Q: Is there anything I can use in or around my houseplants to keep my cat from chewing them?A: Try growing some grass just for your cat to eat. Many cats love to chew on grass: oat grass, wheat grass, barley, etc. You can buy little containers at pet stores, or you can grow your own. Buy the unsprouted grain at natural food stores. Plant it in a soilless seed starting mix, keep moist and place in the sun. With a little training and encouragement, most cats can learn that the grass is theirs; the spider plant is yours!
You can also try applying chili-pepper spray to your plants, or putting stone mulch on soil to keep the cat from using it as a litter box.
Q: Can I use something now to keep the aphids off my shade trees this summer?
A: February or early March (before the trees leaf out) is a good time to control aphids that overwinter on the tree. Use a horticultural spray oil on a dry day, when the temperature is above freezing. Then, if aphids become a problem later on in the season, you can spray horticultural oils again or use insecticidal soap.
Here's a note of caution for you: some maple trees and conifers are sensitive to horticultural oils, so be sure to read the labels before applying. And be sure to spray in the morning: if you spray in the heat of the day, the moisture will burn your trees.
Money-Saver Tip: If you'd love to add a brick garden path but can't afford brick, here's an option that will save you money and still give you the look you want: make your own steppingstones. You can use a pizza box as a form, and make the stones plain or add dye or smaller stones for a different look.
