It can be rewarding to produce lush, hardy gardens, but frustrating when you detect an issue with pests. Moles are small rodents that can wreak havoc on your landscaping, yard, and gardens; they burrow and dig trenches or lawn ridges, pulling vegetation down into their tunnel as they go. Moles only grow to be around six-to-eight inches long and weigh less than four-pounds, but they can cause plenty of trouble on your property.
Think you might have a mole?
The mischievous mole
Moles are shifty little mammals with small beady-eyes, pointed noses, and round little bodies. They use flipper-like claws to push their way through soil, preferring loose, moist soil early in the morning or after it rains. Most moles don’t live beyond three years but they can reproduce fairly quickly; it is common for females to have one litter per year of two-to-six babies. That equates to more moles than you want to tunnel through your property.
Signs of a problem
Moles dig deep tunnels, sometimes almost a foot underground. You might not notice a problem at first, unless you begin digging and looking for ripples and swells in the earth. You may also notice a problem with your vegetation and plants virtually vanishing and being sucked underground. Take a walk around your property and look for edges and ridges that indicate activity beneath the soil; chances are good, it is a mole.
The one thing you can do
Any landscape professional knows that the most effective way to prevent mole activity in your yard or garden is to go to the source: poison for bugs they feed on. If you are concerned that this is inhumane, consider how moles also feed on good insects, like earthworms, which are needed for rich soil and lush foliage. Talk to your local garden and landscape design center in Charleston to find the right pesticide for the grubs that moles eat, which might also prevent the presence of Japanese Beetles- also detrimental to your gardens.
An ounce of prevention
Poisoning pests that moles feed on is good prevention for future problems, but there are some other strategies to reinforce your mole-defense. Try tactics to deter mole activity like generating wind, adding coffee grounds to the soil, or adopting a cat. These approaches may help to lessen the chance of moles moving in.
Moles are a common problem facing homeowners in the southeastern United States. Contact your local garden & landscape design center in Charleston, SC for assistance in finding the best products to rid your property of moles- and the grubs they feed on. These experts may be able to offer additional solutions to restore and refurbish your landscape if you have suffered damage from moles.
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