5 Ways to Get Rid of Moles In Your Lawn
As cute as they may be to some, having moles living in your lawn can be a nightmare. These burrowing animals can do a lot of damage in a short time, so you need to know how to get rid of them and to prevent them from ever returning.
How do you get rid of moles in your lawn? There are a few popular options for getting rid of lawn moles including moles traps, natural repellents, and creating barriers and trenches to stop them. Otherwise, you might need to call in the experts if the mole problem gets out of hand.
If you want to know how to get rid of moles in your lawn and know that you prefer to take a natural approach, we can help. This guide covers the easiest methods for removing and deterring them, plus how to make sure they don’t come back.
Why Do Moles Love Lawns?
As a burrowing mammal, it’s natural for a mole to be drawn to the conditions in the average backyard. The soil is ideal for digging in and there are loads of insects for them to feast on, which is why you often find them creating tunnels underneath your lawn.
When people first spot a mole in their yard, they might think it’s cute. Their brown fur and small size can make them appealing, but when you look up close at their long, webbed claws they will be anything but.
Their eyes and ears are hidden, so they rely on these hands as their tools to hunt for prey, which is commonly found in your garden.
What Type of Damage Do Moles Cause?
With just one or two moles roaming around the garden, you might find they come with a lot of benefits. They can aerate the soil which makes it healthier and gives the grass better access to water, air, and nutrients. When more arrive though, you’ll start to notice more harm than good being done.
Contrary to popular belief, moles don’t actually eat the grass or roots of your lawn. However, their efficient tunneling does enough damage to do this for them, which leaves you with unsightly dead patches and huge mounds where the mole has left behind the earth they dug up.
5 Tips for Getting Rid of Moles
If your mole problem has gotten out of hand, you’ll need a solution and fast. Rather than reaching for the poisonous chemicals and putting your pets and kids in harm’s way, these are some other methods to try.
- Set a trap: A mole trap can be laid to capture and kill the mole as soon as it enters it. although it’s not as humane as other methods, if you’re dealing with a serious invasion, it might be the only option. Mole catchers can be purchased from most gardening stores and they’re easy enough to set up.
- Use natural repellents: Create a natural repellent made of three parts castor oil and one part dishwashing detergent and spray it around the tunnel entrances you find in the yard. The mole will get one whiff of this and turn back, hopefully leaving your yard for good.
- Improve drainage: Moles love moist soil as it’s beneficial to their digging, so look for ways to improve draining and make conditions less favorable for them. Choose a well-draining soil or look at ways you can improve drainage with other materials.
- Create barriers: Get on the mole’s level and create a trench of your own that will deter them from entering the garden. A man-made trench about two feet deep can be filled with rocks, and this will stop the mole from entering the area that it protects.
- Know when to call the pros: As a natural pest, it’s okay to admit defeat if you’re not able to get a mole problem under control. If you’ve tried everything and still haven’t been able to eradicate the moles from your lawn, you’ll need to hire a pest professional to do the job.
The Secret to a Mole Free Lawn
As cute as they may look from far away, a single mole has the potential to destroy your lawn in no time at all.
If you notice a mole problem that’s getting out of hand, try some of the natural solutions we’ve suggested before you take it further, as they might be enough to get rid of them for good.
Related Questions
There are plenty of pests just waiting to get into your carefully manicured lawn and destroy it, so a good gardener should always be prepared. To learn more about some of the most common pests you’ll encounter on your grass, check out these FAQs and see what’s out there.
What’s the Difference Between a Mole and a Vole?
Moles and voles are both considered garden pests but the key difference between them is that the vole is a herbivore and the mole is a carnivore.
Many people find it hard to distinguish between the two and they can cause serious damage with their tunneling, but treating them requires unique solutions.
What Does Milky Spore Do?
Milky spore is a soil-dwelling bacterium that can be used to target lawn grubs in your garden without damaging the other plant life or wildlife.
The spores can be spread gradually over a couple of years, giving around 10 years of protection against the most common lawn grubs and pests.
Do Homemade Pesticides Work?
A homemade pesticide made with the right ingredients can be just as effective at killing insects, weeds, and fungi as a commercial pesticide.
Knowing what type of pests you’re targeting and finding the ingredients that suit that is going to deliver the best success with a homemade pesticide.
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