Paraffin & Broad bean seeds (2025)

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demented_2 Posts: 455 Forumite

28 March 2010 at 9:54AM in Gardening

Hi. I have heard that if you pop your Broad bean or pea seeds into paraffin, then plant the seeds out, the smell of the paraffin keeps mice at bay. I know that years ago gardners used to use this method, but was just wondering if anyone still does this and does it really work. We are plagued with mice on the lotty and wanted to give it a try. If it works of course. Thanks for any advice.

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demented_2 Posts: 455 Forumite

28 March 2010 at 3:51PM

Ok. I have found the anwer out on another site. I am going to try it.
Thanks

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bottlehalffull Posts: 66 Forumite

28 March 2010 at 4:14PM

Let me know if it works. It sounds very bizarre.
Is there not a lotty cat?
We had enormous trouble with the slugs eating the pea plants the minute they were put out in the ground. We'd been advised to grow everything in pots and harden off and plant them out to help cut down on slug-damage. The slugs also ate the broad beans but not as quickly.
There are those sonic noise things that are supposed to work on mice and rats. That could be worth a try.
kippers Posts: 2,062 Forumite

28 March 2010 at 8:00PM

I grow both broad beans and peas in toilet rolls at home and then plant the whole thing when they are approx two inches high. This way the mice don't eat the seeds and you get 100% success rate without soaking the seeds in paraffin first
bottlehalffull Posts: 66 Forumite

28 March 2010 at 8:53PM

I've tried the cardboard tube but was never sure how damp to keep them - did you find they fully rotted in the ground?
Farway Posts: 14,541 Forumite

29 March 2010 at 3:25PM

bottlehalffull wrote: »
I've tried the cardboard tube but was never sure how damp to keep them - did you find they fully rotted in the ground?
Mine always have, I do this with both Runners & Broad beans, in fact my BBs went out about a fortnight ago and are growing away well, so I must assume they have rooted through tubes & also out of base, so even if the tubes do not fully rot the beans always seem to survive well

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jammy_dodger Posts: 1,925 Forumite

29 March 2010 at 7:59PM

i use paraffin on my peas and beans before sowing to deter mice works fine
demented_2 Posts: 455 Forumite

31 March 2010 at 7:35PM

Thank you Jammy Dodger.
I had heard that the " Old boys" used to use paraffin years ago and that it worked, however in these PC days, i didn't know if it was A allowed to be done anymore or B that other lotty people still did this. I have popped the BB seeds in paraffin and sown them now. We will see what happens. Thank you for reasuring me. :beer:

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