him to set himself up as a dealer if he wants to. There is a vacancy in the area. The Met just popped a leaflet through the door to say they'd closed down a crack house down the road. If shifty-looking cats start coming round at all hours we'll know he's in business.
The reason for growing such a haul is that if you give Nero one plant he chews it right down to the ground in a matter of days, and it dies. That's not what is supposed to happen. According to the experts a cat takes a quick nibble on a leaf, gets its fix and loses interested for several hours, when another small hit is required.
Not with Nero. He chews away until entirely intoxicated. So maybe I shouldn't be indulging him in his habit.
But my theory is that he keeps coming back to one plant because he can see the supply is limited, and doesn't want to share it with other feline users.
The problem is protecting the plants until they are bushy enough to stand up to his attentions. They've outgrown the greenhouse and how sit under netting on the terrace. Nero took the opportunity for a quick nibble before the protection was in place, and demolished half a plan in the process.
