Looking for a few effective methods to get rid of ground moles and keep them from destroying your lawn, flowerbeds and garden soil?
Ground moles can certainly terrorize the landscape. Not only are their tunnels unsightly and damaging to a lawn, they can cause serious injury to the plants in gardens and flowerbeds too. As the moles build their tunnel, they expose the roots of plants, often damaging them beyond repair.
Sadly, its not even not the plant’s roots they are after. In fact, ground moles don’t have an ounce of plant-eating herbivore in them. Instead, they love to feast on the grubs and worms living below your lawn and garden spaces. And the tunnels they dig are exactly how they hunt for them.
Ground moles are always in search of their next meal. They love to feast on grubs, earthworms and other ground dwelling bugs and insects. Unfortunately, applying chemical sprays or granules to take out the grubs also kills of many of the beneficial life under the soil – like the beloved earthworm.
So what is the answer to keep moles away? Well, the good news is there are a few effective and natural methods for mole control. With that in mind, here is a look at 3 of the best to keep your lawn and bed spaces safe from damage.
3 Natural Methods To Get Rid Of Ground Moles
Motion & Sound & Vibration Traps
Ground moles do not like vibration or sound anywhere near them as they search for food. Movements and sounds in the soil cause them to fear that potential predators are nearby. And if the sounds or vibrations go on long enough, they usually leave the area.
Because of this, creating a constant stream of vibration or noise serves as an effective deterrent for stopping ground moles. But some methods of noise are certainly better and more effective than others.
Although placing pinwheels or stakes with small chimes in the soil creates sound and vibration, they usually cannot produce enough constant sound or movement to truly be effective. Especially if there is no air current to propel them!
Solar Mole Repellers – How To Get Rid of Ground Moles
For making sounds and vibrations in the ground, solar mole repellers take it to a whole new level. These solar powered devices emit pulsing vibrations and sounds. And they do so in regular doses, keeping a constant supply of noise and movement in the soil.
When placed in strategic locations, the devices can help to drive moles from an area. One spike is usually not enough to keep them out of an area, but multiple solar spikes can work together to drive the moles out.
It may take a bit of experimenting with placement, but they can form an effective barrier. Best of all – they are 100% solar and require no cords or power to run! Product Link : Mole Repellent Solar Powered 4 Pack Sonic Mole Deterrent Spikes
Castor Oil Spray – How To Get Rid of Ground Moles
Castor oil is another good option when it comes to driving ground moles from your property. The castor bean has long been known to be offensive to ground moles. In fact, many gardeners plant castor bean plants strategically in their garden to stop ground moles from entering.
If you don’t want to plant castor bean plants (they can be invasive), you can create a castor oil spray that is a highly effective ground treatment. Once applied to the soil, it can be a very effective natural deterrent.
To make, mix 6 ounces of castor oil with a gallon of water and a few drops of liquid dish soap. The dish soap will help the mixture stick to the foliage where it is sprayed. To apply, use a sprayer and cover the affected area with a light mist.
To increase effectiveness for stopping ground moles, spray the entrance and exit holes with the solution as well. The scent helps drive ground moles from working the treated areas. To keep its effectiveness, you will need to reapply the spray after a hard rain, watering, or a heavy dew. Product Link : Pure Organic Castor Oil
Using Garlic In Ground Mole Holes – How To Get Rid of Ground Moles
It is truly amazing how garlic can be a natural repellent to so many pests and animals. It can be used with hot peppers to make an all natural spray to protect plants, it can be used in the fight against keep deer away, and yes, it can be used to fight ground moles too! See: Homemade Garlic/Hot Pepper Spray
Garlic’s pungent and distinct odor has long been known as a ground mole deterrent. When grown in the garden, it is the one crop that ground moles seem to avoid at all costs. But here is the good news, you don’t have to grow garlic to reap it’s ground mole-repelling qualities.
Instead, place a few cloves of crushed garlic in the hole openings and tunnels of ground moles. This will usually send them packing to find a new space. The garlic trick is effective, but you need to be persistent and consistent in locating holes and placing the cloves inside.
To increase the effectiveness, you can create a spray by heating 10 cloves of garlic in 1/2 gallon of water, and then spraying or saturating the hole entrances with the mixture.
Here is to getting rid of ground moles, and to keeping them from destroying your lawn and landscape this year – naturally! For more on pest control, see our Battling Pests section on the blog.
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