I thought I was going to get a good crop of sweet corn this year. The plants grew well and there were lots of cobs developing. So I was horrified to see that something had attacked some of the cobs and eaten away at them. I wasn't sure whether it was birds, mice or rats.
However, I was on the plot yesterday and saw one plant quivering differently from the others. Creeping down the path when I got there I came face to face with a very well fed rat sitting on one of the cobs.
A clap of my hands and he was gone. But I needed my rat traps. I located them in my shed but the boxes I use, with a hole at each end, were lost in all the rubbish filling the floor space to a depth of nearly 3 feet.
I am told rats will not enter a space unless they can see a way out so rat boxes always have at least two entrances. So I had to convert two 2 litre milk bottles by cutting off both ends, baited the traps with peanut butter and set them inside the 'bottles' close to the half eaten cobs. I also harvested any cobs that looked reasonably ripe - about a dozen from my 30 plants.
Today I checked the traps. Mice are supposed to be too light to trigger them but if they come mob handed and try to feed two at a time.......! I had two bodies in the same trap but no rats.
The second trap had been triggered but was outside the 'bottle'. It had probably propelled itself out as there was no sign of anything being caught in it. I reset both traps.
I had not planned to do anything other than check the traps but there were so many ripe raspberries and runner beans ready to pick I had to stay and do some harvesting. My dinner was lovely with really fresh veg and dessert!
However, I was on the plot yesterday and saw one plant quivering differently from the others. Creeping down the path when I got there I came face to face with a very well fed rat sitting on one of the cobs.
A clap of my hands and he was gone. But I needed my rat traps. I located them in my shed but the boxes I use, with a hole at each end, were lost in all the rubbish filling the floor space to a depth of nearly 3 feet.
I am told rats will not enter a space unless they can see a way out so rat boxes always have at least two entrances. So I had to convert two 2 litre milk bottles by cutting off both ends, baited the traps with peanut butter and set them inside the 'bottles' close to the half eaten cobs. I also harvested any cobs that looked reasonably ripe - about a dozen from my 30 plants.
Today I checked the traps. Mice are supposed to be too light to trigger them but if they come mob handed and try to feed two at a time.......! I had two bodies in the same trap but no rats.
The second trap had been triggered but was outside the 'bottle'. It had probably propelled itself out as there was no sign of anything being caught in it. I reset both traps.
I had not planned to do anything other than check the traps but there were so many ripe raspberries and runner beans ready to pick I had to stay and do some harvesting. My dinner was lovely with really fresh veg and dessert!
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