I'm new to this forum so sorry if this is in the wrong place! I'm also new to gardening and this year i have decided to grow some flowers from seed. I've started with some sweet peas and lupins in trays which are in my greenhouse.
The problem i seem to have is mice! When i plant seeds, i go in the next day and they have been doug up and eaten! Is this a common problem and what can i do to prevent it?
"go in"? If "in" a greenhouse/cold frame make an effort to block all entries, shouldn't be difficult.
If outdoors are you certain about mice, could be other burrowers, even birds. Cover seed beds with hardware cloth. For burrowing mammals try "Solar Spikes", they really work:
"Bob F" wrote:
You haven't a clue... of course they work, they make a battery operated version too, but the solar version does make a difference, it's maintenence-free. I don't sell them, I buy mine at Lowes... very reasonably priced and they were half price at the end of the growing season so I bought their last ten. I started with just two for my blueberry bushes and next three more in my vegetable garden, and at half price I now have ten more of them going in various flower beds and intend to buy a few more for other flower beds. They're not instant, needs about ten days to drive the burrowers away but they definitely work... instructions say they don't work well in dry/sandy soil but in rich moist soil like mine they work better than anything else, can't beat 100% effective, and no effort... sure beats kill-traps and poison. Instructions say not to leave them in the ground in snow zones during winter but I know that those burrowers do their worst damage under the snow during winter so I pulled mine up half way and left them all winter... they hold enough of a charge that they still run under the snow between snow and melts (most of mine are in the ground under the house eaves where the snow doesn't get too deep). I did phone the company and suggested that they make a longer version so that the solar panel remains above the snow, said they will look into it... I also asked how long the solar version should last, they said about five years. Like anything else, not all things work well for all people, some folks just can't follow simple instructions... I read where some people were dissatisfied because they didn't work for getting rid of their groundhogs. duh
Bob F., shove one up your butt and lay out in the sun, I bet the warmth and those soothing vibrations will make you feel better, moron!
HomeOwnersHub website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.