My 89 yr old grandmother still gets out in her garden whenever she can (when weather permits & she feels well enough to), its the one thing that gives her independence since she can't drive anymore. She still lives alone, but I live down the street & come over daily. If she didn't have her yard to work on, I think a peice of her would die. She really loves her yard & always has.
The whole neighborhood talks about it & they don't even know who's yard it is! She's even been in the local paper a couple of times! Her yard is beautiful! She works so hard in it, it just makes her sooooo happy! She has had strokes previously, & is weak often.
Well, this year the moles have come back in force. I mean her yard is eaten up w/ mole tunnels. There isn't a spot in her lawn that you don't sink down in! I'm scared to death she'll trip & fall because of the tunnels! Not to mention they ate up her garden last summer.
Needless to say, she wasn't too happy about that. Last year we bought some poison that looked just like cat litter. It seemed to move them to her neighbor's yard, but this year they are back & worse than ever!
She's got a huge yard & they have bout every bit of it covered w/ tunnels or mole hills. Does anyone have any advice? I'll be doing the baiting or whatnot for her. Traps I have never done, but if they work I'll try them. Has anyone heard that chewing gum works? Just something I've read, wasn't sure if it worked or not? Any suggestions would be awesome, thanks!!!
Moles are carnivores. They don't eat plants. They eat worms, slugs, grubs, etc. Get rid of whatever the moles are feasting on, and they'll go away. 
Last edited by Kisal on Sat Apr 18, 2009 9:10 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Gary350
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If you plant caster beans you won't have any more moles. [url=https://cgi.ebay.com/100-CASTER-BEANS-Mole-Carpenter-Ants-Termites-caper_W0QQitemZ330322072136QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item330322072136&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=72%3A1205%7C66%3A2%7C65%3A12%7C39%3A1%7C240%3A1318%7C301%3A1%7C293%3A1%7C294%3A50]Check out this ebay auction[/url]. Also knows as Mole Beans. The roots and the plants are poison. If you plant a few of these about the yard your moles will be gone.
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applestar
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I saw a mole in the raised bed last year and asked for advice -- I was told that moles don't eat vegs. They may cause some root damage in the course of tunneling but unless you have the big moles that make big hills, it should be OK. They generally fill the tunnels behind them as they dig so they're actually tilling and aerating the soil for you.
My mole is back again -- I see the slight raised tracks and holes here and there. I had ONE cutworm damage -- a dessicated 4" pea shoot laying on the ground. The mole track was right by it, and I haven't had any other cutworm damage.
I'm not surprised the mole is crisscrossing that bed -- every time I dig or even disturb a weed there, one or two earthworms come crawling out. I saw a gigantic earthworm the other day, but I suspect it got eaten by now because I found a mole track near where the worm went back in the ground. Peas, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower in the bed are all standing straight with good healthy leaves. Some slug damage on the seed and lowest leaves -- I hope moles like slugs. 
If your grandmother's plants are being eaten, they might be voles? Do the tunnels sink very far? Danger of her tripping or turning her ankle in the tunnel is a a real concern.... Would you consider putting down flag stones (sunk to ground level so she won't trip on them) along the main pathways? That way, even if they tunnel underneath, she'll have a level walkway. Gravel paths would stop them from tunneling there too....
Personally, I don't think poison is the answer. If they ARE moles, it's a sign of healthy soil system with lots of good things for them to eat. That's what's keeping her garden growing so well and you don't want to ruin that.
Wish your grandmother a wonderful gardening season from me. I want to be her when I'm 89 years old!
My mole is back again -- I see the slight raised tracks and holes here and there. I had ONE cutworm damage -- a dessicated 4" pea shoot laying on the ground. The mole track was right by it, and I haven't had any other cutworm damage.
I'm not surprised the mole is crisscrossing that bed -- every time I dig or even disturb a weed there, one or two earthworms come crawling out. I saw a gigantic earthworm the other day, but I suspect it got eaten by now because I found a mole track near where the worm went back in the ground. Peas, lettuce, cabbage, broccoli, and cauliflower in the bed are all standing straight with good healthy leaves. Some slug damage on the seed and lowest leaves -- I hope moles like slugs. If your grandmother's plants are being eaten, they might be voles? Do the tunnels sink very far? Danger of her tripping or turning her ankle in the tunnel is a a real concern.... Would you consider putting down flag stones (sunk to ground level so she won't trip on them) along the main pathways? That way, even if they tunnel underneath, she'll have a level walkway. Gravel paths would stop them from tunneling there too....
Personally, I don't think poison is the answer. If they ARE moles, it's a sign of healthy soil system with lots of good things for them to eat. That's what's keeping her garden growing so well and you don't want to ruin that.
Wish your grandmother a wonderful gardening season from me. I want to be her when I'm 89 years old!
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vintagejuls
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