What is the best way to get rid of moles in the yard/garden? I live in central Ky.?

Answer 1

This is from Gardening by the Yard on HGTV:

"Moles are one of the most maligned creatures on earth, says master gardener Paul James. "They get blamed for all kinds of damage they don't actually cause," he explains. "Sure, they dig tunnels that may dislodge a prize perennial or two or make an otherwise perfect lawn a little unsightly, but of the seven known species of moles in the United States, only one--the Townsend mole in the Northwest--occasionally nibbles on plants, and even that one prefers the usual mole fare--the grubs of Japanese beetles and June bugs, and other soil-dwelling critters."

Gophers, on the other hand, can cause a lot of damage--routinely lunching on seeds, bulbs and roots.

So although moles and gophers are both notorious tunnelers, the gopher is the far more harmful of the two, and good gardening requires a knowledge of the differences between these two critters. How can you tell whether a mole or a gopher is the guilty cavity creator? Since neither animal is usually seen above ground, you can identify which pest you have by looking at the characteristics of the tunnel itself.

Which is which? Moles and gophers can be distinguished by the types of tunnels they create. Since the moles' tunnels are visible atop the ground, they are the easier to identify of the two. Mole hills are circular with an exit hole in the middle, while gopher mounds are fan-shaped with an off-center hole.

Converting mounds into empty mole holes:

Paul James coexists peacefully with moles. "I've got plenty of moles in my yard, but I choose to defend them rather than destroy them," he says. "They're cute little critters whose voracious appetite helps keep the insect population in check. And as they 'swim' through the soil, they actually improve it--aerating it--in ways that no machine can."

James may or may not convince you. Despite moles' many unseen attributes, many gardeners are determined to eliminate moles from their gardens. If this is your decided course of action, try one of these methods:


A dilute solution of castor oil and water can be sprayed into the hole to encourage the mole to leave. A mixture of human urine and water works too.

By using bacterial sprays (nematodes, or microscopic worms), the grubs that moles eat are eliminated. This may or may not eradicate their food source. Moles also eat earthworms, which are not destroyed by the sprays; thus nematodes don't provide a surefire solution.

Harpoon traps are probably the most effective means of mole control and serve to kill off only the moles while the other occupants of the soil remain alive. Be sure to move traps frequently if no moles are caught, though; only traps set closest to the main tunnel usually prove effective. You can find all sorts of mole devices, traps and sprays at your local nursery or home-and-garden stores."

Answer 2

Safely & Permanently Remove Moles, Warts and Skin Blemishes

Answer 3

Here's an "earth-friendly" idea from Mother Earth Magazine. Sink wine bottles into their tunnels...open end up. Fill the bottles to different levels with water. The wind blowing across the open ends causes harmonic sounds that scare away the moles.

Answer 4

When I was a kid we had a mole problem. A neighbor told us about castor beans. We planted castor bean plants and harvested the beans from the plants. We then placed the individual beans from the pods in the mole holes and trails...the mole problem was gone in a year! The bean plants actually grow quite large(4-5 feet tall) so plant them where you can use a plant of that size. They die down and then come back each year. Good luck!

Answer 5

get the big pack of juicy fruit gum the yellow package, take each stick out of wrappers, then rollup into a ball, take a stick or rod and poke a hole every foot or so in the moles run, then put a piece of unchewed juicy fruit gum in each hole, may take a couple of times but it works, moles can not digest gum and swell up and die!government spent millions of dollars to find something that if kids got a hold of would not hurt them!

Answer 6

I have an 18lbs ginger tabby named Spot. He kills everything smaller than him. Moles, squirrels, chipmunks, snakes, lizards, cicadas, birds, possums, crabs, toads, frogs, bunnies, mice, rats, bats. And he's cuddly too.

Go to the pound, get the most gnarled, old, ticked-off looking tomcat you can find. He gets a home, you get rid of moles. It's perfect!

Answer 7

We live in Indiana and we put down lime in our yard and flowerbeds. This works and is very cheap. You get it at a place you would buy dirt or mulch. Its kinda like in a powder form. Hope this helps.

Answer 8

they sell this stuff called gopher bait,its oats of some kind made with oison in it!moles will eat it too!and they will die!you can get it at a feed store or at tractor supply store!

Answer 9

The only thing I have found is a BAZOOKA!! pricey but effective

Answer 10

tried everything, try getting a cat