Every year, as the gardening season arrives, the thought of ground moles that you may have to deal with is of great concern.
Through their underground digging activities, moles can cause a lot of damage to your garden and lawn.
Therefore, know the early signs and be ready with all-natural solutions to get rid of them from your vegetable garden.
Signs of Infestation
One sign that you may have moles in your yard or garden will most likely be the raised mounds of soil that show up. These molehills may appear all over your yard as the creatures dig underground to find earthworms, grubs, and other insects.
Additionally, damage can be seen from the displacement of the roots of small plants and seedlings in vegetable and flower beds. As they tunnel through, you may also notice patches of discolored or dead grass [1].
How to Get Rid of Ground Moles Naturally
Utilize your preferred choice or a combination of these natural methods to get rid of moles in your garden and yard. These are home remedies, natural mole repellents, and traps.
1. Eliminate Grubs
Moles like to eat grubs and earthworms. Therefore, eliminating grubs can deter moles from your garden, yard, and golf courses.
Beneficial nematodes and even soapy water are ways to eliminate grubs. Additionally, these other natural remedies can get rid of grubs.
2. Castor Oil
By far, one of the best home remedies for controlling moles in vegetable gardens is castor oil. Applied to the soil, it acts as a natural mole repellent.
Combine 6 ounces of castor oil with 2 tablespoons of dish soap and a gallon of water. Shake well and spray the soil where the mammals appear. It will also keep away voles.
3. Repellent Plants
Known plants that repel moles include daffodils, marigolds, garlic, castor bean plants, fritillarias, and caper spurge.
Plant these mole-deterrent plants around gardens and lawn edges. However, keep in mind that both castor beans and caper spurge are poisonous to humans and pets [2, 3].
4. Holy Moley
One of the best mole deterrent products is Holy Moly by St. Gabriel Organics. This mixture of castor oil and fuller’s earth creates a taste and smell that repel these pests.
Another big plus is that this product will not harm pets. It is also safe to use in organic vegetable gardens, flower beds, and on your lawn.
5. Victor Mole and Gopher Repellent
This is another natural product that repels ground moles, voles, gophers, and other burrowing animals.
Victor Mole and Gopher Repellent comes in both liquid and granular forms. The liquid contains 100% castor oil, while the granular is a mixture of castor oil and fuller’s earth.
Following the package instructions, apply the granules in stages. Application over a large area can cause the pests to burrow more frantically to try and avoid the product, which may result in additional damage.
6. Chase Granular Repellent
Chase Granular is another product that uses castor oil as its main ingredient. The product will not kill moles; however, when ingested, it will cause digestive interruptions. It will also cause topical itching.
Apply it much like other granular repellents by hand or with a spreader, following the package instructions.
7. Root Guard
If you’re looking for yard mole traps, this deterrent for use in flower or vegetable gardens is a basket for your plants. Root guard stops gophers and moles from digging near plant roots.
However, choose a basket one size larger than the root ball of the plant it protects. This will allow for growth while keeping the pests away. You can also use the mini baskets in pots.
8. Coffee Grounds
Applying fresh or used coffee grounds to tunnels found in your yard may keep away persistent moles and gophers. They do not like the smell of it.
Unfortunately, this method does require you to find all the holes and apply the coffee grounds.
Additionally, one thing to note is that grubs, which are the primary food source for garden and lawn moles, love to eat coffee grounds. So this remedy, if not carefully monitored, could backfire by creating a more common food source for these small tunneling mammals.
9. Dawn Dish Soap
This home remedy will not harm burrowing animals. Instead, the treatment will repel them, sending them elsewhere.
To get rid of garden moles with Dawn dish soap, combine one part dish soap with three parts castor oil. Next, combine four tablespoons of the mixture with a gallon of water.
Shake well and soak the tunnels to evict moles. Also, use this homemade mole repellent to spray your lawn to further keep the creatures away.
10. Dig a Trench
Another surefire way to get rid of moles without killing them is to install a barrier.
Dig a trench about two feet deep and six inches wide around your garden or yard. Next, fill it with gravel, then cover the top with dirt.
When they hit this gravel barrier, it will force them to retrace their steps, stopping them from digging.
11. Marshmallows
Although there is no solid evidence to support it, some people swear that you can put marshmallows in mole holes to kill them.
It is said that the carrageenan in commercial-grade marshmallows is what does the magic. Because they cannot digest it, it slows down their digestive system, later killing them.
12. Vinegar
Household vinegar works great against many garden pests, and you can also use it to get rid of ground moles. However, it will not kill them.
Just pour some white vinegar into the mole holes, and the smell will drive away the existing moles. It will also deter new ones as they try to move in.
Identification
Mole pests are small mammals that spend their lives burrowing for food (insects) underground.
They live about three years and have a strange body shape consisting of extended snouts, hairy bodies, and large paws. Additionally, when looking at them, they appear to have no eyes.
About four weeks after mating, the female will have her babies. These babies then take about 33 days to mature and are ready to begin burrowing on their own.
What Do Moles Eat?
These ground-dwelling creatures love to eat grubs, earthworms, centipedes, and insect larvae. All food choices are found within the soil of gardens, lawns, and the like.
They dig into the ground in search of food and will consume their body weight daily in insects. This sounds like good news. Unfortunately, the incessant burrowing is what can cause concerns for roots.
They will not snack directly on plants but rather cause root damage because of their burrowing activities. However, if the plant exhibits direct damage due to being bitten, this will possibly be a gopher or vole and not a mole.
Takeaway
Now that you know how to get rid of a mole, as soon as the first raised mound of dirt appears, be prepared to deter them naturally.
Smells such as castor oil, mint oil, coffee grounds, and eucalyptus applied in a variety of ways, or repellent plants, are excellent natural deterrents. Additionally, try the other natural mole control methods above, and you will enjoy all the benefits of a garden free of these pests.
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