Stopping mice eating sweetcorn?

[jennym]

I have in previous years lost some sweetcorn cobs to mice. I grow them on an area about 6 ft (2m) x 20ft (6m) so it would be too costly to fence it. Don't think I can bring myself to trap or poison the little blighters, does anyone know of a deterrent?

[jennym]

[ellkebe]

Would the lion dung essence you can get work do you think? 

There are also ultrasonic deterrents that work over a reasonably wide range, and can be battery operated.  Don't know if these work on rodents though.

[giantseye]

TRY PUTTING SOME OTHER FOOD AWAY FROM YOUR SWEETCORN.

IF YOU PUT SOMETHING LIKE NUTS OR SEEDS AWAY FROM THE AREA, IT MIGHT PREVENT THEM FROM EATING YOUR SWEETCORN.

IT'S WOTH A TRY ANYWAY.

ALTERNATIVELY, TRY USING HUMANE TRAPS, WHICH WON'T KILL THEM.

[redimp]

If you use humane traps you have to take them about three miles away before releasing or they will come back again.

[jennym]

Thanks for info.

[northener]

When i transplant mine out on the plot i put a 10" pece of drainpie over and around the seedling. 1. it protects the seedling from the wind while its established and 2. it prvents mice fromgetting up.

[jennym]

When i transplant mine out on the plot i put a 10" pece of drainpie over and around the seedling. 1. it protects the seedling from the wind while its established and 2. it prvents mice fromgetting up.

But you must need an awful lot of bits of drainpipe! Sounds like a good idea though. Looks like I'll be scavenging though the skips again...

[amphibian]

Try growing your corn in a 'three sisters bed'. That is where you grow beans, corn and squash in one bed.

The beans climb up the corn stalks (which stops the corn lodging, but also fixes nitrogen) the squash surround the patch and their prickles help keep predators out, while holding moisture in too.