Crocus December 2009

[Luc Gilgemyn]

I haven't seen any Crocus poking through in the garden as yet.
We did have an extended drought period here though (very little rain from early August till end of September)... could this have been the reason for the start of growth having been later than in other areas ??   

[art600]

                                              HELP


Something is devestating my Crocus in the bulb house.  The individual Crocus have the leaves bitten off at soil level, and there is evidence of digging in the soil.  When Tony Willis visited, he thought mice.

I bought 8 traps and placed them around the bulb house.  Three had the bait eaten - but the trap was not triggered.

What can I do to protect my Crocus - I have temporarily removed them from the house.  The Narcissus, Colchicum and Snowdrops are untouched.                                                    

[Tony Willis]

Arthur

it might be an idea to give people a clue if you put up a picture of the damage which I agree is pretty awful but also might be characteristic of a particular pest.

[Armin]

Luc,
long period of drought could be the reason. We had plenty of rain >100mm in November.

Arthur,
very regrettable you have a rodent problem. Picture would be good too.
Have you tried poisoned pellets based on Difethialone (brand name Brumolin Ultra) ?
I've heard good results from a neighbour whom's seat cushions stored in a garden cottage have been chewed up by mice.

[Gunilla]

Same here. Crocus leaves bitten of at ground level and mice traps plundered but not triggered.  Mice droppings everywhere. Very annoying.   

[Gerry Webster]

Arthur - Earlier in the Autumn something similar happened here, though on a small scale. I thought it might be an urban squirrel which I had seen running around. The damage stopped before I could decide what to do about it.

For future use I wonder if Armin's poison pellets (or similar) are available in the UK?

[art600]

Arthur

it might be an idea to give people a clue if you put up a picture of the damage which I agree is pretty awful but also might be characteristic of a particular pest.

I will wade to the bulb house and take some pictures 

[art600]

Here is th evidence - depth of holes in pots made it difficult to focus.  The pile of chewed stems and tunics is but a small sample  

Now it/they have started on Muscari - first picture shows pot with some leaves remaining - next picture shows chewed leaves on the sand, and the last picture shows a pile of compost dug from the pot.

What I cannot understand is why the Access frame,  that is full of plump Crocus in full growth, has been untouched.  Probably too wet!!

Any suggestions gratefully received

[Maggi Young]

Crikey, Art! Horrible scene of criminal damage there!
Almost certainly mice or voles to blame, I think.  It is my opinion that modern mouse traps are too easily robbed of the bait without catching the culprits but if voles are the villains then their smaller size may be the bonus they have for adding insult to injury in your bulbhouse. 

Squares of weldmesh over the layer of bulbs can help the digging but further methods are needed when there is this shoot damage also.
For my solution you will require some very small guage chicken wire,  wire mesh or somesuch and an assortment of bowls .......
I suggest you cut sections of wire mesh  and mould these into shape over a bowl  (or perhaps a two litre plastic bottle base , this or the bowl to be chosen to match the pot sizes involved).....to make a wee wire dome to fix over the pots to make a physical barrier to keep the chewing animals out . With a bit if thought you can arrange domes to suit the size of the pots and the expected growth size of the foliage within . All quite a bit of bother, but better than the frustration and anger caused by the pesky damage we see in your photos.

PS: I was going to suggest a stern word with Gemma....but I note your comment about wading to the greenhouse to take photos and so I will not expect Gemma Cat to be out in that kind of weather catching grotty rodents!! 

[tonyg]

Must be rodent.  Assume he is comfy and dry, safe from most predators in the greenhouse.
I have mixed feelings about the pawprints in some of my pots but my feline friend does ensure a mouse free greenhouse.
The warmth under glass is the attraction for mog too.  At present next doors cat suns himself in the greenhouse, my potting tray is a comfy place.  In summer our cat Timmy keeps guard in the Access frame.  Touch wood I have been left no calling cards in greenhouse or frames.  I do have a dry corner with sand which they frequent, I'm leaving that for a 'litter tray'.

[art600]

What do you think is the best bait?  One of the traps suggested peanut butter 

[Maggi Young]

Peanut butter is good, also raisins. Ian favours the former, while I prefer the latter... we each seem to have better success with our own preferences.... have we got " his and hers " mice, I wonder?

Chocolate is very successful, but strangely there never seems to any of that spare in this house for such purposes....

[Michael J Campbell]

"Cats in the greenhouse"  "

[tonyg]

"Cats in the greenhouse"  "

Michael, as I wrote I did think of you - I nearly withheld my comments knowing your (and others) opinions on cats
I must be lucky in that I have had little cause to complain.  AND like Art I keep a small quantity of valuable mouse food in a lot of my pots so I welcome the deterrent!

[ian mcenery]

Not nice at all Arthur definitely looks like mice this is what squirrels do   an after and before pic