Mouse Calamity

[Sue]

Help please,
sowed peas and put in cold frame, next day - all eaten by mice, transferred the pots to greenhouse, sowed more peas, then sowed broad beans. Today all eaten again and not only that they rootled through my lupins, obviously didn't like those so nice healthy just rooting seeds were jiggled all over the show. Suface sown seeds - compost rooted through again, even my leek and onion seedlings have been investigated and quite a number damaged. In short, a disaster.

That means hundreds of seeds to replant. I can't find a previous thread re paraffin and soaking the seeds overnight then planting. Does the smell put them off before they start digging up all the seeds? Or are they going to dig them up anyway, make a mess and disturb the seeds but not eat them? And how big do the seedlings have to be before they'll leave them alone?

I don't really want to have to go covering everything in wire mesh, not really practical for me and I've nowhere to store it when not in use. Glass ditto - and not very keen on trapping the little darlings either.

I seem to remember reading somewhere that it is your third year in which disaster strikes, All the nasties adjust to your being there and move in - guess what - it's my third year.

Sue

[Janco]

Some years I have had to resort to putting mouse traps in my greenhouse. I tried the humane ones but it wasn't always easy to release them quickly and they seemed very stressed so I now use the ones that kill them (sadly). Usually catch a couple and then no more but it does get rid of the mice!

[rustylady]

Just a thought, but if you put your seed trays on staging, and then put saucers filled with either water or parafin under the legs of the staging, would this not prevent the little furry fiends reaching your seeds?

[Two_Sheds]

I've never been bothered by mice ... too many cats I guess

[Sue]

Rustylady
Wish I could but some of the staging doesn't have "feet" as such and there's too much to climb up anyway.
Oh, I don't want to do traps...
Sue

[pigletwillie]

Last year we lost two greenhouse sowings of sweetcorn to mice and resorted to little plastic humane traps. All worked well till we saw Stan (one of our cats) carrying one of said traps complete with mouse inside. Would he give it up, would he heckers like. The greenhouse door now stays shut when the traps are set.

[sewer rat]

Dipping your seeds in parrafin is supposed to deter them, but I just put down traps, and bait in safety containers.

[Cutecumber]

Sue - I fear you have cut off all your options - if you don't want to cover them with wire or glass or trap the mice...

you may as well try the paraffin trick and keep your fingers crossed.

[SMS6]

This may be deemed a silly repsonse but how are they getting in to the cold frame or greenhouse? Is there a way to prevent that?

Also have you considered trying one of those ultrasonic deterrents? You can get battery operated ones. I recently put one in my garage and greenhouse.

I've had mice in my garage but as I don't keep seeds or anything in there it's not a garden problem. I did worry about my car though as I don't use it very often so had visions of mice eating the wires etc.

I'm not sure how to know if the ultrasonic things are working as I guess I'll only know if they're not and I see more mice.

[Sue]

SMS6
What deterrents are these, do they need electricity? this is for the allotment so no power.

And as to how they're getting in, automatic openers in the greenhouse and they might have dug in round the bottom somewhere, Will have to take all the furnishings out to check. Will need some help to do this so it will have to wait a bit.

What's intriguing me is have they been scouting round in there all this time and then seen the seeds sown or have they somehow smelt the seeds and then come in?

I'll try the paraffin method and see if this works. As said above I don't have many other options.
Sue

[SMS6]

SMS6
What deterrents are these, do they need electricity? this is for the allotment so no power.

And as to how they're getting in, automatic openers in the greenhouse and they might have dug in round the bottom somewhere, Will have to take all the furnishings out to check. Will need some help to do this so it will have to wait a bit.

What's intriguing me is have they been scouting round in there all this time and then seen the seeds sown or have they somehow smelt the seeds and then come in?

I'll try the paraffin method and see if this works. As said above I don't have many other options.
Sue

No they run off a battery - I got mine from the garden centre and I think B & Q sell them too. As I say I'm not sure if it works but it might be worth trying.

Any way of fitting a wire cage to cover the inside of the vent? You know a bit like a letter box cage?

[SMS6]

It's like this one

mouse deterrent

[roitelet]

Years ago I had the same problem, an Elderly gardner advised me to put sprigs of gorse on top of the seeds. Guess what it worked

As the mice dug down for the seeds they got their noses pricked and gave up

A bit hard on the hands though when cutting it, ouch!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Paul Wagland]

Might be worth trying to keep them out of the greenhouse itself...

You could use exterior-grade sealant to block up any holes in the frame. The door would need to be a good fit too. Guess it depends on your greenhouse!

[Seahorse]

Does parrafin not contaminate the seeds (and therefore plants) then? Just wondering.

Hope you find a solution that works for you Sue.