How do I manage moles ?

[Carkel]

We are planning to develop a piece of land which has a lot of moles. We would like to move the population on but can't bear the idea of using traps and killing them. However, we need to protect our fruit and vegetables and trees which is our wood stock for our central heating system.

We thought we would turn all the land over first and then use a sonic system to keep them out.

DOes anyone know how badly moles harm crops? Has anyone successfully moved moles off their land?

thanks

Carkel

[battybird]

Saw a sonic mole deterent in B&Q this morning...dont know how good they are?? I was actually looking at the ones for cats as my mum is in a bungalow surrounded by cats who use her flower beds as a loo. Hope you get an answer soon!

[Carltonian Man]

Never tried any of these Carkel but I read that pouring man-wee into their tunnels will see them off without causing physical harm. Could also try milk bottles buried up to their necks in the tunnels so the wind blows across the top and sets up a low hum (goodness knows where you'd get milk bottles from nowdays though..) or maybe stick kiddies seaside windmills in to create low frequency vibration.

[theabsinthefairy]

I have plastic bottles on the tops of any canes that I use in the actual veggie garden as apparently they don't like the vibrations below ground, but in addition our cat has become quite a good mole catcher so that is keeping the immediate local population down.

Our paddock doesn't suffer with moles whilst the horse is in there, then when she moves out they gradually encroach back in from the neighbouring fields, until she comes back in the autumn and scares them away again, having moved them on successfully from her summer grazing field.

Any major disturbances to the soil will have them moving out, then you need to find something to prevent them moving back. The odd two or three that we have living in the garden during the summer do negligible damage to our crops, and as soon as we start ploughing or rotavating they move on again.

I have heard that people are happy with the sonic things but have no experience of them personally.

[bonniethomas06]

Apparently moles don't like horses being on the ground on top of them - I guess because of the vibrations - they all left the fields behind our house when horses turned up. Could you graze a couple on the land until you develop it?

[Millymollymandy]

Moles are a problem in lawns and paddocks but where you grow your veggies the problem is mulots and campagnols - every single day and often several times I day I am repairing the damage they are causing in my veg patch - they tunnel under everything leaving the soil all raised up and particularly love where you have just sown seeds or transplanted lettuce. I have lost half my new seedlings in the last week as they are just running amok through them constantly. Tried poison but the bloody things don't eat it!

[spider8]

We used those sonic thingies to hopefully deter the neighbours cats but they sort of got use to them and kept killing the birds . Moles might be different though and it could work with them so good luck..........only one way to find out I guess.

[pelmetman]

We were plagued with moles here when we first moved in, and as probably quite a few of you know Dave loves his lawn so we bought one of the battery operated things and it works, you just have to remember to replace the batteries every so often.

My cousin has just moved to France and they are trying different methods to deter moles. When they groom the dog they are putting the hair down the runs but I haven't heard what the outcome is yet.

Sue

[Carkel]

Thanks to everyone who replied.

We have a better understanding and now a range of options to try. We have a dog so perhaps he will help us!!!!

thanks once again

Carkel