Isn’t it frustrating that you put your heart and soul into growing the most beautiful bed of flowers, but some ground-dwelling creature destroys it?
If you were Mr. Bean, you would run after it with a massive hammer. However, since you are not Mr. Bean, it’s better to know all the possible ways of getting rid of moles.
Moles are hairless creatures with pointed snouts and tiny eyes. While they might not be amongst the worst critters, they are a nuisance.
They don’t eat plants but uproot flowers and vegetables in your garden. They do so by creating tunnels underground, which can cause even more problems.
Here is how you can get rid of these moles:
- Planting flowers that deter moles
- Using a store-bought repellent
- Filling tunnels with water
- Creating underground barriers
- Trying live trapping
Now, let’s not waste any more time and dive or tunnel into knowing how to keep moles out of flower beds.
6 Ways To Keep Moles Out of Flower Beds
It is easy to identify if moles have infiltrated your garden.
The presence of one indicates that a whole bunch of moles are in there somewhere.
Here are six ways you can use to keep the moles out:
1. Planting Flowers That Deter Moles
While at it, you could grow some plants that deter moles. Yes, there are some plants that moles don’t like.
This is also a natural and organic way of removing moles. It also costs little to implement this method.
Plants such as daffodils, marigolds, alliums, fritillaries, mole plants, and castor beans prevent moles from infiltrating your garden.
They grow exceptionally quickly and are excellent at reducing soil moisture and ground pests.
This method is straightforward to carry out. Moreover, it effectively puts off moles or any other ground-dwelling creature.
2. Using a Store-Bought Repellent
You can also keep away moles by using granular repellent products that you can easily buy from your local store.
These organic products work well for deterring moles as they are made explicitly for this purpose. Make sure that the products you buy for repelling moles contain castor oil.
Now you must be skeptical about store-bought repellents and their chemical makeup. In that case, you can also use some home remedies. This includes using coffee grounds.
Spread a generous amount of coffee ground on your soil. Not only are the coffee grounds enriching for the soil, but they also protect against moles.
3. Filling Tunnels With Water
If the moles have already infiltrated your garden, this method will help you eliminate them.
You have to insert a hose in the hole that the moles have dug up and open the water for 10 to 15 minutes.
However, make sure not to drown them. Just let enough water flow to scare them off.
Moles will get out of your garden instantly as the water will effectively scare them off. This is the easiest way of getting rid of moles.
4. Creating Underground Barriers
Another great way of keeping moles out of flower beds is by creating underground barriers.
You can dig at least 12 inches into the ground and install a wire mesh inside.
Ensure that the wire mesh’s bottom is bent in an L shape and is facing away from the garden. This will send the moles running away in the opposite direction.
Creating underground barriers is very effective as it stops the moles from getting past them.
5. Trying Live Trapping
Live trapping is another effective way of deterring moles. These ground-dwelling creatures are tiny and can be easily trapped. Moles are just about 7 inches long and weigh approximately 4 ounces.
Placing the traps in spring or fall when the moles are most active is advised. Ideally, early spring is the most favorable time as female moles are pregnant with offspring.
There are different types of live traps available. It would be best to place the traps near tunnels where the moles are active and where you know they come to get nourishment.
6. Eliminating Grubs and Beetles
Grubs and beetles are the reason why moles get attracted to your garden in the first place.
While you should not remove earthworms from your soil as they are beneficial, you should remove grubs and beetles as moles feed on them.
You can add helpful nematodes to your garden, which organically control the grub and beetle population.
Moreover, you can also manually remove mature forms of grubs.
You should even let birds or chickens forage to devour grubs and beetles. This will stop the moles from eating them.
Conclusion
Moles are pesky little creatures that can destroy and uproot your well-maintained flower bed.
They are a nuisance and should be dealt with as such. However, you should also avoid fatally hurting them as they are still innocent little creatures.
But if you wish for your garden to have a long life, you must take action against these ground-dwelling creatures.
The ways mentioned above are easy to follow, inexpensive, and accessible.
They will effectively help you solve your mole problems, so you don’t have to run after them with a hammer and physically deter them.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where Do Moles Live?
Moles typically live underground. They love hilly and wooded areas. So usually, moles are found there.
What Kind of Smell Keeps Moles Away?
Moles do not like the smells of mothballs, coffee grounds, or caster oil mixed with cayenne pepper. All these smells repel moles away.
What Is the Quickest Way To Deter Ground Moles?
The fastest way is by using live traps or bait. If you use these methods in spring or fall, your success rate will be much higher.
Are Moles Nocturnal?
No, moles are not nocturnal. They take 4-hour naps and then work.
