Early Winter Bits and Bobs - 2021.

[Clive.]

A couple of seed catalogues have dropped through the letterbox just now.

One from DT Brown who tell me of their list of top ten selling seeds bought in my postcode area...top of the list is Onion Bedfordshire Champion...and yes, in fact I sowed some first thing this morning.... 'cept mine weren't purchased but are ex KG magazine a few years old seed, sealed foil packet...nothing ventured, nothing gained...just couldn't throw them out, found in a bit of a tidy up... Only a little bit of a tidy

..and the catalogues now add to the pile of....untidy.....

C.

[Primrose]

Clive, I laughed at your "only a little tidy up". You obviously trained at the same housekeeping sxhool as my other half. !!

I,ve never been able to waste old seed packets. Surprising how many still germinate. Yiu just have to sow them a little early o yiu can resow if necessary and more generously to allow for failure.
Tomato seeds I find seem to lastfor almost ever ! Perhaps I should eat a daily spoonful sprinkled on my porridge to ensure extra longevity !

One of my jumbo Patio containers has been flooded & overflowing with rainwater for 3 days. My husband has now bailed it out but its too big and heavy to lift and put on pots. Bulbs were already starting to sprout in it. Any idea how we can dry it out a little to prevent them from rotting?

[Westi]

Having huge problems with rats & mice, (so sympathising with Colin there).

The mice aren't too bad but definitely active in the tunnel despite my sealing any possible entry in. I did some weeding & found a deep run (maybe 10" deep), so it was going right under my barriers so wondering if the mice are also sharing this way in? Anyway I now have no beetroot, certainly not mice as they were a good size so a bit big for them to take away & the little scraps left were also way too big for a mouse to chew off & the whole lot taken over 2 nights. Also the mice seem to like some of the Chinese but only weeny nibbles of the crispy bottom growth.

The gits have also found the outside crop with the same results, I netted what left of those but expect they will gnaw through that. My plan tomorrow is to go around pushing a stick all along that side to find other runs, but it is hardly a deterrent filling in their runs. I have a humane trap for mice but won't bother with that as their damage is limited. I don't really want to put poison on the plot with the dogs coming down. Anyone know any natural deterrents, would it help to set up the solar sonic vibrating thing I use for the moles? Got some mothballs left over from the mole issue which I might bury along the fence row but I've never heard that would help with rats. I will chat to the farm helper guy who is paid to shoot them & give him permission to enter the plot & do a stake out at night, but even though he is down regularly I don't see him that often.

Any ideas? They aren't bothered by peppermint oil, in fact nothing seems to be bothered by that despite it being recommended online as a solution to just about any unwelcome infestation. As usual - cheers in advance!

[Primrose]

Wessti, I wonder if newspaper soaked in Jeyes Fluid would deter them if you have a place where you can keep the newspaper dry from other moisture. It has a pretty potent smell. (perhaps stuffing it in a piece of piping nearby).
Deterring these pests can be a real problem and they can be persistent little perishers, especially when hungry.

[Colin2016]

Did bit of research and found they can burrow quite deep "A rat’s burrow is only usually 1 or 2 feet deep, but they will go down further if they need to."

Also read lion poo is a deterrent as is lavender & mint.

Thought about using humane rat trap that I used at home but as they could be in there for a day it would stress them out so better to use kill type.

Anybody have suggestion on which type is most effective?

[peter]

We've got something romping around in the wall cavity, trouble is it's the original right-side exterior wall now enclosed inside an extension or two and I cannot for the life of me work out where the little varmint is getting in.
There was eating going on in the garage, so I set traps and blocked holes with expanding foam.
Never eaten it's way back in, maybe a different creature.
All our walls are hole free, as is next-door semi-detached, all ours and hers have solid surfaces up to the walls, bar one fully inspected hole-free flowerbed and one bit of concrete between her fence and our rear extension - which has the end above ground slightly.

Bait and traps in both loft's not been touched - no droppings, no visible traces......

[Westi]

I did a thorough poke along the fence row & found 3 tunnels, then thought I might have a quick look at the other plots fence line & found another one. Ironically coming out right under the neighbours new chicken coop he is building ready for his new chickens next year. I also found the mouse way into the tunnel as set up some broken light laminate jammed into the edges & one was dislodged. I tracked that & the mice are moving along under the buried wrap from behind the water butt at the front to right near the back. It was interesting to actually peer through the plastic & see the wee tunnel, but they won't be using that tonight.

My sonic vibrating mole thing needs charging which is unlikely to happen for a while in this murky dull weather, but I have another one in the shed with a battery backup so will take batteries down for that. I will also try Jeyes fluid thank you Primrose & along that vein I also have quite a lot of perfume from many years of Xmas presents so will try them as well. I'll feedback the effectiveness. BTW the outside beetroot still stands!

[Stephen]

I,ve never been able to waste old seed packets. Surprising how many still germinate. Yiu just have to sow them a little early o yiu can resow if necessary and more generously to allow for failure.

In contrast, I hate the high failure rate. There are plenty of fresh seeds.

[Colin2016]

How effective do you find those electric anti mole units Westi?

[Westi]

Hi Colin & Happy 2022!

They do work actually but you have to move them & follow the mole hills. Took a while, as they first visited the middle of the plot but I eventually edged them to the back so hopefully they are living happily in the farmers field. My first one was both solar & battery off 'A'. Due to the area to cover (2 plots) I bought a second one, same place & cheap for the other side & I liked it better as it not just vibrates but bleeps - probably no difference to the moles but was reassuring to me to know it was working without testing it. If looking first one was all black, second was an orange spike.

[Geoff]

Peter- have you had anything dancing on a ceiling, they get into cavities from the top after squeezing under tiles.

[oldherbaceous]

Happy New year everyone……

[Geoff]

A subdued HAPPY NEW YEAR is it without a special thread? Let's still wish everybody a Happy and Free New Year with perhaps some old normality in the Summer.

[peter]

Peter- have you had anything dancing on a ceiling, they get into cavities from the top after squeezing under tiles.

Yes the ground floor ceiling / upstairs floor.
House steps down on rear extension 6' of two floors and then 6' of ground floor only with a tiled roof from back to first floor windowsill-ish. Fully inspected no gaps, no tracks.
Was inside cavity wall a few days ago and fell, but no noises under original timber floored area, just in this cavity wall?

[Colin2016]

I see France is to ban the use of plastic for fruit & veg packaging from today. Would be good if uk did the same.