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Can I replant raised beds that cats have used as a litter box?
Thank you to viewer Linda for this great question! She's concerned about contamination and wondering if she needs to use any bleach or lime to clean that area. Since this is a contained area, I would suggest removing all of the soil and replacing it with a mixture of purchased topsoil and compost.
Depending on the size of the bed, she can purchase the new ingredients by the bag or have it delivered from a local soil supplier. With raised beds, it's always good to replenish with compost every planting season anyway.
But there is no need to go to any special cleaning measures with bleach or lime. Simply remove as much of the contaminated soil as you can. The contamination generally won't be a problem, even if you're planting vegetables, because all animal diseases don't move through the roots into the plant. Still, the nitrogen from the urine could be a problem in the top layers.
And, if you're planting leafy vegetables or you have edible parts that are touching the soil's surface, that could be a problem if those contaminants get onto the surface of something that you're going to eat.
Once the new beds are ready, consider covering with a net or shade cloth to deter the cats coming back in.
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