Kitty litter box gardening experiment

[Aunt Caffy]

After reading a suggestion from this forum about using a kitty litter pan to grow good eats for your tortoise, I decided to try it myself. Today is just the start, so I don't know how well it's going to work. Anyway, here it goes:
1) I opened up my Tidy Cat Breeze litter system. It comes in two pieces.

2) I chose this system because of the drain holes in the bottom so that I can water the plants and excess water will drain away, preventing root rot. There is a pull out tray that will catch the water so that I can place the planter in the tortoise closed chamber and water the plants in there and not have the enclosure get too wet.
3) I don't know if you can tell, but the drain slots are pretty big. I don't want either the dirt to go through or little tort toes to get caught, so I covered the bottom with weed fabric from Home Depot to allow water to keep draining out. I sealed it with heat and water resistant aluminum tape.

4) I attached the top piece and also sealed it with the same tape (the tape isn't in this picture).

5) I filled it with Vigoro Organics Garden Soil and tossed in some white clover and crimson clover seeds that I got from outsidepride.com. I poured a little more soil on top then placed them outside and watered them.


I won't be getting my little guy or girl for about another month, so I'm hoping my clover is growing by then. I have two more of these litter boxes that I'll be fixing up soon with different plants.

 

[dmmj]

Looks like a great idea, as long as the litter box is new, not used.

 

[Aunt Caffy]

Looks like a great idea, as long as the litter box is new, not used.

I forgot to say it, but YES the litter box is brand new as are the two others that are still in their boxes. It's never hard for me to find an excuse to buy something new.

 

[Aunt Caffy]

Here's some of the plants I've bought for the inside enclosure.

I got a spider plant, two bromeliads, an African violet, and an ice plant. Khaleesi, our Scottish Fold, approves of my choices.

 

[wellington]

A whole month before your tort arrives, don't start the other planters yet. In about three days your seeds will probably start to sprout. By the time your tort gets here, you will have had to cut the weeds down. I started clover in just coconut coir and they sprouted in three days. Yours should work really good of you. Just remember, if they get too big and go to seed, the torts usually won't eat them, I guess they get kinda bitter at that stage. That's what I learn on here, when my weeds were really tall and not being eaten any more.

 

[Flipper]

Great idea!

 

[Jacqui]

Note to others... the plain boxes work well too, just have to drill the holes in the bottom of the pan. Nice thing is litter boxes come in all sizes including some small ones that fit inside even small enclosures. Dish pans work too, but they are a bit deeper, making them hard to place into thsubstrate of the enclosure for most folks.

David... old pans work well too, you just need to be sure to sterilize them well before starting.

 

[Aunt Caffy]

Note to others... the plain boxes work well too, just have to drill the holes in the bottom of the pan. Nice thing is litter boxes come in all sizes including some small ones that fit inside even small enclosures. Dish pans work too, but they are a bit deeper, making them hard to place into thsubstrate of the enclosure for most folks.

David... old pans work well too, you just need to be sure to sterilize them well before starting.

Some of the dish pans are actually quite a bit cheaper, too. I saw some for under $2 at Walmart. It really depends on how much you're willing to spend and what size you need. I just happened to know about the Tidy Cat Breeze system because that's what our cat uses. I have a few $10 off coupons (that came with the boxes) for these systems if anyone wants one.

 

[taza]

Thats great, way to prepare!

 

[Aunt Caffy]

A other month before your tort arrives, don't start the other planters yet. In about three days your seeds will probably start to sprout. By the time your tort gets here, you will have had to cut the weeds down. I started clover in just coconut coir and they sprouted in three days. Yours should work really good of you. Just remember, if they get too big and go to seed, the torts usually won't eat them, I guess they get kinda bitter at that stage. That's what I learn on here, when my weeds were really tall and not being eaten any more.

I noticed the first sprouts this morning. So less than two days. I have two more kitty litter planter boxes that I'm going to plant stuff in. I'll just plant things with longer germination times.

Tortoises are so awesome. Just the anticipation of one has me gardening again. I've got so many seeds that will be great food for them.