How to banish molehills
Try these humane ways of deterring moles,
IT seems that the Kremlin’s spy network doesn’t have the monopoly on moles. Our back lawn is starting to look like the Andes, and several suspicious hummocks of earth have appeared in one of the borders, too.
Moles are at their most active early in the year. The mounds of earth they excavate make lawns look unsightly, and their subterranean tunnels can leave plant roots hanging in thin air, which can stop them thriving.
I don’t want to trap and kill our subterranean visitors, so have used an environmentally friendly deterrent produced by Defenders. Made from plant oils, its scent is supposed to drive the moles away, and the product is safe to use around pets and children.
There are several similar products on the market, including a new one from Vitax. I added the excavated soil to our borders and scattered the repellent on the bare ground underneath.
You can also buy so-called ‘humane’ traps that catch moles alive so they can be released away from the garden. However, these are not endorsed by the RHS or RSPCA as the moles may be held for several hours, which is terrifying for them.
Molehills appear when the animals create tunnels linking their nesting chamber to their larders, where they store decapitated earthworms (another reason for deterring moles). The soil is scooped out of the main tunnels and down a side run and up onto the surface.
When the weather warms up in spring, use grass seed to re-green the areas of lawn where the molehills were dug.