Society of Feline Gardeners- Thursday in the Garden with Jonesie

::3 paw taps::

Hi there everyone!  Welcome back to my soggy garden.  Do you know that we've had the soggiest March ever? 

This is definitely making it hard to get a garden going.  The moss is thrilled, but I can't get anyone out here to help me with the real work

My claws got a good work out on this nice tree.

Hmmm...what do to now?

Looks like the rhubarb is starting to come up.  That's a good thing.  My dad loves to make rhubarb crisp and my mom loves to eat it.  I better keep a close watch on it.

Whoa...what's going on here?  Pay attention my feline garden pals...on the left of this picture is my beloved nip.  To the right is an invasive...NOT NIP plant know as lemon balm.  Some humans might like lemon balm, but if left to it's own devices...wham!  It takes over the precious nip and that's the end of the story.  Mom and dad...better rip it out now.  Do it for me.  Do it for all the cats in the neighborhood.

It's the right thing to do.

So many weeds...so little time.  A garden cats work is never done.

I sure hope you're getting sunbeams in your garden this week!  Leave a link so everyone can visit you!

Thursday in the Garden with Jonesie - Nip Tips

I promised that I would share my tips on growing huge nip. I can't take all the credit. There are things that make it easy for me. I live in the Willamette Valley where everything grows well. Our yard is on an old orchard tract so the soil is great. But there are some tips learned through trial and error where I may be of some help to you. No matter how good or bad your soil, you can and should add to it. We make our own compost, but you can buy it. We also have "dirt" delivered to us to help. It's not plain old dirt, we ask the dirt people to mix it up for us special...based on what you need it may be part sand, top soil, mushroom compost, etc. Yes, we special order dirt. Quality dirt makes all the difference. And yes I occasionally add my own special fertililzer.

Location, location, location. We have grown nip all over our yard, but it's never been quite as happy as it is under this tree. We guess it's the perfect mix of sun and shade. We dig up nip from elsewhere in the yard and move it here. That's the other part of success. If you only have one or two plants...they will never survive us cats. We have over a dozen different plants in this one spot. They also come back year after year and we divide and move them so they are happy. We have so many plants, even my family can't destroy them. When they get big and tall and start to form flowers, make sure you cut off the flowers so the energy of the plant goes to the leaves...although I like to nibble on the flowers too!

We have not been successful in attempting to grow nip indoors. Some of you may remember this sad ex-plant that I got for my gotcha day. It is now quite dead. It was once a happy and hopeful nip plant, but it was a lone plant inside the house. It didn't stand a chance....

Rest in peace little nip plant. We should have moved you outside with the others before it was too late.

Thursday in the Garden with Jonesie

Hey, I'm still a little annoyed that my sister Cory got appointed Secretary of Socks. Really. There are more pressing issues facing the country, like making sure the worlds cats are supplied with quality cat nip.

That's right, nip. Here in my garden, even though it's winter, the nip still shows signs of life. Once my humans clear the patch of a few weeds, the old stalks and dead leaves, we'll be ready to welcome a new catnip forest in the spring and summer. We still have a few choice leaves to chew on.

Did you know even the dead stalks still smell great?

Even the dead buds are hard to resist. Anyway...I'm hereby staking my claim as Secretary of Nip! Maybe I could share the responsibilities with an Aussie or Kiwi kitty so year round, the world nip supply is safe.

Tuxie Tuesday- Gardeners Journal

Even though it's December, there are still things growing in the garden. The Swiss chard is looking a bit ragged, but there's plenty to eat. And...look! Growing with the Swiss chard is a treat...a volunteer catnip plant! My garden is full of good surprises.

Because the grass isn't really growing, it's not being mowed. And guess what? More catnip! Yay!

Doesn't look like anyone else is going to claim it.

Mine!