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Mice eating veg patch

Kr17Kr17 Posts: 3
in Problem solving
Hi, I had this problem last year and it's starting again, mice eating veg plants. I'm sure it's mice not slugs for various reasons. Any ideas of to keep them out? Currently the are eating the leaves off my courgette plants

Posts

  • bertrand-mabelbertrand-mabel Posts: 2,697
    Are you sure it is mice eating the leaves?
    They usually go for the seeds in the ground especially pea seeds.
    Are the courgettes outside?
    Could it be rabbits or pigeons?  We have had rabbits eating the leaves of the swiss chard seedlings and had to make a barrier to stop them and the pigeons.
  • jucati1198jucati1198 Posts: 56
    Hi Kr17! I had mice attacking my spring bulbs in containers this late spring. I've tried all the natural remedies I could find online - raw garlic, peppermint oil, cloves, cayenne pepper, even some natural deterrent granules from the nursery. Nothing helped. After two weeks I threw some fresh mint into the pots that were meant for salad. That's when they stopped. (I don't know why the peppermint essential oil didn't work, it was very smelly! But then it didn't work for the house mice either :)) Maybe it's a coincidence. But worth a try as it worked for me. It was fresh mint from Waitrose. If it helps, you might try to grow it. Good luck!

    P.S. If you decide to try any of the essential oils don't pour it onto the soil, it will damage the plant. 
  • josusa47josusa47 Posts: 3,530
    Adopt a cat from a sanctuary.  Or, better still, persuade your neighbours to adopt a cat from a sanctuary.  Seriously though - could you use humane mouse traps, and take a half hour's walk to release any you catch?
  • Kr17Kr17 Posts: 3
    Thanks for the tips. Cats are out, they have been using the patch as a toilet 😡 
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    josusa47 said:
    Adopt a cat from a sanctuary.  Or, better still, persuade your neighbours to adopt a cat from a sanctuary.  Seriously though - could you use humane mouse traps, and take a half hour's walk to release any you catch?

    In the UK, it's illegal to release any vermin you have trapped.  If you trap them, it immediately becomes your responsibility in law to ensure they are not suffering in any way and you must then either humanely kill them (specified methods only, such as a sharp blow to the back of the head or shooting in the head) or they must be given to someone who has a licence to release them into the wild (someone in your local animal rescue centre is likely to have that licence.)  I'm not going to argue about morals or details but it is important that folk understand where they stand when they buy 'humane' mouse traps, where the mention of 'humane' is quite obvously nothing more than a marketing ploy, once you know the facts.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
  • DovefromaboveDovefromabove Posts: 88,147
    Then I’m surprised the mice are hanging around there ... let alone eating leaves which is, in my experience of mice, unusual.

    You say you’re sure it’s mice ... I don’t want to appear rude but does that mean that you’ve seen them in the act?😯

    Gardening in Central Norfolk on improved gritty moraine over chalk ... free-draining.





  • mrtjformanmrtjforman Posts: 331
    I was quite happy with my mice but yesterday I found the remnants of a nest in a sleeping bag in the shed, shredded into tiny pieces - definetely mice lol. Not so happy anymore and I am pretty sure the only way in is through a window 3 feet off the ground that I've been leaving open. If I close the window I might be trapping mice inside which I don't want either. Also sleeping bag was 6 foot high on a shelf - did surprise me.
  • Kr17Kr17 Posts: 3
    Dovefromabove said:
    Then I’m surprised the mice are hanging around there ... let alone eating leaves which is, in my experience of mice, unusual.

    You say you’re sure it’s mice ... I don’t want to appear rude but does that mean that you’ve seen them in the act?😯
    Yes I'm fairly sure. Seen mice in the area, seen the holes and things have disappeared within 20minutes of being planted under a net do not birds. What else can it be? I will try the mint thing
  • BobTheGardenerBobTheGardener Posts: 11,385
    edited May 2020
    Sparrows eat some young veg leaves here (lettuce, brassica seedlings and pea family, mainly) and woodpigeons will eat a brassica down to the stems in a flash, usually at about 5am.
    I used a trail camera to be sure of what was eating what.  Plenty of mice seen running about but the camera has never caught one eating leaves.
    A trowel in the hand is worth a thousand lost under a bush.
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