2 years ago the mice got into the seed, completely eating several trays
of rare maple seed (from the Maple Society) that had been left outside to
stratify naturally in seed trays. Now I keep my seed in the bottom of
the fridge, much to the family's dismay.

This year I had 40 Acer davidii (snakebark maple) seedlings on a shelf in
an unheated room, along with many other maples that might prove a bit
tender. The mice ate all 36 davidiis on the lower shelf, stripped the
bark on some, bit off others at the base, etc. They also killed all 5 A.
crataegifolium seedlings, 2 variegated, I had from last year which hurts
more than the davidiis although as you might imagine 36 1/2 litre
seedlings represents quite a lot of work. They damaged some other
seedlings including an A. rubescens (species), a rare maple that was a
gift from a friend in the Society.

Well, that's my rant for the day. Bl**dy mice.



--
Gardening in Lower Normandy

On Thu, 02 Apr 2015 12:29:41 +0200, Martin wrote:

%^&*ing mice

Preach it, brother!



--
Gardening in Lower Normandy

On 02/04/2015 12:47, Martin wrote:
On 2 Apr 2015 11:22:48 GMT, Emery Davis wrote:

On Thu, 02 Apr 2015 12:29:41 +0200, Martin wrote:

%^&*ing mice

Preach it, brother!

She is thinking of planting a few peanuts around each bean next year to turn the
mouse into an overweight obese has bean mouse with a peanut allergy.



In years gone by we would soak pea and bean seed overnight in paraffin
this would put the little darlings off and didn't hurt the seed

On Thu, 02 Apr 2015 13:35:01 +0100, David Hill wrote:

In years gone by we would soak pea and bean seed overnight in paraffin
this would put the little darlings off and didn't hurt the seed

David what's your strategy with Dahlia tubers?



--
Gardening in Lower Normandy

On 02/04/2015 12:22, Emery Davis wrote:
On Thu, 02 Apr 2015 12:29:41 +0200, Martin wrote:

%^&*ing mice

Preach it, brother!

If you think mice are bad try squirrels. They dislodged tiles off my
garage roof and made a hole in the roofing felt to get to stored apples.

--
Regards,
Martin Brown

In message , Emery Davis
writes
2 years ago the mice got into the seed, completely eating several trays
of rare maple seed (from the Maple Society) that had been left outside to
stratify naturally in seed trays. Now I keep my seed in the bottom of
the fridge, much to the family's dismay.

This year I had 40 Acer davidii (snakebark maple) seedlings on a shelf in
an unheated room, along with many other maples that might prove a bit
tender. The mice ate all 36 davidiis on the lower shelf, stripped the
bark on some, bit off others at the base, etc. They also killed all 5 A.
crataegifolium seedlings, 2 variegated, I had from last year which hurts
more than the davidiis although as you might imagine 36 1/2 litre
seedlings represents quite a lot of work. They damaged some other
seedlings including an A. rubescens (species), a rare maple that was a
gift from a friend in the Society.

Well, that's my rant for the day. Bl**dy mice.

Well, I suppose I can count myself fortunate regarding mice compared
with your experiences.

We brought our cats over for a bit of a holiday and they noticed that we
had a few mice in the house which had defecated in my slippers while we
were away. Anyway the female cat has been busy catching them. Last night
I woke up in the middle of the night to go to the toilet. While in was
there she deposited a dead mouse just under my pillow.

We've noticed before that, if cats like you, they will give you such
presents. My wife had one in her handbag once. My mother-in-law was
brought a live vole by our neighbour's cat!

Anyway, cats are the answer!

David

--
David Rance writing from Le Mesnil Villement, Calvados, France

On 02/04/2015 14:22, Emery Davis wrote:
On Thu, 02 Apr 2015 13:35:01 +0100, David Hill wrote:

In years gone by we would soak pea and bean seed overnight in paraffin
this would put the little darlings off and didn't hurt the seed

David what's your strategy with Dahlia tubers?


In what respect?

On Thu, 02 Apr 2015 15:47:24 +0100, David Hill wrote:

David what's your strategy with Dahlia tubers?


In what respect?

Presumably you dig them up for overwintering? I had a mouse problem with
tubers (when we did dahlias), the mice ate them.



--
Gardening in Lower Normandy

On Thu, 02 Apr 2015 15:18:27 +0100, David Rance wrote:

Anyway, cats are the answer!

Would that it were so... Maybe we don't have enough cats.

But as you know, the presents aren't the problem, it's cleaning up the
puked mice on your bed, or walking in them during the night, etc. I like
cats, but cat vomit is not my favourite.

Anyway the cat catches probably 2-3 mice per day but prefers the outdoor
sort which are (I guess) easier to get.

And having a cat makes it more complicated to put out bait for the mice,
because the cat will eat the "paste" type.

cheers,

-E

--
Gardening in Lower Normandy

Blinking mice

Early symptoms of "Three blind mice" perhaps :-)

Mike

On 02/04/2015 16:05, Emery Davis wrote:
On Thu, 02 Apr 2015 15:47:24 +0100, David Hill wrote:

David what's your strategy with Dahlia tubers?


In what respect?

Presumably you dig them up for overwintering? I had a mouse problem with
tubers (when we did dahlias), the mice ate them.


Never had any tubers eaten or even nibbled,just slugs going for the
young shoots.
Now pot grown crocus are another story.

"Emery Davis" wrote in message
...
2 years ago the mice got into the seed, completely eating several trays
of rare maple seed (from the Maple Society) that had been left outside to
stratify naturally in seed trays. Now I keep my seed in the bottom of
the fridge, much to the family's dismay.

This year I had 40 Acer davidii (snakebark maple) seedlings on a shelf in
an unheated room, along with many other maples that might prove a bit
tender. The mice ate all 36 davidiis on the lower shelf, stripped the
bark on some, bit off others at the base, etc. They also killed all 5 A.
crataegifolium seedlings, 2 variegated, I had from last year which hurts
more than the davidiis although as you might imagine 36 1/2 litre
seedlings represents quite a lot of work. They damaged some other
seedlings including an A. rubescens (species), a rare maple that was a
gift from a friend in the Society.

Well, that's my rant for the day. Bl**dy mice.


You need a cat. Mine came without me wanting him. He is brill on mice and
small rats. He doesn't do the big rats, he says he doesn't like being bitten
by their huge teeth. I have to get the terriers in for that.

On 02/04/2015 14:44, Martin Brown wrote:
On 02/04/2015 12:22, Emery Davis wrote:
On Thu, 02 Apr 2015 12:29:41 +0200, Martin wrote:

%^&*ing mice

Preach it, brother!

If you think mice are bad try squirrels. They dislodged tiles off my
garage roof and made a hole in the roofing felt to get to stored apples.



And squirrels got into our loft and ate through cables. We're lucky
there wasn't a fire.
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

On 03/04/2015 12:21, Martin wrote:
On Fri, 03 Apr 2015 12:18:59 +0100, Spider wrote:

On 02/04/2015 14:44, Martin Brown wrote:
On 02/04/2015 12:22, Emery Davis wrote:
On Thu, 02 Apr 2015 12:29:41 +0200, Martin wrote:

%^&*ing mice

Preach it, brother!

If you think mice are bad try squirrels. They dislodged tiles off my
garage roof and made a hole in the roofing felt to get to stored apples.



And squirrels got into our loft and ate through cables. We're lucky
there wasn't a fire.

and no grilled squirrel?



Well, there certainly wasn't the delicious odour one might associate
with roast rodent. Mind you, RG got fairly hot under the colour when he
had to rerun cables in the rather tight eaves of the loft.
Hopefully, all the access holes have been blocked now and, no, we
haven't blocked Squirrel in. RG taped his mobile phone to a length of
timber and used the camera to check for lodgers.
--
Spider.
On high ground in SE London
gardening on heavy clay

We had a Rat problem so put down poison. We also blocked up the holes. Problem? We blocked up his exit. He died and rotted under the lounge floor.

Mike