[Highfield]

OK I constructed a cage out of debris netting for my brassicas - put down black fabric to keep the weeds down - fool proof I thought.  Then the moles moved in and the lovely firm soil is now mounds  of friable loose stuff under the fabric   I trod them down but am really really fed up now .........

[AnnieB]

Sorry to say this but I have found this hilarious.
Taken care of air attack, taken care of surface attack.
No one thought of underground attack.

40 years ago we managed to put a man on the moon, but we are still outsmarted by a mole.

Thanks for one of the best laughs I have had all day.

[richyrich7]

try moth balls down the holes 

[peapod]

My pest too  That and the flutterbies.

Funnily enough they only choose two beds and the rest of the plot is left alone.  Ill have a look into next season, but its bearable right now, as theyve only taken out some onions and missed my courgettes by a foot

[green fingers]

Mr Mole has his head quarters under my plot.  He has ruined parsnips, carrots, beetroot.
He comes to see me every week!
He has just popped up in the middle of my cauliflowers.  He inspected the potatoes  and onions too.

[Lardman]

Its not humane but  get yourself a couple of scissor traps - stuff them in his run. No more mole.

[Highfield]

Have to say i almost see the funny side myself!    Scissor traps havent worked for me - the moles turned my lawns into the Himalayas last year and we were desperate, but have now got some smoke bombs which are a bit more humane.  Will let you know if they work!   My cat has now got the hang of them though - has caught 2 so far and I found one dead baby on the surface.  Really weird cos there was no sign til I planted the brassicas and suddenly that bit is heaving with them.  She sits on the bit of black fabric that hangs out the end of the cage on sentry duty so fingers crossed.  Wish I could get the dogs interested as my boy ( in the pic) is a far better mouser than the cat  - the girl is just not interested.

[tode]

The little gentlemen in black velvet can certainly cause havoc in a garden. It got so bad in ours about 30 years ago that I resorted to dynamite!  Very satisfying, but unfortunately, not very effective. And not the sort of thing you can do now, of course.
The worst part is, that when the weather is very dry, and the plants are already having a hard time, is just the time when they dig most and deepest.
Apart from planting hareberries   round the garden, the only effective soltion is trapping.
I sympathise with you: good hunting.

[KT]

I thought i had trouble, i have a cat who keeps digging up my cabbage seedlings in order to leave me a nice small brown presant in return  She is becoming quite a nusience now ... she's totally forsaken her litter box favoring the nice warm compost!!!

[andreadon]

i don't think there's a lot you can do about it - spend quite a lot of my time tramping the ground back down!
thankfully, a lot of my veg are in an area surrounded by lots and lots of pernicious weeds (mainly ground elder) and heavy clay soil.......
so the moles tend to go for the pretty parts of the garden.  and the soft fruits.
and the areas not surrounded as above.

 

[tode]

Traps definitely work and the best sort is what you call scissor traps.
But you must be very methodical:
1. Never handle the traps: wear dirty old gardening gloves (keen sense of smell)
2. Always remove molehill and clean out all loose earth from the two runs, using a stainless steel spoon kept for that.
3. Place a trap in each tunnel, and poke a stick through the "eye", so the moles cant run off with them.
4. Cover the hole with a large tile or bit of plank, and put the earth back on top. Keeps the earth damp, and cuts out light.
If you buy three or four pairs of traps, you should get him in a few days.
Inspect the traps every few days. Sometimes the "trigger" jumps off, and has to be put back. (Its a good idea to tie the trigger to the trap, so as not to lose it.
Life is much calmer without a mole.

[Griffo]

We have been plagued by moles for years in our lawns, but in the last 2 years they have discovered the veg plot (more worms of course). I have tried te 12 bore, scissor and tunnel traps, spade, air rifle, you name it - I've tried it (oh, and windmills).

The last named item was the least effective - don't believe that moles don't like vibrators, they love 'em!

Recently, we found an unopened tin of a substance called Rodentine (can't buy it now - probably someone discovered that, if you sit in a bath of it for 2 years, you turn brown - like they did with creosote!). Anyway, it's supposed to deter foxes, badgers, rabbits, and moles!

Can't comment on the first 3 but it works with moles - sort of.  When a molehill appears, I scrape off the mound, open the hole, spill a couple of drops of Rodentine into the hole and cover over. The mole certainly doesn't return to that run.

Gradually, you can 'steer' them away from 'precious' areas and it seems to remain effective for a long time.

I wouldn't put it into the soil where I grow veg but I use it in all the approach routes, to deter them returning to my raised beds.

Although you can't buy it now, it smells like a mixture of creosote (I know you can't buy that either - nanny state! but you can buy substitute) and Jeyes Fluid. I suspect a mixture of these two might work?

[Highfield]

I been told by a local to soak rags in creosote substitute mixed with old engine oil (it stops the creosote leaching out so much?) and stuff them down the holes. Havent tried that yet but the cat caught her second full size mole last night so lot of encouragement and praise again today!

I think they arrived cos I had been watering the brassicas bit of ground before i planted out - and of course after - but the rest is being left a bit cos there aren't 72 hours in a day.  Going to get a tractor in to plough and harrow and sow grass seed come autumn possibly so we can mow it and convert a bit at a time without it looking so dreadful.  We covered chunks up with heavy cardboard boxes and thin layers of grass cuttings as the soil is very very poor over on that side - red clay and stones  but it will take an enormous amount to do it all over - at least it will improve the soil structure a bit as it rots down.  Needless to say the moles are ignoring the larger part of the wilderness - and homing in on my brassicas.

The previous owners had run what amounted to a market garden there but he used a tractor to plough it once a year.  The top half is now grassed over. Goodness knows what he used as manure cos the soil structure isnt good.  Our chickens are enthusiastic donors but 9 chucks don't poo that much!

[plainfield57]

only way is to trap them. we control them on the farm like this one mole can do a lot of damage. buy a trap or two dig it into soil and leave until it is covered in soil and has lost any scent. find the mole run by eye then spike down you will feel when the spike goes into the run set the trap in line with run cover  with the turf taken out and give it a day or two. try not to handle the run with nice clean hands they have good noses and will keep away any hint of disturbance they run by nose. good luck

[SMD66]

We have had the exact same prob this week and have caught BOTH moles.
This is what you do, (provided like ours your mole(s) are tunneling not far from the surface and you can see the ridges they leave rather than tunneling deep and leaving solitary mole hills)

1.  fill in exising tunnels, re-plant cabbages
2. wait for a few hours, go back, look for new ridges.
3. Get a spade and some leather gloves
4. stand in a position so you can reach the end of the ridge with the spade.
5. Stand still and wait.
6, when the earth begins to move DO NOT MOVE YOUR FEET OR IT WILL FEEL THE         VIBRATION AND DO AN ASTONISHINGLY QUICK DISSAPEARING ACT.
7. plunge the spade in at the back of the tunnel where the earth is moving, flip it over, you have exposed the mole.
8. Grab it quick with gloves on, (they bite)
9.  Choose what you are going to do with it.  (Our cat says they don't taste good though)

Try it, it's fun!  Good luck