How Do You Keep Your Orchids Safe?

[abigaillevans]

I know lots of you have cats -- how do you keep your orchids safe from your little furry friends?

My cat, Freyja, will eat any plant she can get to: I even caught her trying to eat a dead P. elata leaf I threw in the trash can inside. As we approach hurricane season here in Florida, I know my plants will be inside at some point... and there are other plants I'd love to grow inside!

Is there anything I can do to keep her out of my plants?? What do you do?

[shadytrake]

If I have to bring an orchid inside I lock it in the bathroom because my cat is an orchid eater.

[abigaillevans]

That's a good idea -- especially because our bathroom is large and gets some natural light. Unfortunately, that's also where the litter boxes, one cat's kennel, and their food bowls are

I've read online that there are certain smells cats hate -- has anyone had any luck with keeping essential oils or something around their plants?

[silken]

You could try some citrus peels sitting around the plants. Supposedly cats don't like that. We too have 3 cats and luckily my orchids grow in an attached greenhouse where the cats are not allowed. I used to let one out there as he wanted to go so bad. That's until he was knocking over plants and peeing in the dirt floor

But when my plants are in bloom I want them in the house to enjoy. All of my miltoniopsis that have bloomed have cat tooth holes in the leaves. So if you have any with thin grassy leaves beware! Our cats don't seem to bother the phals and dendrobium plants, but when they are racing through the house they have sent many flying

My nobile dendrobium hit the floor 3 times recently and a ring stake on it was what saved it from breaking.

You can get a spray that is to deter cats. But it wears off fast. I take a water spray bottle after the cats with a hard direct stream and that teaches them (ya right) to stay away.

I don't know if there are many ways to keep tham away. I have tried things like oregano oil and basil oil which are very strong. Maybe cinnamon oil would work. Good luck. Maybe move the cat accessories for hurricane season?

[Blueszz]

Essential oils... I tried growing Pelargonium with a citrus smell in between orchids. My cats didn't like the smell and avoided the Pelargoniums/Orchids. When you have lots of orchids, you need many Pelargoniums heh but you could use them as a shield around your orchids.

A few weeks ago one of my cats started eating from Monstera leafs. Nothing helped until I sprayed the pot with... (Don't laugh) Ecosmart Organic Insect repellent. I had to apply it every evening but it worked and now she leaves that plant alone.
This spray contains essential oils too, like Rosemary, Cinnamon and Lemon grass.

I think you'll could have success with soaking a bit of paper/fabric with essential oils and laying them on/next to the pots. But be careful, essential oils can be harmful for pets.

Maybe it's worth trying orange and lemon peels on top of the pots. I think it will work but I don't know for how long.

Another solution I use is putting the pots as close as I can next to each other on a side table (in front of a window). The table contains so many pots that a cat can't/won't fit in between them... but my cats accept that - if your cat would jump on the table in between the plants despite the table is full with pots... disaster strikes.

Good luck!

[abigaillevans]

Silken -- the citrus peel idea is a good one, and I'm definitely going to try it. Maybe I can get some citrusy essential oils and sprinkle them around the plants, too.

I'm trying to concoct a way to hang the plants in our windows without drilling any major holes (we rent). Maybe I can jerry rig a pole or something up there so she can't reach them

[silken]

I don't know how many plants you need to bring in, but our garden centres have plant stands that hold 3 or more. Not much help if you have lots. What about a metal shelf?

[tcrane]

Keep 'em out of reach. It's the only thing I've found that works.

Both my cats will eat anything they can get their teeth into. After losing half a Neo to my cat, I've finally just relented and make sure everything is on a shelf they can't reach. Mistakes still do happen, of course..

-Tristan

[merkity]

double stikcy tape!! - only thing that deters my fuzz balls from our sofas. the last sofa that left the house was missing several inches of the wooden supports that you generally can't see because they are coverd up....anyway i cheated - i know these guys would eat my orchids - so i bought a terrarium.

[cday2inflorida]

My cat Jack is an eater of glue off of envelopes. Its crazy. He never bothers anything but the envelopes with glue. Wouldn't touch the self-adhesive type.
I can't tell you how many important things he chewed up. They look they have been through a shredder at the top.