Top 5 Ways: Get Rid of Moles Naturally
You want to get rid of moles in your yard, but you care about your health and your habitat, so want to get rid of moles naturally. While they may look cute and cuddly, moles can quickly wreak havoc on your property, especially your lawn.
Aside from digging deep tunnels in the ground between your yard, they can also eat up the tiny creatures and insects that are essential to the natural health of your property–such as earthworms.
Their work makes it harder for you to keep fertile soil on the top surface and they’re also capable of destroying plants of all kinds.
Despite all of this, however, many property owners don’t know what to do when they are faced with a mole problem. How do you get rid of them? Is their a humane way? Is their a natural solution that won’t harm your yard anymore than the moles already have?
If you have asked any of these questions, trying one of these five natural home remedies is a smart way forward.
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Plant vegetative barriers to moles
Prevention is definitely better than the cure, and the same applies with moles. The best home remedy you can try to get rid of moles naturally, is to simply plant vegetative barriers that will help keep the moles away. Plant them densely throughout your yard so they will deter new moles form moving in.
The most effective include daffodils, alliums, marigolds, and fritillaries. Castor beans and the mole plant will also deter moles, but these two have to be planted with care if you have young children because they can be dangerous for humans and pets as well.
Since moles can tunnel deep, a regular wooden fence won’t deter them, but a vegetative barrier made of plants they detest or are poisonous to them will.
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Create Your Mole Repellent
A safe and inexpensive way to get rid of moles naturally is to create your own mole repellent by mixing dish soap with castor oil. Use about a half cup of both to make an effective repellent that will deter moles from moving into any area.
This simple mixture can be shaken up in a jar and then three tablespoons can be added to a gallon of water and apply where needed. Just dampen the affected area (no need to soak it). Other mole repellents include dog hair, human hair, and a combination of chili powder and garlic.
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Attract Mole Predators
If you want to get rid of moles naturally, attract their natural predators! Owls and hawks are both beautiful additions to your trees and they have the added benefit of scaring away moles from your property. Place a nest box in your yard along with large bird houses that feature the species favorite foods.
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Make Homemade Mole Traps
In many cases, it may be best to try and trap the moles so that you can personally collect them and ensure they are removed from your property. There are both kill and no-kill traps on the market.
If you want to be kind to them, you can make your own no-kill trap at home so that the moles can be relocated to a safe place where they won’t be able to destroy your beautiful garden.
A garbage can is really all you need to effectively trap a mole, and this method is super easy. In many cases, it won’t require bait! You just need to get a garbage can or a large bucket. Find the target area of your mole invasion and cover it up with the can or bucket.
The mole will feel claustrophobic and attempt to escape. Many people have luck with the mole climbing up into the bucket. You can block the other end of their tunnel with a shovel into the ground as well to help you catch them more quickly, just be careful about not letting them run away once caught!
When catching moles, you’ll need a plan of action for relocating them quickly. And, while these homemade traps will require you to be actively watching their tunnel in order to catch the moles, if you are willing to spend some money, you can pickup a trap from the local store that will be triggered when the mole enters it. This is a tried an true way to get rid of moles naturally. They should end up going inside if you place the trap strategically and, of course, use bait…
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Use Homemade Mole Bait
If you have set a trap but aren’t having much luck, adding a homemade mole bait might help you lure them into the trap so you can get them off your property fast. Place the bait inside of your trap, choosing from one of the many options you have:
Peanut butter: The sticky, nutty substance used to attract mice (and kids) for decades also works great for trapping moles into a cage. Place it strategically within the trap, otherwise they may be able to run off with your bait without being caught.
Earthworms: If you’re willing to get a little dirty, you’ll likely get much better results. You can likely catch plenty of earthworms in your own yard, or you could go to the local feed store and find some for purchase. Live earthworms can be placed into your trap to attract moles with their favorite snack.
Warning: Moles can sniff out Human smells
As a final tip, whenever you are handling any type of trap or bait that you are trying to get a mole closer to, be certain that you wear gloves. If a mole smells you on the trap or bait (they can smell very well), they will not get anywhere near it.
Use gloves to catch worms, if you are going that route, and then use those same gloves to set the trap. This way, the smell of the worms will be all over the trap rather than the smell of your human hands.
Along the same lines, keep your pets and children away from the traps too or their smell will transfer over and deter the moles from getting near the trap where they are supposed to end up.
We hope you find these ways to get rid of moles naturally helpful, let us know in the comments below what works for you! Happy hunting!
Great article, thanks!