The fact that cats love climbing trees is well known, so if you’re lucky enough to have a garden that your cat can roam about in, why not give them something to climb! However, you will need to weigh-up the options before you rush to the nearest garden centre. Apples can become great climbing trees for a cat, and you can also get some tasty fruit in the autumn. Apple trees can be quite easy to grow in the UK and are sold in sizes to suit any garden, some are also suited to growing in pots! All commercial trees are grown on ‘rootstocks’, these are selected to control the final height of the full grown tree. The most restricting rootstock is code called “M27″, you can opt for this if you intend to grow your tree in a large pot, but be careful, if your cat tries to climb this one it’ll probably break! Then comes the “M9″, this is also relatively small, it’s one for planting in a very small garden as it’s final height is no more than about 6 to 8 feet. “M26″ is a rootstock that’s excellent for small to medium gardens, it grows to approx. 10 feet. The “MM106″ is known as a semi-dwarfing rootstock, it is a very popular choice being good for the average sized garden, final height for this type of tree is around 12 feet. The most vigorous, the “MM111″, can get to 20 feet, making it too big for many gardens.
What you will need to be aware of is that the smaller the rootstock, the more TLC the tree will need, particularly in the early stages. For instance, “M27″ trees will need cosseting for their whole life, with great care taken over watering and feeding, plus it’ll need staking. The reason for this is that the rootstocks used to restrict tree size will not spread as far as the more vigorous types, as it’s more difficult for the root to support the tree both physically and nutritionally. On the other hand, a “MM106″ rootstock will spread much further within the soil, enabling the tree to thrive even in poor soils.
Another plus for a tree with a dwarfing rootstock is they will come into fruit much sooner. Expect the “M27″ trees to be fruiting within 2 years, whereas the “MM106″ trees can take around 6 years to fruit.
After a few years, depending on the rootstock you’ve chosen, your tree will be providing a outstanding place for your cat to explore and reward you at the same time with scrumptious fruit. And keep the camera handy, you’re sure to get the chance for excellent photos of your pet relishing their new climbing frame, and if any are particularly good, why not get them transformed into a fantastic pet portrait, so you’ll be able to remember the moment for many years to come.
Post a Comment