A couple of weeks ago I felt very pleased having just sown 2 trays of one of my favorite summer flowers - Sweet Peas. I put them into small pots - 4 seeds in each, all of which I'd pre-soaked in cold water the night before which really helps with the germination process. I got this advice a few years ago when having difficulty in getting seeds to germinate and it really does help! 
Anyway - 2 days later went into the greenhouse to check on them to discover that something had been in and had dug out every last seed... I was gutted..... all the shells had been discarded so the only thing I could think it could have been was mice... well I'm sorry to say that the culprit was caught! So it was back to the drawing board with another sowing - this time I covered the trays with propogating lids just incase there were any other hopeful thieving paws! I'm pleased to say that many of them have started to come through already so here's hoping for a lovely show of Sweet Peas this summer.
10 comments:
This happened to me once when I started seeds in my basement, only it was pepper seeds they were after. I bought a device you can plug into an outlet that emits a high pitched sound that mice won't come near. And of coarse, we bought some mouse traps, too. :-)
Oh Blimey Miranda nothing more frustrating than losing seeds. Guess the cold weather will have forced them indoors. Wildlife gardening should not begin in the greehouse :-) Mind you I'm hopeless, last year lost a whole crop of sprouts as I became fascinated by the antics of the Cabbage White caterpillars.
You meanie Miranda, poor little chap comes in for a snack and wham story over....well what do you expect from a wildlife gardener. Seriously though each to their own.
The rabbit have eaten all the tops of my lavenders, they are not supposed to like lavender, so don't know whats happened there. Also the catnip has taken a bashing, it was looking really lovely.
Hope your trip to Cornwall was fun. Was if business or pleasure?
Look forward to your post.
Happy mouse free gardening!!
I knew I was bound to upset one or two mentioning that I'd caught the culprit, but sometimes there's not much option especially in the greenhouse - I hate harming things and love the wildlife aspect of gardening too, but there can be the odd exception!
One of the best stories was from about 2 years ago when I was out walking our Lab puppy and heard loud mewing - only to discover eventually a litter of 5 kittens which had been abandoned in the bottom of the ancient outside loo which was here when we got here(one that went into the ground)- one didn't make it but the rest went to lovely homes - not sure if that counts as wildlife but was a happy ending at least.
Thanks Connie, Border Reiver and Cheryl for visiting - and see you all again soon!
Nice treat to see all of your spring blooms - thank you! I still have a bit of a wait before they'll make an appearance in my garden - thank goodness for Blogland!!
Hi Miranda.....Just popped over for a bit of info.
My snowdrops never appeared in February......low and behold they are springing up all around the garden now...Nearly April snowdrops, don't understand. Have you an explanation please?
Hi Cheryl - I must admit that's quite unusual but then the weather patterns are too at the moment! A lot of the plants are flowering at unusual times - such as the roses we had out in November! I've not really any other explanation for you - sorry! I'd enjoy them knowing that they're rather unique! Will visit again soon - off to try and cut some grass now as long as it's not too wet - snatching the opportunities whilst I can! Take care Miranda
Snow has arrive here, after a glorious week. Hows the weather in your part of the world??
Thanks for your note Cheryl - having had glorious weather this past week when I was working outside in just a T-shirt - it's now like mid-winter again - biting cold wind and some snow too - the poor plants... So much has come through these past few days and I'm happy to tell you so have the second sowing of sweet peas too which is great.
So hope the weather cheers up a bit this week.... take care and will visit again soon Miranda
I have never thought of soaking my sweet pea seeds! Thanks for the tip. Sorry to hear that little teeth tucked in to them! Mice destroyed our garden cushions a couple of years in the shed! Foam everywhere, funny now but not at the time LOL. I guess you have to take the good with the bad :-)
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