Kitchen Garden Forum

This could go in several places but...

Was on what could be a regular wild-life.biodiversity walk around the National Botanic Garden of Wales this morning - in the company of some far more expert people than me. Discussing mole hills and what a good tilth they acheived. Indeed, someone commented that one yesterday was like talcum powder. And we were all thinking the same thing, namely that perhaps the soil passed through their digestive system. But apparently there is little information on-line - haven't searched myself.

So anyone any ideas? Or is this a QI 'nobody knows'.

I would say the mole hills are only as good as the soil they are digging into. The reason the soil comes up as fine as it does, is down to, everything that comes out on top, has been scratched out with there very strong limbs and claws.

No they do not eat it.

Bear in mind their front digging paws are around the size of a fifty pence coin with claws on and they've essentially scratched their more solid runs through with those claws.

Look at what a rabbit, dog, or, fox claws up when digging, after the grass its loose soil from solid. Mr Mole can almost swim through loose sandy soil and under the thatch of longer grass.

It seems that Mr Mole is quite a powerful little chap because I have a garden ornament which weighs around 50lbs and a mole has actually toppled the ornament by pushing up directly under the ornament.
I now have around 80 mole hills on the back lawn and many to the side and front lawns. These are very large this year which to my mind means they are from the deep rather than the normal quite shallow runs.
JB.

Yes - certainly more active than usual. But Mr. Mole has saved me a lot of work. Normally, for potting my potatoes I have to dig in the veg patch and sift through the soil to remove bugs and other unwanted items. Today I simply collected up somel the clean, presieved mole soil - and look to have enough to pot all the potatoes if I do the rest!