Moles can be a destructive force in your garden. They burrow through the root zone of plants, and eat earthworms you depend on for healthy soil. But they are cute little things too, so if you can keep them out of your garden without having to kill them, it’s worth a shot. Here are 3 ways to get rid of moles that don’t involve killing them.
Vibrations
Moles are incredibly sensitive to the vibrations made by insects and worms in the ground. This is how they find their food. This sensitivity can be used against them. There are a variety of manufactured devices on the market that send vibrations into the ground that irritate the mole and make it difficult for them to sense the vibrations that are looking for. Some are battery operated, solar, or wind operated, but they all function about the same way.
DIY Repellent
Chemical irritants can also be used to drive away moles. A DIY repellent can be made from mixing 1 tablespoon dish soap, 4 tablespoons castor oil, and 4 tablespoons of cayenne pepper and spraying them on the mole hills you have found after filling them, and on any area you see trails. This treatment can negatively affect plants, so be careful not to get it on the leaves of any plant you are concerned about, including grass in a growing stage.
Plant Repellent
Planting crops like onions and garlic, or plants like chocolate lilies can also be used as a constant repellent, and one that offers the benefits of food production of ornamental flowers instead of dead grass and vibration devices sticking out of the ground.
Not all moles are as easily deterred as others. You may have to use more than one of these methods, or even take more drastic measures, but if you do, at least you will know that you tried to things the nice way first.
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