Topic: discerning mice

[Anne Robertson]

Do mice have a preference for certain peas ???  I had 10 climbing peas, 10 banff peas and 10 petite pois peas all about an inch high in biodegradable pots in mini green house and last night a perishing little blighter ate all the petite pois peas :( and none of the others.
I've now moved the peas to the top shelf and hope they're not accomplished climbers!

[Diana]

I think they must - I lost a batch of climbing peas in greenhouse, but others were fine.

Outside they made off with everything EXCEPT the petit pois!!! ???

[Lizard Man]

And they like sweetcorn as well - I lost a few cobs last year. Perhaps allotment / greenhouse cats are the answer?!

[ruudbarb]

I've now moved the peas to the top shelf and hope they're not accomplished climbers!

Sorry to disappoint you but mice are brilliant climbers and love peas which is why many suppliers dust them with a powder that includes a mouse repellant.

[Diana]

And they like sweetcorn as well - I lost a few cobs last year. Perhaps allotment / greenhouse cats are the answer?!

Too right! I'll not be getting any cobs this year because the little blighters had them before they germinated - and the sunflowers.

[moonbells]

Hmm wonder if that's why none of my sunflowers has appeared...

moonbells

[Doris_Pinks]

I lost a whole gutterful of overwintering peas to the mice, but they have
re-appeared, coming up in my overwintering geraniums!! :o

[philcooper]

They've had 2 batches of broad beans  >:( but I caught 2 of em in traps  :)

In a lecture on herbs last week I heard that oil of peppermint deters them - they won't enter the greenhouse if you spread the oil across the doorway.

Phil

[Diana]

That sounds like it's worth a try.

Do you think it would work with some crushed mint leaves?

Will try tonight + report back - have caught 4 of the pests in a week!!!

[Lizard Man]

Still think a cat is the best bet - our mouse problem in our house disappeared immediately that we got our little puss (she didn't catch any, they must have just sensed her and gone elsewhere).  ;)

[Mrs Ava]

They haven't touched my aldermans, but my other 2 short varieties, which of course I cannot remember the names of, have all gone!  Hope my giant aldermans live up to their reputation and I don't go short of peas! :-\

[Diana]

Well the great mouse experiment is underway - mint was crushed + liberally smeared aroung the door + other vunerable places in the greenhouse yesterday. The remnants were then scattered about, especially near vulnerable plants / seeds.

So far so good - no catches or loses last night.

Would love to get a cat, but it's tto risky here - they mysteriously disppear when the gamekeepers are about!!!