Nothing is worse than spending all spring prepping your lawn only to find that your perfect summer yard is filled with tiny dirt volcanoes. When you see these little round mounds of dirt, you know that your yard has been infested with moles, gophers, or other varmints. Mole tunnels are not only unsightly, but they can also uproot plants and destroy grass roots, causing your grass to brown quickly.
As Independence’s trusted lawn care professionals, we at TLC Nursery & Outdoor Living take great pride in being able to meet all of your garden and lawn care needs. From landscape maintenance to mowing to irrigation services, we strive to be your one-stop shop for lawn care. Because a well-maintained lawn with rich soil and ample moisture creates the perfect habitat for moles, we thought it might be helpful to share with you some slightly surprising ways of removing pesky moles from your yard.
Use Noise
Moles are extremely sensitive to loud noises. Therefore, creating noise in your yard can deter moles and gophers. This can be achieved by simply adding some wind chimes. Though it is not a surefire way to rid your yard of moles, the noise can annoy the critters and shoo them away.
Save Pet Waste
Though this is not an ideal method of eradicating moles, it has been reported to yield results. By placing your pet’s waste next to the holes of moles, voles, and gophers, you can naturally encourage these varmints to move elsewhere. Although this may get them moving, it’s not the most sustainable way to rid the varmints from your yard, and it can likely add another annoyance to your yard.
Plant Plants That Moles Hate
Believe it or not, moles dislike some plants. Planting such plants like Crown imperial, Castor bean, Narcissus, and Euphorbia lathris, which is sometimes called “gopher surge” because it has a smell and taste that repels gophers and moles, is a great natural way to take care of your yard and keep it free from mole holes.
Bring Out the Poison
Though we often advise against the use of poisons in lawn care, if your mole situation has gotten out of control and nothing else seems to work, poison can be a potential solution. If you have children or pets, this may not be the safest or most effective way of dealing with the varmints. There are at least two possible ways to effectively use poison to exterminate moles. These methods include using it to eliminate their food source—insects, grubs, worms—and using a poison like Mole Patrol to kill the mole directly. However, this could put predators that eat moles also at risk. A safer and non-lethal alternative to poison is to spray castor oil on your lawn. Roughly one quart of castor oil can treat 5,000 square feet of lawn.
Recycle Old Coffee
Surprisingly, many homeowners report that coffee grounds offer a natural remedy against moles. By simply scattering your old coffee grounds over their holes and covering it with soil, the smell of the coffee will annoy your yard-destroying varmints. And unlike some natural methods—like stuffing old fish in their entrances—coffee grounds actually have a pleasant smell.
If you find that your lawn has become infiltrated with moles, give these tips a try, and contact us to help restore the health and beauty of your lawn. Here at TLC Nursery & Outdoor Living, we strive to be Southeast Kansas’ go-to destination for landscaping services, lawn care, and yard maintenance! Last year our team made over 50,000 service calls for virtually all types of lawn and garden care. This experience is not the only point of pride for us. We also take tremendous pride in treating each customer like they are our only customer.