In this video I’m tackling a proper allotment headache—how I protect my peas from mice and rats, especially when you’ve just sown them and you’re hoping for a cracking start. I’m sowing peas in rain water guttering, which is a brilliant little budget trick because you get a nice straight run, you can control the compost, and you can slide the whole lot out into the ground when they’re ready. It also helps me keep a closer eye on what’s going on, because if rodents are about, they’ll find pea seed fast. I talk through the simple, practical ways I go about reducing losses—keeping things tidy, making sowings less accessible, and generally stacking the odds in my favour without spending a fortune. This is the sort of job where being organised saves you money: fewer seeds wasted, fewer resows, and you get your pea crop moving quickly. If you’re after a no-nonsense, on-a-budget way to start peas and keep them safer until they’re established, this guttering method is one of my go-to approaches on the plot.