Transplanting trees and protecting plants from cats -- and vice-versa

Nyah and the Mandarin (sounds like a singing group, doesn’t it?)

Hi, guys!

I brought my potted mandarin orange back indoors for the winter. I should have done it earlier, as some of its leaves were starting to yellow from the cooling temps, but since my daughter’s cat lives here now — and citrus plants are toxic to cats — I left it outside until I could figure out a way to protect both of them.

I ended up buying a 4-foot-by-3-foot mesh drawstring bag to put the tree in, and so far, it’s working out well. The cat can’t access the tree even though it’s out in the open in the sunniest spot in the house (next to the sliding doors in the kitchen).

My only concern is whether the mesh will block any sunlight. I’ll let you know how it goes. And if you have any cat-houseplant tips, please share them in the comments.

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DEAR JESSICA: I look forward to receiving the Weekly Dirt in my inbox every Sunday morning and reading it with my coffee. Today, I hope you can answer this question: When is the best time to transplant trees? Thanks for everything! — Andrew Meyer