Got wondering about mice pinching pea and bean seeds after sowing, and
wonder if you soaked the seed in water with added minced garlic if the
smell would hide the smell of the seeds from the mice?

"David Hill" wrote

Got wondering about mice pinching pea and bean seeds after sowing, and
wonder if you soaked the seed in water with added minced garlic if the
smell would hide the smell of the seeds from the mice?


We tried the old trick of soaking them in parafin, made no difference at
all.
Our problem is once past the mouse stage then the pea and bean weevil
attacks. With both, this year all our 4x20ft rows of peas are gone. No crop
this year. What to do in future other than back to the gutters and leave
them in there for too long so they are strong enough to overcome the
weevils.
--
Regards. Bob Hobden.
Posted to this Newsgroup from the W of London, UK

"BobHobden" wrote in message ...
"David Hill" wrote

Got wondering about mice pinching pea and bean seeds after sowing, and wonder if you
soaked the seed in water with added minced garlic if the smell would hide the smell of
the seeds from the mice?


We tried the old trick of soaking them in parafin, made no difference at all.
Our problem is once past the mouse stage then the pea and bean weevil attacks. With
both, this year all our 4x20ft rows of peas are gone. No crop this year. What to do in
future other than back to the gutters and leave them in there for too long so they are
strong enough to overcome the weevils.

Here in the far north, I sow my peas in 12 cell trays (3 peas per cell) in the
greenhouse. Planted out when about 4" high and no trouble with pea or bean
weevil. This year the first sowing was eaten by pheasants but a secong sowing
protected with bird netting, survived and the earlie now in full bloom.

Phil
Northern Highlands of Scotland