Pests - Field Rats; Field Mice
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  (June) Another plea from Northwest Arkansas. I started some poppies in my greenhouse. When they were 3 to 4 inches tall, I planted them out in my herbaceous border and they disappeared, eaten almost to the ground. And again. Then I believe I spotted the culprit. Six inches long, grey, with a tail -- a field rat I believe. What do you suggest? No other plants in my border have been eaten yet. A gardener friend cultivates alongside a large field and she gets significant damage from field rats; she also seeks a solution. There are a few rabbits in our neighborhood, but I have seen none in our street.

  Have you thought about a cat? I guess some other possible solutions are: poison baits, traps, or protect the seedlings until they are larger, and maybe less palatable-- some kind of protective fencing or screening? If this is out in the open, I would encourage the Have-a-heart type traps, since other creatures could wander in. That is the caution for poison baits as well. Try to keep the area as clean as possible, mowed and weeded. If you have fields nearby, you often don't have that option. Good luck!

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