Two weeks ago, I planted some Celosia and Amaranthus seed. I had selected six varieties to grow this year, and one was an expensive green variety which is now sold out. If you remember the seeds came pelleted, in vial, and there were only 8 seeds which means that they cost about a dollar each. I was excited that I was able to get the seed a day before it sold out from Johnny’s Selected seed.
The seeds all sprouted, with bottom heat and perfect sunshine and I rejoiced. Apparently, so did the mice. Now, all of the seedling have been pulled out of the soil, and chewed off. I suspected mice, set some traps with peanut butter from Whole Foods, since I wanted the mice to have a healthy last meal…..and I caught three on the first night. Now, they just lick the peanut butter off of the traps and they don’t set off, all part of their evil plan.
While on the subjects of pests…..this was in our dumpster this weekend. Joe used a new teak trellis so that he (she?) could climb out of the dumpster.
There there is this. Now, OK…at 96 I really can’t complain, but Dad is maybe starting to get a little crazy with his bird (squirrel) feeding. See those buckets on his walker? (I mean his “4 wheeler” as he calls it), those are full of weed seeds, sunflower seeds and peanuts which he broadcasts over all of the troughs, rock gardens and railings on the decks. What was once quaint, is now a little out of control, the mice, steal the seeds and crawl into the greenhouse with them, as do the chipmunks, which I love, but after a few trays of Hellebore seedlings turn into sunflower flats, I start to lose it. Now, Dad has had his feeding practice restricted to this side of the yard near the house I rent out, especially since we and Margaret spent 8 hours this past Sunday at Tufts Vet Hospital getting an MRI because she ate too many peanuts with shells and got a blockage.
My sympathies! Unfortunately I did not order any of the seed or I would send some your way. Maybe someone else you enabled will have one or two extra.
Oh dear, sounds like there are troubles at your house. You can nuke those birdseed in the microwave which will render them unable to sprout and the birds will still love them.
Debbie
Mixing the peanut butter with oatmeal makes a better bait for snap traps: they usually can't just lick it out.
But I find bacon works best, jammed under the jagged end of the trigger. Peanut butter is good, but bacon is to die for. They can't lick off the bacon.
I've lost a few hundred cheap marigold seedlings this year. I've caught 4 of the mice responsible.