@#* Moles!

by Tonya on June 23, 2006 03:40 PM

I went to water my tomatoes this evening and found a mole trail The entire length of my tomato bed. 2 Questions.

1. Will they eat the roots or harm my tomatoes?

2. How do I get rid of the buggars without harming my dog or small kids?

Thanks All!!

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Bote and Babe's World

by SpringFever on June 24, 2006 12:16 AM

You know those pin wheels?? The spinny things
If you stick them around moles will stay away! They hate the vibration! And they are cheap [grin]

I have em all around

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Tonight I am having friends for dinner... Hanibal Lector My Album

by Tonya on June 24, 2006 01:26 AM

I had heard that, but didn't think it would work! Thanks Rita!

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Bote and Babe's World

by The Plant Doc on June 24, 2006 02:46 AM

Moles will not intentionally harm plants, however, if their search for food brings them into your veggie garden, I doubt they will have the common courtesy to go around the plants instead of going through them.
I can not think of any chemical ways of ridding moles from a veggie garden, but there is a small device which emits ultra sonic sounds which humans can not hear, which sends the little critters scurrying for the hills, or at least out of range of the sound which is usually about 25 feet away.
You can get them pretty much at any garden center and most hardware stores.

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Mike Maier
aka
The Plant Doc

by peppereater on June 24, 2006 04:49 AM

I know someone who used one of those devices, I don't know what brand, but they said theirs didn't work. There are a few brands of a castor oil product, I think one is called Mole-Rid. I've used that on a few people's yards, and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't.

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Dave
Even my growlights are getting restless!

by Tonya on June 24, 2006 05:07 AM

What happens if my dog gets into it?? She will, like any dog, eat anything and LOVES to dig to find stuff...I am going to try the pinwheels for now, until I figure out the best way...Thanks again!!

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Bote and Babe's World

by penny in ontario on June 24, 2006 07:36 AM

I have never tried it but have heard from different people that moles have a high sense of smell and dont like "strong" smells...try placing a few cotton balls soaked in peppermint or eucalyptus oil in the entrance of their holes they are using, they disappear after the smell and dont return.
Good luck...

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by The Plant Doc on June 24, 2006 10:59 AM

I think the trick to using those devices is to have enough of them to sufficiently cover the area that you which to keep mole free. I know of too many people who think that one or 2 of them is enough to keep the critters at bay in a 15,000 square foot lawn.
I would never use castor bean oil in a veggie garden, as the stuff is pretty toxic. I don't know if it would be taken systemically into the plant but I would not want to take that chance.

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Mike Maier
aka
The Plant Doc

by peppereater on June 25, 2006 03:39 AM

Mike, it's true that raw castor bean oil is highly toxic, and even a single castor bean can be fatal to a child or dog, but the toxin is de-activated by heat. You've heard the stories of moms giving castor oil to children to make them "regular." [Big Grin]

The castor oil in mole products is totally non-toxic. There is evidently something to the smell that moles don't like...I can't detect a smell, but I guess they can. Anyway, it's hit and miss as to whether it works, but I have seen it work in at least one case.

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Dave
Even my growlights are getting restless!

by Tonya on June 25, 2006 05:51 AM

Castor Oil is a great labor inducer...2 hours of labor after drinking it, but I will let you know how it is for getting rid of moles! Thanks all!

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Bote and Babe's World

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Gardening Reference » Gardening in 2006