Make Mole Repellent
You've worked long and hard on your lawn--religiously maintaining a meticulously planned watering, feeding, mulching and mowing schedule--until an immaculate, weed-free, emerald green slice of perfection waits just beyond your front door. And then you see it: the telltale mound of dirt. And then another, and another. In your quest for perfection, you have attracted an unwelcome guest--the mole. Ridding yourself of moles once they have moved in is no small task. Currently there is no mole removal method that is absolutely guaranteed. However, according to Extension Offices in Maine, Michigan and Oregon, homemade repellents using castor oil can ward off moles with moderate to excellent results.
Instructions
1. Mix 1/4 cup castor oil with 2 tbsp. dish soap. Add 1/4 cup water. Place contents in a blender and blend on high speed until the mixture is thick and foamy. Store mole repellent in sealed container in cool, dark cupboard.
2. Add 2 tbsp. of the repellent to a 1-gallon watering can. Fill the can with water and apply to any areas of obvious mole activity, pouring copious amounts of dilute repellent solution down any visible mole holes.
3. Prepare an alternate version of the first mole repellent formula by combining 1 cup oil soap wood cleaner, 1/4 cup ground red pepper and 1/4 cup castor oil. Apply this mixture in the same manner as the first.
4. Reapply repellent every 30 days or after a heavy rain. Change the repellent type every 60 days by alternating these two formulas or by substituting garlic or spearmint for red pepper. By changing the repellent frequently, the moles are less likely to adjust to it.
5. Create a hostile environment for moles. In addition to the castor oil repellent, surround your yard with mole plants, such as the caper spurge, castor bean and halcyon. These plants emit odors moles find unpleasant and establish root networks that interfere with their tunneling. Fill existing tunnels with a mixture of garlic cloves, mothballs and hot peppers.
Tips Warnings
Repellents work best when applied to the loose, damp soil of the freshly dug mounds. For best results, treat the entire yard, forcing moles to move on to another area completely. Repellent remains effective for 30 to 45 days after application, except in areas where irrigation techniques are common. Intensify your treatments in early spring and late fall, outside of the parameters of the natural reproduction cycle.
The presence of moles actually improves the overall health of your yard. Their primary food sources are pests, such as slugs, which negatively impact gardens while their digging enhances soil drainage. By removing the moles, you may be lowering the quality of your property, rather than improving it.
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