Kitchen Garden Forum

I'm afraid my (large) garden which has open fields all around has been plagued with moles for years. I've tried different things to make them go away but nothing really has worked, and I don't have the heart to kill them. If anyone has any tricks that have REALLY REALLY worked, I'd love to know. In the meantime I make the most of it by using the mole-hill soil in my raised beds. Hence that well known proverb, every mole has a silver lining...have I got that right? (Tony, editorial aka Peter Radish)

Jasper a carrot covered the subject in depth.

Hi Peter
I back onto fields and sometimes get mole trouble. If its somewhere that's a real nuisance such as the lawn I push a stick down the centre of the molehills and then put a few drops of Jeyes Fluid down the hole. They almost always move on and don't come back. With luck they move to an area of rough grass or the chicken run where they are no trouble.
Regards
John

Moles have become a complete menace since the ban on strychnine poison. I trapped 23 moles last year in a 3 acre orchard which adjoins a wood where the moles come from and I know of no deterrent that works. Anyone that discovers a reliable deterrent method would become very rich indeed. As soon as I see mole hills I'm out probing for their runs and setting my traps and when I trap one, experience has taught me to reset the trap as there is a strong chance you will get another customer. I always leave the traps for a fortnight before removing them, having checked them daily. If you want a real expert then John Finnemore is your man and although I prefer using the Duffus tunnel traps John is the real expert.

http://walcotefarm.fernhillsolutions.ne ... tching.htm

Barney

I've tried the Jeyes fluid with reasonable results to keep them away from the precious veg. I don't get loads so not an absolute problem, just learnt to stamp around to ensure the brassicas are still solid every time I pop down. Bought those bulb things you put in the corners before - total waste of money. I don't trap or kill as 20 rods doesn't support many moles but probably wouldn't anyway.

Westi

It's scissor for me, Barney....funny how different people get on with different types.... an old boy, that i was very close to, but has sadly passed away, always used tunnel traps like yourself, Barney.

Poor things. What do you do with the scissors OH, stab them to death?

Dear Plumpudding, i know it seems harsh and i do feel bad every time there is one in the trap but, i would rather catch one or two at an early stage, then have them breed and get over-run with them. This used to happen every year when i first took on my allotment, but i now just catch a few each year. The main problem is, there are grass fields that are next to the allotments and these always have a lot of moles in, so the rich, earthworm filled soil of the allotments, must be like a banqueting hall to them.
I was on about scissor traps, by the way.

I had visions of you running up and down snipping moles in half O H , my green fingerd wife attacks slugs and snails the same way she's very often seen running around the plot shouting "that's another one gone" while waving a pair of scissors in the air

My running days seem a distant memory, Robo.....sounds as if your wife would get on well on our allotments....