Deterring mice...

[TomK]

Ok... Here's the issue... I plan to 32 Hills of various gourd plants in my garden, squashes and the lake as well as sunflowers... Within one day, or more accurately night time, each and every one of my seeds which I had meticulously buried at the appropriate depth had been removed and either eating or stashed away somewhere else... All the evidence points to mice and I wonder if any of you folks know of something I could sprinkle on to the planting Mounds that would keep the mice away.... Something non lethal to humans would be preferable

[WLLady]

hot chili powder...apply liberally and after any rain/water....its not 100% but might help. i have better luck with my cats tho

[Jaye]

... or a mixture of borax and sugar might help. It's good to get rid of ants indoors (or outdoors), so maybe would work on mice too?

[Killerbunny]

The way borax works is when it is eaten it is taken up in the exoskeleton and the ant weakens and dies. Don't think it would work for mice.

[Farrier1987]

Cut both ends out of tin cans and insert over the seed, an inch or two into the ground. Helps deter birds etc too. I like it because not expensive and no real pollutants.

[Killerbunny]

Good idea! Maybe it will deter the chicken pests LOL!

[WLLady]

farriers suggestion also works great for cutworm-even toilet paper rolls or paper towel rolls cut up will work (and they compost)....mice could chew the cardboard if they want, but cutworms are completely foiled.

[SusanH]

Peppermint is something mice hate.

[WLLady]

mice ate my peppermint and my wintergreen mint to the ground last year.....once the cat figured that out we got presents every morning. maybe i have weird mice? they like strawberries too. and chives.....

[KimChick]

Mice do not like the smell of lemon. Those Glade gel air fresheners used to have a lemon or citrus but don't anymore - worked well in our garden shed.
Sprinkling cayenne pepper may work as well.
Pieces of Irish Spring on a stick/skewer keeps deer away.
In the house, we have used Bounce dryer sheets to deter mice from going anywhere but the basement where there are traps.