Mice in Garden / Hot Pepper Powder Question

[PinkPetalPolygon]

I wasn't sure where to put this, so here it is. Hello!

I had a question: !!!

I have rodents (rats? mice?) in my garden eating my zucchini. I read that peppermint oil/mint is a rat deterrent, and plan on buying peppermint oil and soaking cotton balls in mint and putting them around the garden in addition to probably draping some mint leaves in the zucchini foliage tonight.

Any other suggestions for me to try?

The area is as clear as it can be / there is no debris.

I'm even considering price checking bobcat / predator pee from the store and sprinkling some of that action around if it's not overly expensive.

My real question was:

I was considering sprinkling some hot pepper powders around the garden near the zucchini plants. Would the hot pepper powders burn the zucchini leaves or otherwise harm the zucchini?

I'm learning towards sprinkling the heck out of all my zucs with peppery powders if only to give mouseypoos a nasty surprise when they bite in?

But I wouldn't want to hurt my zuchinis after they are already being torn apart and presumably peed on*

(*Although I guess plants like being peed on more than most people, a different subject )

Anyway, I just wanted to ask you wonderful guys & gals first.

So would it be okay to mist my zucchini fruit with spicy powders and put it on the surrounding areas? Thanks!

P.S.
Sorry to the little rodent creatures, but those are MY zucs!

Did I make a mistake when I let them bite the zucchini without putting traps up?

I mean, I saw a couple bites here and there but no big bites and I let it go because nothing was ruined? I just cut off the pieces and washed it well like I always do?

But I guess I should of tried to repel them in the beginning?

Haha, I answered my own question. ^

[PinkPetalPolygon]

Another question:

Would there be any adverse effects to me watering the garden with mint tea / water steeped in mint?

[digitS']

You have waited quite awhile for someone who has actually tried these things to respond.

Red pepper spray is used by some as an insecticide and I have read many times of its use as a dog and cat deterrent.

More importantly for your circumstance, I have read that aviaries treat birdseed with hot pepper to discourage the presence of mice. The birds can comfortably eat the seed; the mice are repelled.

"Teas" used to be quite commonly used in gardens as an insect deterrent ... gardeners with experience might know of cautions but both these efforts in crop protection sound harmless to plants.

Steve

[Asica]

You could also put plastic containers like Trader Joe's has their fruit and veggies in on the zucchini. You put the container around the veggie without cutting it.

[imafan26]

mouse trap or a mouser.