Rodent Control: a belt and braces approach
Five things to try if mice are nibbling your produce.
Rodents are intelligent beings. They delight in ravishing your sweet pea seedlings, decimating your broad bean crop and nibbling a small crater into the underside of every single one of your beetroots.
If like me, rodent activity on your plot fills your with outrage, then here’s a few things you can try to redress the balance:
- Plastic skirting on propagation benches
Mice love eating seeds as they’re just germinating because that’s when they are at their most nutrient dense (this is also the reason sprouted seeds and beans are so good for us).They will quite happily decimate a module tray of potential in a single night.
Protect your seedlings by putting a plastic ‘skirt’ around your propagation bench/staging to keep the mice off. They’ll climb up the table leg and when they reach the skirt, they won’t be able to get round it.
- Mouse traps with marshmallows or peanut butter (beware if you have kids/pets/small birds around)
Traps are a really effective way of dealing with rodents and the best bait I’ve found are peanut butter and mini marshmallows. The mini marshmallows (like the ones used in hot chocolate) are the perfect size to sit on a mouse trap - it’s almost as if they were designed for the job. It’s up to you which mouse traps you use - humane or otherwise. Do be cautious using traps if you have curious children or pets in the vicinity. And place traps inside a piece of guttering pipe to stop small birds getting trapped in them.
- Chilli powder
Some people might regard this as a bit cruel but chilli powder does seem to work as a rodent deterrent. Sow your seeds and sprinkle a bit of chilli powder on top of them before covering with soil. Like all mammals, mice and rats are sensitive to that fiery capsicum heat and will give your seeds a wide berth. Of course, be careful when using chilli powder, and take particular care to wash your hands after using.
- Soaking in seaweed feed
Soaking seeds like peas gives them a head start and can buy enough time to make sure the plants are romping away before the mice discover them. Soaking the seeds in a plant feed like seaweed, nettle or comfrey imparts a strong (and unpleasant) aroma onto your seeds. The smell is enough to ward rodents off (and make your eyes water).
- Lifting and storing roots
Winter is a lean time for rodents so your vegetable patch will look very enticing at that time of year. If you have the space, lift and store your root vegetables. Keep the mud on them and store in a mesh bag in a cool, rodent-proof space. For longer storage you can also put them in crates covered with damp sand.