Stinking moles in my garden

[vermontkingdom]

I have a terrible problem with moles. For years, almost 40, I have put enormous quantities of manure and compost in my garden. The garden is almost a foot higher than the original lawn it came from and has been alive with worms. Obviously, the nutritious soil is ideal for worms and for those things that love them. Last summer moles moved in and during a recent thaw, when the snow melted, I noticed numerous piles of soil throughout the garden. Our cat, now 18 years old, is of no use. What can I do, if anything, to get rid of them? (My wife forbids the use of poison because of cat, dog and grandchild.)

[rot]

..
I've had limited effect peeing on the holes of the ground squirrels that try to move into our flower beds.

Narcissus bulbs are supposed to deter gophers.

Grow garlic?

My compost piles are on pavers to keep the ground squirrels and the gophers out.

two cents
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[rainbowgardener]

Moles turn and aerate the soil, eat a lot of grubs and some earthworms and usually do not touch any plant roots/ bulbs, create channels for water retention.

Why do you need to get rid of them?

[shadowsmom]

Moles turn and aerate the soil, eat a lot of grubs and some earthworms and usually do not touch any plant roots/ bulbs, create channels for water retention.

Why do you need to get rid of them?

Is it voles that eat the roots? I have tunnels and some plants that I can pull out of the ground because they had no roots left. I thought it was the moles, but maybe not - something else?

[toxcrusadr]

That's correct, moles eat worms and grubs, and voles use their tunnels to get at your plant roots.

I usually tolerate them to a point, but when there are long humps and piles of dirt all over my lawn, it becomes a bit more than even I can tolerate.

If you don't want to use poison, there are spring-loaded traps that work. Or, you could try the sonic repeller thingies. No idea whether those actually work.

[vermontkingdom]

Garlic as a deterrent, at least for Vermont moles, does not work. I planted several raised beds of garlic bulbs in the fall and now those pesky moles have tunnels running in and out of them.

I bought a couple of Victor mole traps and will use them as soon as the snow melts. They are vicious looking things and I would prefer not to use them. However, I can well imagine what the moles will do to my other raised beds when I plant my small seed crops (carrots, beets, lettuce, etc.) this spring.

I've invested 40 years of my life in that bit of real estate. I plan to stay and the moles must plan to leave.

[shadowsmom]

Thanks vermontkingdom and toxcrusadr!

At least I now know who the real menace is and I'll stop blaming the moles.

[applestar]

I have to run, but just had to share these:

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=8607

https://www.helpfulgardener.com/forum/viewtopic.php?p=76034&highlight=mole+pool#76034

[erlyberd]

VTking, Not sure but I've read castor bean oil sprayed in the holes drive them away. I'm not sure I want that in my soil though.

Went through the same thing last year. I tilled in leaves and manure for the first time in many years. I normally just add finished compost and fork it in, no tilling.

All this organic matter brought attracted worms like never before and thus the moles came later. Very destructive with tunnels everywhere.

I bought the poisen peanuts but brought them back after my Mom just finished reading in the paper that they don't work!

I've heard bubble gum may work? Never tried that.

Now for the killer. I was checking out my buddies garden last spring and noticed he had moles too! Noway he says, less than five minutes later, as we were still talking about it, here comes his cat running out of the garden with a mole in its mouth!!!! No way! I really wanted to rent that cat! OMG I still can't believe it.