How big a problem are mice?

[flowers-v-spuds]

Hi folks, there are mice under my garage, are they going to pose a big threat when I start growing crops?

I couldn't poison them for the life of me, and feel they have a right to live there if they want - one of my cats has killed rather a few this year and they are small and brown, probably field mice. (i live in the country)

If they are going to munch away at anything I attempt to grow, what would be your advice for a humane way of stopping them, bearing in mind my cats will be in the garden too so don't really want netting everywhere.

the only other things i tend to get are wood louse and i assume they are okay?

Thanks

[nick]

Last year I had a lot of seeds that didn't germinate. after a lot of perseverance, I did get the seeds to grow. when digging the garden in autumn, I came across a couple of mouse nests in the soil . We have a pretty good cat for a mouser - he has a good instinct for sitting on newly planted seedlings Depends how many mice you have - when in the open the cat may get them easier.
happy mousing

[Millymollymandy]

There is one rodent that is supposed to be a pest in the garden. I can't remember it's name (French anyway!). Trouble with learning French vocab is that they have a completely different name for every kind of mouse (not to mention all the other rodents!).

I think the majority of mice do not pose a problem, except possibly for stored veg if they are left on the floor, amd maybe bulbs? Anyway, just think of all those other critters that like eating veg/roots. You'll probably have more problems with them!

Just to put you off lol

[ina]

If they are going to munch away at anything I attempt to grow, what would be your advice for a humane way of stopping them, bearing in mind my cats will be in the garden too so don't really want netting everywhere.

I think they'd go mainly for certain larger seeds - I know they love peas, and somebody once told me an old recipe for putting them off - soak the peas briefly in diesel or similar before sowing... (Probably not very organic, but it works.)

Actually, I have netting over most of my newly planted/sown stuff because of the cat! She tends to prefer nicely raked fresh beds for her loo, so to prevent her from spreading seeds all over the place, I net the beds... Keeps birds off, too; but I suspect mice would still get through.

Ina

[diver]

I have mice on my allotment and I love to sit in my little shed and watch them..I used to put spent hops down as a mulch and the mice loved it. I've got mouse nests in the compost (my neighbour on the next plot had babies in a nest on his site...we were all jealous)...they have eaten some of my broad beans lately and most of my neighbours peas last year...but I feel I have enough to share..and like you I couldn't kill them

[Andy Hamilton]

We had a little trouble with rats on the allotment, they seemed to leave most stuff alone. I generally let stuff grow a bit on the windowsill before I put it out anyway so that seeds don't get eaten. The only trouble we had were little teeth marks on the end of the courgettes.

[flowers-v-spuds]

Thanks for the replies Ah, so generaly not a big problem then...that's good! I don't mind a few things eaten by them, just had visions of everything being destroyed. Maybe they can have their plot next to the garage...

Luckily no rats here Andy, that I'm aware of, a toad that crops up now and again and hedgehogs at times, and bats. I don't even think there is a big slug problem (i can do slug hunting with a trowel and torch through the night), and those pesky woodlice.

The reason i don't want mesh Ina is cos one of my cats, when he was a kitten, got tangled up in some and nearly died - mind you it wasn't close knit mesh, and i also think the cats will be more attracted to the mesh than they would be to anything growing, and will just destroy it anyway. And for the birds I was thinking of doing what i did when i planted my lawn - i used cds hung on string over it - seemed to do the trick, i read it in a magazine i think. My dad now just has a bird table and feeds them as they then keep off his plants.

Hey, it's fun this planning when you're sitting in a heated room isn't it and not aching in muscles you didn't know you had from digging all day...

[Millymollymandy]

Yup, we gardeners have got to have a little rest for a few months before it all starts all over again. Trouble is I haven't finished yet!

Thank god for frozen soil.

[ina]

Luckily no rats here Andy, that I'm aware of, a toad that crops up now and again and hedgehogs at times, and bats. I don't even think there is a big slug problem (i can do slug hunting with a trowel and torch through the night), and those pesky woodlice.

The reason i don't want mesh Ina is cos one of my cats, when he was a kitten, got tangled up in some and nearly died - mind you it wasn't close knit mesh, and i also think the cats will be more attracted to the mesh than they would be to anything growing, and will just destroy it anyway.

No wonder you don't have a slug problem, with a toad AND hedgehogs to take care of that!

I can see that ordinary mesh could get cats entagled. I actually use tree protectors - kind of a stiff plastic mesh, that goes over the beds or rows like small tunnels (not very clear, is it... ). Anyway, in that neither cats nor birds can get messed up, so it should be quite safe. Mice, on the other hand, could still get in at the sides, unless I'd stop those openings somehow! But I've never seen one in my garden. I think word got round that my little cat is a lot more ferocious than she looks...

Ina

[flowers-v-spuds]

I have no idea where the toad comes from, as far as i'm aware no one has a pond - it's only been seen on 2 occasions, but it must live somewhere. the hegehogs probably live nearby, maybe with the mice - if they eat the slugs then that's fine by me

I only have one mouser, the others can't be bothered! but he only eats the heads apparantly there is something in mice that cats need, so although i tell him off I do understand it's just nature.

I'll look into the mesh you mean, as been thinking about it and would probably need some protection afterall - next thing is how to keep the local kids out

Anyone had any trouble with crops being stolen? I remember the leek incident on the good life 8)

[Shirley]

Haven't had any problems in the garden with mice - but grrr one made it's way into the bedroom last night and kept me awake - cat came in this morning and was supposed to find it but didn't - she's on duty now til bedtime.. hopefully once it goes dark again it will come out and have a nosy round.

Ina - do you get the tree protectors at a good price? We need some for our trees/hedge.

Shirlz x

[ina]

- next thing is how to keep the local kids out

Grow a hedge of nettles and thistles around your garden, if you have the space! Nettles at least are useful, too; and some thistles at least look pretty. And attract butterflies...

I must admit that so far I've not had to pay for my tree protection stuff. Leftover bits from the farm... The job does have some perks. So I have no idea what it costs on the open market!

Ina

[gunners71uk]

well i only seen one rat on me allotment and tried to kill it with fork.lol
my allotment backs on to houses quite a few have cats,so it comes handy
i think if they start to pose a problem then you kill them but untill then see how you go . you could block off some of the spaces so they can come and go from one point the cats will do the rest.