The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Growing => Vegetables => Topic started by: Dizzycow on July 15, 2011, 07:39:31 pm
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My sister in law has had all her greenhouse and veg bed crops totally decimated by mice. She can't keep on top of the problem, and has been trapping them. She doesn't want to use poison because it's horrible and she's worried about the dogs, but everything she plants and grows is constantly being munched, so the problem mice must be numerous. Has anyone had this problem before? She's tearing her hair out with frustration.
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I've had this problem in my greenhouse; I trapped them but in the end had to make sure there was no way any meceymices could get in, floor is paved and I shut the door at night (they were most active at night) They are also around in the field but, having learnt the hard way about what not to grow from seed outside (e.g. beans & peas) we don't seem to have a problem, tho they do like to tunnel around the place! Our biggest problem is a damn mole! >:(
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Yes, the mice have suddenly found our polytunnel this week, and we've lost half of the pea crop, and a couple of cabbages too. I've put a couple of traps down, but if that fails to work, I think I'll have to lock the cat in there overnight!!
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I sprinkle chilli powder - seems to keep them at bay! has to be renewed after rain though
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Thanks, guys. Might suggest the chilli powder to her, she's desperate! :bouquet:
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One year we had a big problem with mice in the polytunnel. Oddly their favourite thing was lettuce ??? but they also climbed up the tomato plants to eat the fruit and demolished all the corn cobs. We trapped them and eventually there were not enough left to be a problem.
For pea and bean seeds, dunking or soaking them in paraffin seems to work and it doesn't taint the crop. But of course that doesn't stop them eating the pods once they form. That year they also emptied all the pods of one variety of broad beans outside, but completely ignored the other variety.
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Mice hear at very high frequencies, so if you can find something that gives off a noise at their range and above it will put them off coming in the tunnel. I think those mole deterents work like that.It's worth i try if you don't want to actually kill them. But i think it will only work well in an enclosed space.