All My Tomato Seedlings Destroyed

[barkeater]

I got up this morning to get my 8 day old seedlings out of the furnace room, and all that were there were the stems. A mouse ate every one of them. At least it didn't like the hot pepper and eggplant seedlings.

Last weekend after I seeded the trays, I thought the soil looked disturbed the next day. Then Monday morning I was convinced a mouse was the culprit, even though I only saw one little mouse dropping. So, I set a trap before I left with my tray for work in NY. Lo and behold, I come back Friday to find a dead mouse. Knowing there is never just one, I reset the trap and for 2 nights in a row - nothing. Then last night, the first night it got cold since they sprouted I put them back in the furnace room hoping the couple stragglers would sprout in the 80 degree heat.

So before I left for work again for the week, I put 2 sixpacks with seeds in it along with 2 mouse traps with peanut butter for the little bass tards.

I reseeded everything this morning ( so much for planting by the moon this year ). Unfortunately, I won't be growing Wes or Lucky Cross as planned since I have no more seeds for them. I'll pick out replacements for them from the dozens of other varieties I have but never grown when I get home tonight.

Because of the unseasonable weather, I had such high hopes for these seedlings It was the first time I was ever able to have them germinate outside in the sun and stay out every day the first few days.

[Gobig_or_Gohome_toms]

What I have found that works better then peanut butter is just white flour. The mice love it. Since you already have them baited you could just dust the peanut butter with a little flour.

Craig

[cottonpicker]

barkeater....... I FEEL your pain. I have LOST seedlings before & it's just like one of your kids dying. Glad you had seeds to replant and I'm sure it will all turn out fine in the end ands this will be forgotten after a while. I used to use the mouse bait that contained Warfarin. THAT WILL teach'em a thing or two about their dirty tricks!!!!!!!
LarryD

[pdxwindjammer]

I am so sorry for your loss. My condolences!

[barefootgardener]

bark, I feel your pain too..But I am glad you still have time to reseed..
It has happened to me before, I lost about a doz. seedlings , Aunt Ruby's and C.P.. but at least I still had another 50 left of diff.varieties.

After that I pack my seedlings up for the night in clear storage boxes or reg. boxes..(I also have a Mr. Kitty we have to keep our eye on )

Ginny

[matertoo]

My sincere condolences for your loss. I lost my entire crop last year. I drownded them. I had a service in rememberance of my babies and tilled them into the garden. Very touching. I still tear up when I think of them go ghis day.

Paul

[barkeater]

One good thing that came of this incident. I had totally forgotten to sow one of my best tomatoes from last year-Early Wonder. Plus, 5 seedlings emerged today from 3 different varieties.

Good point, barefoot. I even have one of those clear domes that go over the trays. I'll be sure to use it this weekend when I get back to VT. Hopefully there will also be 2 dead meeses waiting.

[natural]

barkeater,

Sorry for your losses. I lost 500 lettuce plants to mice in my garage a few weeks ago. Same thing as you. The first night, I saw some soil disturbed, but thought maybe I had kicked the tray by accident. Next morning, all lettuces destroyed. I even had a clear dome over the trays! That lettuce was to be our only source of income this month, as I am now unemployed. The mice have now been taken care of.

I have Wes seed. Send me a PM if you would like a few.

Bill

[carolyn137]

Bark, fresh 2009 Wes seeds that were sent to me if you want a few. If so just PM me with your address b'c while I know I have it I'm not in the mood to go on a search mission.

OK, you lost seedlings, and that's worse than what happened to me.

Many moons ago when I was still raising all my tomato plants at the old family farm and doing seed saving for up to 200 or so varieties each year I also had a "mouse" moment.

My mother was living alone in the farmhosue at the time so I'd put the paper plates with fermented seeds in all the bedrooms upstairs until the seeds were dry.

So you know what happened. One day I went up to collect the plates so I could put a new batch up there and those &*^%$ mice had EATEN almost ALL the seeds.

My only hope was that they ran outside with seedy stomachs, drank a lot of water and blew up.

[baby daddy]

Had the same prob. last year, lost Huando and Calapata .. Mine were in the garage on my potting table. Now I leave them on a table that the mice cant get on top of.

Johnny

P.S. Hi Carolyn, ordered your Heirloom book on ebay last night, cant wait for it to come in....

[Worth1]

At least it was a mouse 2 years ago it was my cat and no way could I kill her.
So I just got smarter than the cat.
sorry for the loss.

Worth

[b54red]

I had the same type of problem during the winter down here. Lost 3 different plantings of lettuce and 2 of spinach along with one of broccoli, cabbage, and cauliflower. Good thing they liked the greens better than my tomatoes and peppers. The problem started with squirrels in the fall and a couple of wood rats that would visit my fresh salad bar in the greenhouse. Even had a possum get in there and feast; but one of my dogs took care of him. I just wish they would catch squirrels and mice. Peanut butter is a great bait for rats and mice; they can't resist it.

[Blueaussi]

I lost the bulk of my tomato and pepper seedlings to a puppocolypse a couple of weeks back. It's my fault, I didn't check to make sure I had closed the door tightly, and I knew she had a thing about flower pots and dirt.

I'm really, really glad Rodger will be at the Pee Dee Flower Festival this weekend!

[remy]

Bark,
All I could think was NO!!! as I read your post. I just can't imagine waking up to see that. I have extra Lucky Cross seedlings. I can mail you a couple once they get bigger.
Remy

[barkeater]

Thanks for all your seed offers! Suze sent Wes and Lucky Cross seeds out to me right away and I should be back in business this weekend, thanks to her.

I do have room for one more plant though, but I can't decide between Akers West Virginia or KBX, I've never grown either. Any opinions?