Reader's Question

LESLIE from Durham was shocked to go out into the garden early one morning this week to discover that every single one of his crocus bulbs, which were only a fortnight or so away from flowering, had been nibbled off at the point where they meet the soil.

Many of the shoot tips were left lying on the ground. He wants to know what could have caused such damage and what can he do next year to prevent it.

I HAVE to say that you are not alone, Leslie. I was sorting through some of the potted-up bulbs in the garden centre this week and as with Leslie’s plants, all the top shoots had either vanished or been severed. It was a scene of utter destruction.

There are several candidates for such destruction in the borders. It could be the work of badgers, deer, rabbits, pigeons, mice, voles or squirrels. I could definitely rule out the larger animals as they would have excavated more soil and disrupted the pots, and a strategically-placed trap baited with leftover Christmas chocolate soon provided me with proof of the villain; a mouse.

The only way to prevent mouse damage to bulbs is to cover the area or pot with several layers of fine chicken wire. The first layer should go just under the level of the soil. The bulb will grow through the mesh. Another layer an inch or so above this prevents the rodents from shearing off the shoots before they have the chance to flower.

Admittedly, the wire may be apparent in the borders or in the pot for a while, but leaf growth soon disguises this, and the flowers will cover up any trace of mesh that pokes through.

Events

■ THERE will be up to 28 different varieties of seed potatoes, many of them organically certified at this Sunday’s Potato Day at Nature’s World in Middlesbrough, from 10am- 2pm. Another event, also run by the Durham Organic Gardening Society, is taking place at Bowburn Community Centre on Saturday, January 31.

■ THERE will be something to tickle the fancy of every young wildlife enthusiast when the RSPB’s Feeders and Breeders roadshow comes to Middlesbrough on Thursday, January 29. The show, for five to 11-year-olds, takes place at Abingdon Primary School from 6.30pm to 8.30pm ■ PREPARE ground that is to be planted with perennials, bedding and vegetables with well-rotted manure.

You don’t have to dig it right into the soil, but fork it in gently and allow nature to do the rest.

■ RHUBARB crowns can be planted outside in a previously well-manured bed. Those that are already well established can be ‘forced’ into producing tender, sweet, pink shoots by placing a bucket or large pot over the top of the crowns.

BRIGID presents the BBC Tees Green, Gardening and Great outdoors show every Sunday from 11-2pm. Questions can be answered on the day by emailing brigidpress@bbc.co.uk anytime during the week, or texting 07786-200-995 and phoning 01642-225-511 during the show. Written questions can be sent to The Garden Centre, Houghall College, Durham City, County Durham, DH1 3SG.