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  • Mice 40 Sweetcorn 0

    Last year I grew 80 sweetcorn plants and started them off in the greenhouse before hardening off and planting out at the end of May.

    We had a minor disaster as mice ate the seeds after they had germinated and were about 2" high. I resowed and employed Monsieur le trap laced with peanut butter to remove the problem. Two mice later and no further problems.

    This year as we had such a good crop (Swift F1) last year, that we have "gone large" with the sweetcorn production so that we can put some in the freezer and supply family. Some 160 seeds were sown and up they came in the heated greenhouse. There I was, all chuffed and happy, brought yon wife to the greenhouse to see them and found that the grim mouse sweetcorn reaper was back and 1 tray of 40 plants in pots were destroyed.

    I couldnt find the traps so had to bring the plants into the kitchen last night to prevent further destruction. This morning I am rearmed and the traps are "locked and loaded" with peanut butter on a sacrificial tray of sweetcorn plants. The eaten tray is now resown with seed and will catch up I am sure.

    The little varmints never eat anything other than my sweetcorn, not peas or beans, just corn. I dont enjoy killing them but dont really want them messing all over the greenhouse and its contents as a I will be eating it later in the year.

    Does anybody else have a problem with sweetcorn and mice?
    Last edited by pigletwillie; 13-04-2006, 11:41 AM.

  • #2
    Not veg,PW but 2 of the little buggers took a shine to some of my Lithops. They have now gone to that great moushole in the sky
    ntg
    Never be afraid to try something new.
    Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
    A large group of professionals built the Titanic
    ==================================================

    Comment


    • #3
      Ha, the sweetcorn have scored, I mouse down and a large corn fed one at that. Hopefuly thats it but I shall try again tonight before putting the corn back into the greenhouse.

      Comment


      • #4
        i got some plastic storage boxes from wilkinsons they are about a foot deep and will hold a dozen 3 inch pots, hopefully the mice wont be able to climb in, it simplifies watering in that i just pour in an inch or so of water when needed and its easy to shift all the pots out while i turn the rain on to water the tunnel , they are a cheerfull bright yellow and were less than a quid each.

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        • #5
          don't bank on it Ric. The little blighters round here have pogo sticks. 1 even nibbled me tatties - V painfull
          ntg
          Never be afraid to try something new.
          Remember that a lone amateur built the Ark.
          A large group of professionals built the Titanic
          ==================================================

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by pigletwillie
            Last year I grew 80 sweetcorn plants and started them off in the greenhouse before hardening off and planting out at the end of May.

            We had a minor disaster as mice ate the seeds after they had germinated and were about 2" high. I resowed and employed Monsieur le trap laced with peanut butter to remove the problem. Two mice later and no further problems.

            This year as we had such a good crop (Swift F1) last year, that we have "gone large" with the sweetcorn production so that we can put some in the freezer and supply family. Some 160 seeds were sown and up they came in the heated greenhouse. There I was, all chuffed and happy, brought yon wife to the greenhouse to see them and found that the grim mouse sweetcorn reaper was back and 1 tray of 40 plants in pots were destroyed.

            I couldnt find the traps so had to bring the plants into the kitchen last night to prevent further destruction. This morning I am rearmed and the traps are "locked and loaded" with peanut butter on a sacrificial tray of sweetcorn plants. The eaten tray is now resown with seed and will catch up I am sure.

            The little varmints never eat anything other than my sweetcorn, not peas or beans, just corn. I dont enjoy killing them but dont really want them messing all over the greenhouse and its contents as a I will be eating it later in the year.

            Does anybody else have a problem with sweetcorn and mice?
            I'm sure mice ate my sweetcorn at my allotment last year but others disagreed I'v planted them on my other plot which is more public in my case it was the ripe kernels which were got at
            Imagine all the people, living life in peace,
            You may say I.m a dreamer, but I,m not the only one
            John Lennon Imagine

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            • #7
              I now always start my sweetcorn on window ledges in the house, and they go outside in the day to harden off, but back indoors at night.I dont transplant onto the plot until about 8 to 10inches tall. This usually solves the problem,but I don't mass produce like you cos my plot wouldn't be big enough for all thoughs plants! So it works ok for my modest 30 odd.

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              • #8
                Sorry, piglet, but you are not setting your traps with the right bait.

                Chocolate is what the little buggers go for.

                Can vouch for this by the number of victims we have caught!

                valmarg

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