Topic: Why do mice..........?

[Tin Shed]

Why do mice leave my saved crimson flowered broad bean seeds [which have been in an open pot in the greenhouse] alone all winter, but take them the moment I have planted them into pots ???
I am not amused >:(

[Robert_Brenchley]

The damp once they've been potted and watered may bring out the smell.

[chriscross1966]

The damp once they've been potted and watered may bring out the smell.

And they soften up... mice have fairly small mouths and a not particularly staggering bite strength.... they can claw apart the damp bean and cram it in.... the dried one might as well be a pebble to them....

[Jeannine]

Look around the greenhouse. They took all my 40 seeds from individual post one year, I replanted in the same pots and kept them in the house, Later on I tidied the greenhouse and found all the first seeds stashed like soldiers under some netting. It was amazing how neat they had stashed them. They got mine before they started to sprout though and I replanted them,, they all grew.

So take a luck, you might just find them.

XX Jeannine

[SMP1704]

and peas, lettuce and cosmos.  Although I think they spat out the cosmos, but all three trays were throughly investigated and neat holes remain where pea seeds should be germinating >:(

I wouldn't mind but they had to climb up 12" of shiny metal tubing to get to the shelf.  Cue Mission Impossible theme tune ;D ;D

[saddad]

They also take Sweet corn later in the season... and like Jeannine I've found lost ones elsewhere... such as growing among the sweet potatoes..  :-X

[Tin Shed]

I hadn't thought of searching for the stolen beans - now that is another job on the list ;)
It would be good to find them as the broad bean germination has been very patchy this year.

[Jeannine]

Good luck, I will be interested to hear..mine were quite close by and all tucked together so neatly.I realised something was wrong when nothing germinated and the soil seemed disturbed I had a little feel in the pots, not one pot had a seed left in itbut the seeds were still in the greenhouse.XX Jeannine

[Ian Pearson]

Try smearing them with crushed garlic before planting. It certainly works with peas.

[green lily]

Mice so far haven't eaten the beans or seeds in the poly[ although I think they got the outdoor ones before the big freeze arrived]. They actually prefer the pipe insulation in the house. I think they get high on it :o

[oliveoyl_25]

The mice in my shed have left my saved beans and seeds alone, but have been chomping on a bar of soap I left in there... yum  :-\

[petengade]

Just after the war I used to hinder my dad on his allotment and would watch him put the bean and pea seed in a tin with red lead powder and shake it to coat the seed, he told me it was to stop the mice eating the seed, maybe a health hazard today.