Allotments 4 All

Does soaking peas + beans in parafin really stop the mice? I know the theory, but never tried it. After my Ps + Bs got decimated last year, I'm thinking of trying it this year.

Please let me know if you've had success or failure with this.

Also, how long do you soak them for?

I usually soak mine in water overnight, so can I do that and then soak them in parafin?

Sorry for all the questions

D

a friend of mine sowed broad beans straight into the ground in the autumn...but planted them 6 inches deep...he's  fooled the mice and everyone is growing!! Last year the mice took the lot:) A lot of people on my allotment field hold with the belief that soaking with paraffin works ;D

Thanks for that. Can I get away with planting my peas that deep do you think?

I'd rather not use paraffin if there are other things I can try.

I heard that it did but would the parrafin make the seeds poisonous, just a thought?

I have heard it works also, however, a chap on our site uses parafin soaked rags dotted along the  sowing line then he removes them once the seedlings are up.  Me, I have just started mine in newspaper pots.

I don't think it makes the peas poisonous as it would be well diluted by the time of harvest.

Thanks for the rag idea EJ, think I'll try that.

Last year the mice got into the greenhouse + stole from the modules so the pot idea probably wouldn't work (unless the pot was soaked in paraffin, but that's a lot of paraffin!)