Keeping mice from eating pea seeds

uno · December 6, 2012

After looking into some of the pea varieties recommended in the other thread I realized that if I want to have ANY peas actually grow I got to make sure that the mice do not eat them. So I thought I would make a separate thread for this topic.

I have a neighbor that has an unbelievable mess of a house and I think that is where the rodent problem comes from...so I guess I can't really eliminate the problem I just have to deal with the best I can.

I grow 100% organic with the exception of pea seeds treated with fungicide. The reason is that the mice don't eat the seed that is treated with the fungicide.

So a few years ago I tried growing Sugar Snap and Cascadia both from untreated organic seed and the mice ate literally 99% of what I planted. I didn't notice at first but then I looked and there was little tunnels under nearly every inch of what I planted.

I'm looking for ways of preventing mice from eating my seed. I know I could just transplant the peas, but I plan on planting a few pounds of seed so it would be a major pain to do that.

I would like to treat the seeds with something or find seeds treated with fungicide because I know that this works and it's simple.

I'm having trouble finding seed sources of dwarf snap peas that are treated with fungicide or that would solve my problem.

I want to try Sugar Sprint ( I have a treated seed source for this one) Sugar lace II and Cascadia.

But in the event that I cant find seed sources that are treated with fungicide I'm looking for ways to treat the seed myself or find other ways of prevent the mice from eating everything before it even sprouts.

Thanks

Jim

Redbaron · December 6, 2012

Well I simply use a mouse trap with peanut butter on it. And a bigger rat trap same deal. Maybe that makes me cruel but certainly it is 100% organic, and I have no mercy when it comes to rodents eating my food. It's me or them!

saltmarsh · December 7, 2012

I think what you have is voles, and this link has much useful information.

http://thesagebutterfly.blogspot.com...l-methods.html

I would also suggest soaking your seeds in a rosemary, red pepper flake, and sage tea.

To make the tea, add 1 tablespoon each of rosemary, red pepper flakes, and powdered sage (not rubbed sage) to a half gallon of water, bring to a boil and boil for 20 minutes.
Remove from heat and allow to sit covered overnight. The next morning place the pea seed in a bowl or pan and cover with the tea. Allow to soak for 24 hours before planting as you normally would. If you need more tea, just double the recipe.

If voles are a serious problem, make several gallons of the tea and use it to water the soil around your peas when you plant. Claud

troad · December 7, 2012

Jim,
What about putting out plants you have grown from seed? That's what I do to be sure and have viable plants. The slugs here often get to the sprouted seeds before there is a plant big enough to survive a munch or two. I grow Sugar Snaps and am going to try Cascadia this year. Maybe you are growing too many plants for this to work for you?

Alpinejs · December 8, 2012

Jim....two suggestions. The first, I guarantee works as we had continual and
major mouse problems with our Canada cabin. Build several wood boxes
about the size of cigar boxes. (use screws to secure the top) Put 6-8 chunks
of mouse bait bars in each (available at HD or most any hdwre store), drill a hole
in one side the size of a nickel. Refill with bait in the spring and again in the fall.
This will not work for rats as the hole is too small. With a larger hole, you will
also kill chipmonks and squirrels, so I would go with hand grenades for the rats.

Second and more long range. Build and install an owl house (lots of plans on
Google) and let the owls control your rodents. Our local Craigslist usually has
owl houses in the farm and garden section, but they are spendy. Some will even
install them.

Were it me, I would do both but start with the cigar box method until you know
you have residents in your owl house.

Good luck and don't buy any cat food for your cat. Let him earn his keep.

amideutch · December 9, 2012

I'd tell you to get a couple store bought tomatoes and set them out among your pea plants but in my experience they prefer Heirlooms. Next year I'm going to to give Alpinejs's method a shot and see how that works out. Ami

uno · December 14, 2012

Thanks for the great replies everyone!

Redbaron

I think the only people who think rodents are cute have never been infested with them!

Saltmarsh

Thanks for the great ideas and the link. That is along the line of what I was looking to do if I end up using untreated seed. And if it works well I may go that route instead of buying seed that has fungicide on it.

Troad

I thought of that but I'm probably going to plant about two pounds of seed....it's still doable but it would be a lot more hassle than just direct seeding them.

Alpinejs

Thanks for the great ideas. I might try that box idea. I tried mouse bait a while back but I did not have a box for it so the rain ruined it. We definitely have owls here, the great horned owls. I know because I hear them.

Amideutch

Thanks for the suggestion. I grow tomatoes also but not in the same area as the peas.

Jim

b54red · December 14, 2012

I also have a neighbor with outbuildings that house mice and rats so I just got a rat bait station at Tractor Supply. I got the largest one they had. I keep it baited and it has greatly reduced the problem. I had to weight it down because the large squirrels would try to get in and tip it over and spill bait outside. I don't mind if it gets some squirrels because they cause so much damage to my garden. Maybe some of the smaller ones can get inside it but the large ones can't so I continue to go after them with a pellet gun. I need to get them thinned out before my broccoli starts making because they will eat it all if left unchecked. We have had a constant battle the past few years because of a huge squirrel population explosion. Mice are easier to control because they seem to go for any kind of trap or bait but rats and squirrels are much smarter.

rockhound · December 14, 2012

One real good use for the dried, ground ghost pepper is as a mammal repellent. If you've ever tasted one you know why I'm suggesting it.

December 6, 2012	#1
uno Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: SW Pennsylvania, zone 6a Posts: 147	Keeping mice from eating pea seeds After looking into some of the pea varieties recommended in the other thread I realized that if I want to have ANY peas actually grow I got to make sure that the mice do not eat them. So I thought I would make a separate thread for this topic. I have a neighbor that has an unbelievable mess of a house and I think that is where the rodent problem comes from...so I guess I can't really eliminate the problem I just have to deal with the best I can. I grow 100% organic with the exception of pea seeds treated with fungicide. The reason is that the mice don't eat the seed that is treated with the fungicide. So a few years ago I tried growing Sugar Snap and Cascadia both from untreated organic seed and the mice ate literally 99% of what I planted. I didn't notice at first but then I looked and there was little tunnels under nearly every inch of what I planted. I'm looking for ways of preventing mice from eating my seed. I know I could just transplant the peas, but I plan on planting a few pounds of seed so it would be a major pain to do that. I would like to treat the seeds with something or find seeds treated with fungicide because I know that this works and it's simple. I'm having trouble finding seed sources of dwarf snap peas that are treated with fungicide or that would solve my problem. I want to try Sugar Sprint ( I have a treated seed source for this one) Sugar lace II and Cascadia. But in the event that I cant find seed sources that are treated with fungicide I'm looking for ways to treat the seed myself or find other ways of prevent the mice from eating everything before it even sprouts. Thanks Jim

December 6, 2012	#2
Redbaron Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2012 Location: Oklahoma Posts: 4,488	Well I simply use a mouse trap with peanut butter on it. And a bigger rat trap same deal. Maybe that makes me cruel but certainly it is 100% organic, and I have no mercy when it comes to rodents eating my food. It's me or them! __________________ Scott AKA The Redbaron "Permaculture is a philosophy of working with, rather than against nature; of protracted & thoughtful observation rather than protracted & thoughtless labour; & of looking at plants & animals in all their functions, rather than treating any area as a single-product system." Bill Mollison co-founder of permaculture

December 7, 2012	#4
troad Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2007 Location: Des Moines, WA. Posts: 358	Jim, What about putting out plants you have grown from seed? That's what I do to be sure and have viable plants. The slugs here often get to the sprouted seeds before there is a plant big enough to survive a munch or two. I grow Sugar Snaps and am going to try Cascadia this year. Maybe you are growing too many plants for this to work for you? __________________ There's a fine line between gardening and madness.

December 9, 2012	#6
amideutch Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Germany 49°26"N 07°36"E Posts: 5,041	I'd tell you to get a couple store bought tomatoes and set them out among your pea plants but in my experience they prefer Heirlooms. Next year I'm going to to give Alpinejs's method a shot and see how that works out. Ami __________________ Life's journey is not to arrive at the grave safely in a well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, totally worn out, shouting ‘...Holy Crap .....What a ride!'

December 7, 2012	#3
saltmarsh Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2010 Location: 2 miles south of Yoknapatawpha Zone 7b Posts: 662	I think what you have is voles, and this link has much useful information. http://thesagebutterfly.blogspot.com...l-methods.html I would also suggest soaking your seeds in a rosemary, red pepper flake, and sage tea. To make the tea, add 1 tablespoon each of rosemary, red pepper flakes, and powdered sage (not rubbed sage) to a half gallon of water, bring to a boil and boil for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to sit covered overnight. The next morning place the pea seed in a bowl or pan and cover with the tea. Allow to soak for 24 hours before planting as you normally would. If you need more tea, just double the recipe. If voles are a serious problem, make several gallons of the tea and use it to water the soil around your peas when you plant. Claud

December 8, 2012	#5
Alpinejs Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Alpine, Calif. in winter. Sandpoint Lake, Ont. Canada summers Posts: 850	Jim....two suggestions. The first, I guarantee works as we had continual and major mouse problems with our Canada cabin. Build several wood boxes about the size of cigar boxes. (use screws to secure the top) Put 6-8 chunks of mouse bait bars in each (available at HD or most any hdwre store), drill a hole in one side the size of a nickel. Refill with bait in the spring and again in the fall. This will not work for rats as the hole is too small. With a larger hole, you will also kill chipmonks and squirrels, so I would go with hand grenades for the rats. Second and more long range. Build and install an owl house (lots of plans on Google) and let the owls control your rodents. Our local Craigslist usually has owl houses in the farm and garden section, but they are spendy. Some will even install them. Were it me, I would do both but start with the cigar box method until you know you have residents in your owl house. Good luck and don't buy any cat food for your cat. Let him earn his keep.

December 14, 2012	#7
uno Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: SW Pennsylvania, zone 6a Posts: 147	Thanks for the great replies everyone! Redbaron I think the only people who think rodents are cute have never been infested with them! Saltmarsh Thanks for the great ideas and the link. That is along the line of what I was looking to do if I end up using untreated seed. And if it works well I may go that route instead of buying seed that has fungicide on it. Troad I thought of that but I'm probably going to plant about two pounds of seed....it's still doable but it would be a lot more hassle than just direct seeding them. Alpinejs Thanks for the great ideas. I might try that box idea. I tried mouse bait a while back but I did not have a box for it so the rain ruined it. We definitely have owls here, the great horned owls. I know because I hear them. Amideutch Thanks for the suggestion. I grow tomatoes also but not in the same area as the peas. Jim

December 14, 2012	#8
b54red Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Alabama Posts: 7,068	I also have a neighbor with outbuildings that house mice and rats so I just got a rat bait station at Tractor Supply. I got the largest one they had. I keep it baited and it has greatly reduced the problem. I had to weight it down because the large squirrels would try to get in and tip it over and spill bait outside. I don't mind if it gets some squirrels because they cause so much damage to my garden. Maybe some of the smaller ones can get inside it but the large ones can't so I continue to go after them with a pellet gun. I need to get them thinned out before my broccoli starts making because they will eat it all if left unchecked. We have had a constant battle the past few years because of a huge squirrel population explosion. Mice are easier to control because they seem to go for any kind of trap or bait but rats and squirrels are much smarter.

December 14, 2012	#9
rockhound Tomatovillian™ Join Date: Dec 2011 Location: Tennessee Posts: 285	One real good use for the dried, ground ghost pepper is as a mammal repellent. If you've ever tasted one you know why I'm suggesting it.