The mole, a garden aid
Despite what you may think, the mole is not the enemy of your garden, it can even become a real ally. Granted, all the little piles of soil it creates can make your grass look unsightly, but when it digs its galleries fiercely, it ultimately works the soil. The soil thus aerated is more permeable to rain. The presence of moles is also a sign that your soil is of good quality, since this small mammal has a strong preference for soils rich in earthworms and organic matter.
Another fact to know: we can hear wrongly and through that moles are hemophiliacs. This legend encourages gardeners to put rosebush branches or crushed glass on the passageways of moles to injure the mole to death. This solution is not only extremely cruel, but also completely unfounded.
Anti-mole plants
A natural solution is to use plants that will have an anti-mole action.
Euphorbia Lathyris
This biennial plant is also known under the name of purge spurge, garden spurge or mole grass. For a very long time, this plant has the reputation of repelling this tunnel digger animal. This is why many gardeners, whether amateurs or professionals, swear by this plant.
- This herbaceous, more utilitarian than ornamental, is a hardy plant which is not very demanding, but which appreciates a good exposure to the sun.
- In its stem is a substance that is both harmful and irritating to the mole, it is latex. It can thus be planted near the visited soils. Unfortunately, this white latex can also cause allergic reactions on human skin and, if ingested, this plant is poisonous. It must therefore be handled with care.
- In addition, placed in the sun in well-drained soil, it reseeds itself on its own, which can prove to be a disadvantage, as it can quickly become invasive.
Fritillaria Imperialis
Fritillaria is a bulb plant that can be planted in the fall to provide lovely blooms in the spring.
- From its stem, which measures between 80 cm and 1.20 m high, emerge large green leaves. Its top is adorned with a crown of large flowers in the shape of small bells which hang down and are topped with leaves.
- This perennial is characterized by a sickening odor which emanates from the bulb and which will spread in the ground. It is these scents that will ward off moles, but also rodents such as mice, voles or field mice. It is therefore very effective to plant it in your flower beds, but also at the edge of your lawns: moles will no longer want to come and settle in your garden.
- This hardy plant appreciates fertile, well-drained soil. You can plant it as soon as it thaws to take advantage of its flowering from the end of April or the beginning of May. You can install them in clumps of 5 or 6 bulbs to optimize their efficiency.
Incarvillea dalavayi
Incarvillea is a hardy bulbous perennial. On the surface, it delights us with its large pink trumpet flowers with yellow throats, but underground, it is a formidable plant that effectively repels moles, but also garden mice.
- A single foot of this plant protects your land over an area of 15 m². Not only does this ecological method seem effective, but in addition, the plant is beautiful and decorative.
- Choose a sunny or semi-shaded location.
- It prefers cool to moist soil.
- If these conditions are met, it benefits from rapid growth: it can then reach up to 60 centimeters in height and spread over 30 cm.
- It does not require maintenance. However, it is recommended to mulch the foot to protect it in the event of harsh winter.
Castor
The anti-mole plants also include Ricinus communis. This plant has long been used as a poison to combat rodents. It is part of the euphorbiaceae family just like the purge, or garden spurge.
- The castor oil plant is a perennial that can reach between 1.50 and 2 m in height.
- This perennial is considered annual, that is, it disappears as soon as the ground freezes.
- Castor bean needs a sunny exposure and a well-drained soil rich in humus.
- When these conditions are met, the castor oil plant benefits from a favorable environment and its development is rapid.
- This plant is characterized by spectacular foliage with its reddish hues and bronze to purple reflections. The leaves are palmate and very graphic.
- Its stem is robust and sparsely branched.
- With its spiky scarlet red fruits, the castor oil plant is a real eye-catcher.
- The best known use of this plant is the production of castor oil which has cosmetic virtues (acne, wrinkles, etc.), but its roots can also be used to produce castor oil cake.
- This plant and its fruits are very poisonous and can be fatal to animals and children. However, mixed with the soil of your vegetables, it presents no risk.
How effective are mole control plants?
A significant number of gardeners being disappointed by the use of plants to repel moles and letting it be known, one can wonder about their real effectiveness. Yes, they are effective, but the disappointment of gardeners can find its explanation in the following fact: very often, the moles will take up residence on the lawn, in other words, where the spurge purges, the castor, the fritillaria, but also the incarvillea are not planted since we tend to install them in flower beds. Thus, to allow anti-mole plants to be fully effective, they should be installed directly on the lawn. But we can say that although this solution has limits, it works.