Vermin eating seeds...

Zoomer44 · April 2019

I've unwittingly attracted mice or rats to my plot by moving some gourds into the shed. These were partly eaten and then the problem moved into the GH and trays of pea seedlings and some sunflowers were snapped off in their pots and broad bean seeds dug up and eaten. The more mature plants (peas/sunflowers) were not touched.

To cut to the chase, I've sown more at home - peas, broad beans, sweetcorn and minipop. These are stuff with big seeds. I've also put down rat/mice poison in GH and shed. For several days the poison was taken, one day they even took the tray!!!!

Q is, I'm not sure if I've got rid of them. Is it safe to take new seedlings down to the plot. Am I right in thinking once the seed has rotted off the seeding, vermin will leave the plant alone..and do rats/mice take sweetcorn seeds...

Busy-Lizzie · April 2019

You could soak the seeds in paraffin before sowing, mice don't like the smell.

Theveggardener · April 2019

Zoomer44 You should keep putting the bait down till you see it has not been taken then you know they are gone. Otherwise if you stop putting it down they could still be there, we found out the hard way they hadn't gone from our garage.

Zoomer44 · April 2019

Would soaking the seeds in paraffin not contaminate them?

There is some poison left in one of the trays but will continue to fill up the other one's till it stops being taken.

I cleaned out the shed thinking the nest was in there but there were no signs just chewed up gourds under the bar-b-cue.

Zoomer44 · April 2019

They have stopped taking the poison so it may have done the trick, I took some pea seedlings down to the plot today, not many just enough to see if they get eaten.

Presumably vermin don't like the smell of gorse, not sure if anyone has it growing on their plot to try it.

Courgettes and cues have germinated in the GH and the seeds not been eaten so they may have been deterred.

Vermin eating seeds...

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