Kitchen Garden Forum

Our unheated greenhouse now has a large number of pots planted with spring bulbs and, unfortunately, our local mice have discovered them! There is no way I can exclude the mice from the greenhouse - is there any smell they particularly dislike like mothballs, black pepper, camphor? I have tried sprinkling the pots with yellow sulphur but that doesn't seem to deter them from digging into the soil.
Our garden is bordered on two sides by tall dry stone walls which are full of mice, so catching them in traps would be an endless job. Last year I caught 22 mice in as many days, then I gave up ......

I can only suggest that you cover the pots with small mesh wire if that's possible.

Sticky boards are good but not kind to the mice

How infuriating! I wonder if Jeyes Fluid would deter them. Or perhaps some nasty cheap perfume if you have any which may have been an unwanted present which could be drizzled over the surface of the compost. Moths are alleged not to like lavender in wardrobes. I suspect mice are more resilient though.
In the short term, before the bulbs show through, could you put sheets of plastic, glass or some old aluminium plates or saucepan lids over the surface of the pots to prevent mice being able to access the compost?

It will be more protecting the bulbs than repelling the mice I would think. Any hanging baskets you can put over the pots with mesh or netting staked over it into the edges of the pot, or maybe some cloches with something taped over the vent? I bought some plastic ones quite cheaply which wouldn't fair outside very well but would be fine under cover. Or trap any in the greenhouse & release & then cover any ventilation points you need to leave open?

Many thanks for all the advice. I have now moved all the pots onto the top shelves in the greenhouse and I think that, and sprinkling on more yellow sulphur, has kept the little blighters off, but I will check them every morning.

Mouse in the garden can increase the problems exponentially & damage property. I suggest to use mesh that can solve your problem for some time.

Monika. If you'd seen the damage nesting mice did to the wiring in my car's dashboard after climbing up into the warm engine in the garage for a cosy nesting spot you'll use every method at your disposal To discourage them from your plot. They may only be tiny creatures but they can cause a disproportionate amount of damage. My car repair bill was expensive.

After I offer advice to you Monika the little monkeys are showing themselves on the plot - in broad daylight, but in their defence I was weeding around the compost bin which had some tomatoes still fruiting so it was their free B & B! But my wee pea shoots have now disappeared with the cutest little weeny holes left which are not from rats, although the neighbour has a mega rat problem I'm sure the damage is too little & neat to be rats but they will be after everything soon enough as well if neighbours attempts are unsuccessful!

Deep Joy! But at end of the day just another challenge & will have to be creative!

Good luck with your mice (and I hope it's not rats), Westi!
Moving my pots to the top shelf in the greenhouse and sprinkling on more sulphur seems to have done the trick, but they have now turned their attention to the newly planted tulip bulbs outside......

Naughty little blighters but obviously hungry! Maybe we have to look at alternatives to tempt them away from the bulbs & kind of set them up a well stocked feeding station away from the bulbs (& peas)! I've no idea what they would prefer or if they will need high or low feeders or hidden tunnels needed, nor the distance away from our crops & bulbs but lucky for us there are clever people on here that will know rodent preferences - by rodent I mean the little cute guys btw!

Feed them, they'll breed to exceed the food you supply.

How can you persuade them to move when you have crops & bulbs that are basically feeding them though? I wouldn't be surprised to actually see one with opposing thumbs as I think I do a pretty good job with battening down the netting & mesh but still they get in!

We have a plague of mice in the polytunnel – I think this one had a death wish!

I am not nearly as cruel as that, Geoff! My mice (and I have caught nine in the last few days) are gently transferred from their traps into the nature reserve opposite our house. And before you say, they will find their way back and I am probably catching the same mice over and over again, I should explain that they would have to negotiate a piece of rough undergrowth, a water-filled ditch, a steep slope covered in undergrowth, go under, over or through a 5 foot dry stone wall, cross an open area of grass and a road and then find their way into our back garden. I don't think they are THAT clever .... (well, I hope not, anyway)