The Zimbabwean Gardener Issue 3 Summer 2012 | Page 28

Q&A AskHenning Henning tells us the truth about getting rid of moles in the garden. Q A One of the most often asked question at the nursery is how do I get rid of moles in a humane way. My answer is pretty stark and horrifies all the Greenies amongst us. There is no such a way. You either trap them, flood them, poison them or learn to live with them! The majority of gardeners know the mole as a subterranean beast waiting to remodel that carefully groomed lawn and thoroughly plough through the freshly planted flowerbeds and vegetable patch. Most moles leave telltale tunnels or shallow, surface ridges as well as circular mounds of dirt above ground .These tunnels are feeding or foraging pathways as the mole plough through the soil to devour the insects in it, leaving the tunnels in their wake. These tunnels are often used once only. The tunnels they create can be a nuisance, but in the process of tunnelling, they help aerate the soil. However, while burrowing, moles sometimes dislodge plants, damage bulbs or roots. Moles occasionally consume underground plant parts, but they love meat and their diet consists of insects, grubs, worms and larvae. Like most Zimbabweans, they prefer meat to vegetables! How to get rid of them Hire a professional pest control company. Most of them will use a poisonous gas to kill the moles. Trap them, although, I have not seen a mole trap in any of the garden nurseries or hardware stores. Tidy up in their wake. When I go out and see how moles have ripped up my lawn once again, I take a deep breath and try to remember all the good they do. They mix and aerate the soil to improve it tremendously and eat many destructive insects such as cutworms and various amounts of larvae. I have heard of many home made sprays, old wives’ tales and gizmos on how to get rid of them. Try your luck but please remember when using bait to catch them, moles feed primarily on earthworms, insects and spiders and rarely consume plant matter. Moles are considered a nuisance when their activities conflict with human interests. The fact is that their benefits outweigh our conflicts, so you could leave moles alone and take satisfaction in knowing that better soils are being created and God’s little creatures have visited your home! That said, I wish I could get rid of them, unfortunately, it is easier said than done. Some old wives'’ tales.. • Cats are one of the moles’ natural enemies. If you pour used cat litter into molehills, you may be able to convince them that they should move to another area. • Get some hair clippings from your hairdresser and sprinkle them into the molehills. Moles do not like the scent of humans and they do not like the feel of the hair. • Castor oil is an excellent repellent for moles. Water the area thoroughly beforehand then spray castor oil onto your lawn or garden. After you have thoroughly doused the area with castor oil, you will need to water it again to help the oil penetrate into the soil. From • Cut the end off the bottom of a plastic coke bottle and put the top of the bottle down the molehill. The moles do not like the sound of the vibrating bottle when the wind blows against it. Henning Email your questions, photos and plant problems to [email protected] 28