Kitchen Garden Forum

Anyone know what I can blame for stealing my broad bean seeds? Something has removed them all (probably about 60!!!!) from the ground leaving rounds hole and a litter of little emerging stems on the soil surface. Someone suggested squirrels but I've never seen one down there. Mice? Rabbits? Pigeons?

I know it's too late but would just like to know what animal to put on my most wanted list.

thanks in advance

I would go for rats/mice though a Jay might also do the same.

Squirrels will do it too but if you have not seen one then it is not so likely.

Still time to re-sow.

Jerry

mm run out of seeds now but could buy more I suppose. How would I stop it happening again though?

Dear bigpepperplant

I also have lost broad beans to this varmit. We planted aqualdulce from late september to november and all are fine except for a little frost damage. However the beans we sowed in february were devastated by the Bean Varmit. It left 1'' diameter holes all along the rows. A neighbour's allotment was similarly raided at this time. All seeds were treated; and I suspect old brock badger but have no proof.

Someone must know the culprit.

Barney

To stop it happening is not easy if it is mice/rats. For birds I cover the row with a strip of chicken wire.

Soaking the seeds in parafin is said to help deter the rodents but I have never tried it.

If it is badgers then it would be very easy to spot as their foot prints are very distinctive but I think they would plough up more of the soil having watched them feed in the wild for many years.

The only fool proof way is to sow in pots, root trainers and then transplant. They may still need protection from pigeon damage though.

Jerry

sounds like the same damage, but badgers? V much doubt it in my case - the garden is walled. The mystery deepens. it sounds like I need to invest in some 24 hour cctv cameras

There are paw prints alongside my rows and we have badgers but also foxes and wandering dogs but the disturbance is only the small circular holes in the soil to the missing bean.

It is as if the offender has pushed straight down on the bean and removed it.

Barney

Hi BP,
If it's only small holes it is certainly not Badgers or Foxes but Mice. Here,where the soil has no clay content they can pinch the seed without even leaving a trace. I find that Aviary wire which is easy to push in the ground because the little buggers will dig under the wire if you do not bury it about 3"
Aviary wire hereabouts comes in 3'x6' Sheets and I have Pea guards made from them. They last for years and are a good investment to my mind.
With Badgers you would have half the allotment ripped up and with Foxes although a little daintier than Badgers the same thing would occur.
Try sowing Masterpiece Green Longpod if you have to buy any seed they are a super tasting variety with a high yield.

Almost certainly mice. They are after the old beans/cotyledons. If sown direct put a bottomless drinks bottle into the ground about 3 inches deep. if mature transplants you can remove the spent bean when planting, they get the message and don't bother to dig there.
Allan

You have all convinced me that it is mice, and on further examination there is a manure heap near the missing beans with several similar holes in it.

Barney

i use supermarket mushroom trays, punch a few holes in th bottom with a nail, fill with potting compost and sow 12 about a dozen beans, they go on a bench in the tunnel with several mouse traps scattered about the bench. usually get 100% germination. plants are planted out when 3 to 4 inches high, usually during a wet spell so they dont get too cold for the first day or two. will be sowing the last batch this weekend.

I decided long ago this was Jackdaws (possibly Magpies). They see the bean emerging and use the shoot to pull up the remains of the bean and eat it. Solution is root trainers under cover then plant out under a polythene or fleece cloche watching out for early slugs.
Perhaps the real winter we have had will thin out the slimy army.

Maybe birds outside but not usually in polytunnels.Either way, if the old seeds are gone the pest will give up.

Regarding removal of spent beans, I adopted this practice as standard at least 6 years ago. I wouldn't do it to younger plants but at 6 weeks the plants are well grown and with big rootball and it doesn't seem to affect the crop at all.
Allan

Whent up the greenhouse this morning only to find two trays of broad beans lining on their sides. Mouse been in and cut the tops off and eaten the seeds. I got my allotment officially today, so had started them off in greenhouse to buy time. Lost Bunyards exhibition and Express.
Clifford
Bawtry, Doncaster, South Yorkshire