Looking for a few effective ways to finally get rid of ground moles from your yard and landscape?
Ground moles can be so frustrating for gardeners. In a flash, they can cause a tremendous amount of damage to lawns, flowers and even in vegetable gardens. And once present, it can seem all but impossible to send them packing!
Although there are commercially available traps and bait, many homeowners are a bit weary of using them in their yard, garden and flowerbeds. As they are using chemical products on their lawn that can eliminate the grubs the moles are after. Especially when there are pets and children involved.
But the good news is that you don’t have to resort to harsh chemical methods to gain back control of your yard from moles – because they simply aren’t necessary to drive out ground moles for good!
As it turns out, there are actually a couple of all-natural methods that work incredibly well together to not only make the moles move out – but also to get rid of the grubs they are looking for in the first place. And once you do that – the worries of moles ever coming back will go away for good as well.
With a mole-free yard in mind, here is a look at understanding how ground moles live – and moreover, how to put an end to their activity in your landscape forever!
How To Get Rid Of Ground Moles From Your Yard
What Ground Moles Want
Moles are insectivores. And they exist solely to eat insects. Ground moles will not eat plants or the roots of plants. They can, however, damage lawns and plants in the process of looking for their lunch.
Moles work through the soil in long, underground tunnels in search of grubs, larvae and worms. Where there are moles, there will be small mounds of conical-shaped dirt protruding from the ground. These are their entrance and exit holes.
Although you can tamp down their tunnels and plug their holes – it will not deter them in the least. They will simply dig back through them, or worse, just create even more tunnels to look for food.
So what is the best plan of action to get them to leave? Success all comes down to implementing a two part plan to first drive away the existing moles you have to stop the damage from occurring. Then, at the same time – start the process of eliminating the grubs they love to eat with a safe, all-natural spray.
2 Great Ways To Drive Away Moles – How To Get Rid Of Ground Moles From Your Yard
Deterring With Motion & Sound
Ground moles do not like ground vibrations or sound. Both represent potential threats and or predators. And you can use that against them quite easily to move them out of your yard.
The more constant and active the motion, the better the results for keeping them away. For low-tech solutions, pinwheels placed around and in beds vibrate the soil and create motion and noise. These can be somewhat effective, but rely on wind power for good results.
A better alternative to get moles to leave is to use sonic solar repellents in both your yard and garden areas. Sonic repellent stakes emit frequencies and waves through the ground that help to repel both moles.
One of the best aspects of the stakes is that they are solar-powered. That means the stakes can be placed all around the landscape wherever there is a need to repel moles. The best part of all is that installation is as easy as placing them into the ground!
The stakes emit about 3 seconds of low frequency pulses every thirty seconds. The pulses penetrate through the soil and act as a huge deterrent to the pests that cannot stand the sounds and vibration of the pulse. Solar Powered Mole & Gopher Repellent Stakes
Each brand is a little different for coverage, but in general, each stake will cover a 25 to 50 foot radius of where it is placed. One thing is for sure, they are far more reliable than pinwheels!
Castor Beans / Oil And Spray – How To Get Rid Of Ground Moles From Your Yard Naturally
You can also use castor oil and beans to help drive moles away. The scent of castor oil is highly offensive to moles. In fact, many gardeners plant castor bean plants in their garden to keep moles out. (Be cautious with this method as they can be an invasive plant)
Many also believe that placing castor beans in the entrance holes causes ground moles to relocate. The most effective treatment with castor beans is to create a natural repellent for lawns by mixing pure castor oil with water and a few drops of liquid detergent.
To make, mix 10 ounces of castor oil with 2 gallons of water and a teaspoon of liquid detergent. Next, use a pump sprayer to apply to lawns and beds. With this solution, you will need to re-apply after it rains to keep its effectiveness. Product Link: Pure Castor Oil
Now that we have covered a few ways of driving moles out, let’s see how to eliminate the grubs they are after – and keep them from ever coming back. For that, all natural Neem oil is the star of the show!
Using Neem Oil To Get Rid Of Grubs – How To Get Rid Of Ground Moles From Your Yard
If you simply eliminate a mole’s food source – it will leave and search for those pests and insects elsewhere. And the best and most effective way to do that naturally is with neem oil.
Neem oil is all natural and is made from pressing the oil from the seed of a neem tree. The oil has been used for centuries for its natural insecticidal and anti-bacterial properties. And it’s excellent for grub control. Even better, when used properly, it is safe for pollinating insects such as bees and butterflies.
Neem oil can be mixed with water and a liquid soap to create a spray that you apply to your lawn and garden surface areas. It will not harm plants, but it does interfere with a grub’s ability to eat or absorb nutrients, ultimately killing them in the process. Affiliate Product Link: Pure Neem Oil Concentrate
To make, simply add two tablespoons of neem oil to 2 teaspoons of liquid soap and 1 gallon of water. Mix the solution well and spray on your lawn with a handheld or backpack sprayer.
To keep pollinators safe, spray neem oil in the early morning or evening when pollinators are not out. Once dry, it cannot harm these flying insects. Apply the solution every 3 weeks for a total of 4 applications, and your grubs will be under control.
More importantly, the moles won’t have any reason to ever come back again! Here is to controlling ground moles for good this year! Happy Gardening, Jim and Mary.
Old World Garden
Jim and Mary Competti have been writing gardening, DIY and recipe articles and books for over 15 years from their 46 acre Ohio farm. The two are frequent speakers on all things gardening and love to travel in their spare time.
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