Protect Your Sweetcorn: Beware of These Hungry Pests!
Sweetcorn is a garden favourite, but its sugary kernels attract more than just human admirers. “What’s eating my Sweetcorn?” Various pests, including rodents, birds, and even larger mammals, can feast on your sweetcorn, especially if it’s left too long on the plant. Here’s a look at some common sweetcorn invaders and how to manage them.
1. Rats and Mice
Rats and mice are notorious for targeting sweetcorn, especially when the ears are overripe. They have a keen sense of smell and are drawn to the sugar in aging sweetcorn. These rodents can cause significant damage by gnawing on the kernels.
Prevention Tips:
- Harvest sweetcorn promptly once it’s ripe.
- Keep the garden area clean and free of debris to reduce hiding places.
- Store harvested sweetcorn in rodent-proof containers.
2. Squirrels
Squirrels are agile and persistent pests that love sweetcorn. They can climb stalks and chew through husks to reach the tasty kernels inside, often leaving a trail of destruction.
Prevention Tips:
- Install barriers like netting or fencing around your sweetcorn patch.
- Use squirrel repellents, such as spicy pepper sprays, on the plants.
- Provide alternative food sources, like a squirrel feeder, to distract them from your garden.
3. Foxes
Foxes might not be the first animal you think of when it comes to sweetcorn pests, but they can cause damage by trampling plants and eating the ears. Foxes are opportunistic feeders and might raid your garden if other food is scarce.
Prevention Tips:
- Secure your garden with sturdy fencing.
- Use motion-activated lights or sprinklers to deter nocturnal visits.
- Remove attractants like fallen fruit or unsecured trash to keep foxes away.
4. Magpies
Magpies and other birds can peck at sweetcorn, causing extensive damage to the ears. These intelligent birds are often drawn to the bright, exposed kernels.
Prevention Tips:
- Cover your sweetcorn with bird netting.
- Use visual deterrents like shiny tape, fake owls, or scarecrows.
- Employ sound deterrents to create a noisy, unwelcoming environment for birds.
5. Mice
In addition to rats, mice are small but determined pests that can invade your sweetcorn patch. They are particularly attracted to the sweet smell of aging corn and can cause significant damage by nibbling on the ears.
Prevention Tips:
- Keep the garden area tidy and minimize hiding spots.
- Use mouse traps or bait stations strategically around the garden.
- Regularly inspect and harvest sweetcorn to avoid overripeness.
Final Thoughts– What’s eating my Sweetcorn?
Protecting your sweetcorn from these pests requires a proactive approach. Timely harvesting and maintaining a clean garden environment are crucial steps. Combining physical barriers, repellents, and deterrents can help ensure your sweetcorn makes it from the plant to your plate without becoming a feast for local wildlife.
Protecting sweetcorn on YouTube
By staying vigilant and employing these strategies, you can enjoy a bountiful harvest of sweetcorn while keeping unwanted pests at bay.
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